Spooked

I've been taking advantage of the amazing weather this winter, and have been taking the pups for walks. Outside. All you have to do is say "Do you wanna....." and they are all over it. They usually have 'cabin fever' by now, but not this year!

I typically avoid the trails when I walk the dogs. It's too hard with two little adventurous, curious dogs and the bicyclists. They hate me. My dogs run back and forth on the trail, making it difficult for them to pass. Callie & Chloe don't know the meaning of 'share the trail' - I try really hard to 'get my dogs out of the way' - I'm always checking behind me, trying to accommodate - but there are curves, and I'm not always able to move as quickly as they would like me to. So to avoid this mutual frustration, it's just easier to stay on the sidewalks in the neighborhood.

Well.... I decided to walk the trail with the pups - I needed to get two miles in on that particular day - and I wanted a change of scenery. We take the turn that leads us through the park, and onto the trail.

Now, I must back up just a bit and further describe the behavior of the girls. Both are super excited and they are always at the end of their leash - always looking for what's around the corner! Always curious! Always excited! In fact, everything about their walk could be described with! an! exclamation! point!

Perhaps multiple exclamation points!!!!

We get past the park, and onto the trail - Callie immediately falls back and is walking right beside, if not a little behind me. In fact, I have to slow down to allow for Callie to keep up. Then she's giving the indication that she wants picked up. This is done by her standing up on her back legs, and putting her front paws on me.

Ok. She definitely has my attention. Not normal 'walk' behavior by Callie Mae. So I pick her up. And she shakes. And she shakes. And she shakes some more. She's so emotional... I decide that something is stressing Callie out and it's not worth it - so I turn around and head back to the park, and back to the neighborhood.

I kid you not - the second we got back into the neighborhood - she wanted down and was back to being excited! And curious! And exploring every single leaf, stick, and stone.

I have no idea why she is now scared of being on the trail, but that's fine - it'll just make it easier for everyone. Especially the people riding bicycles...