off to the pet store ... hold on to your dog!...

This morning at our regular meeting we learned that we’d be heading off to the pet store in the morning and then doing walks in the afternoon. It was quite the challenge fitting all of us and our dogs with their harnesses into the van. Like my friend John was saying, “This reminds me of kindergarten.”. Once at the store parking lot I asked if I could wait out side of the van for my turn to go in. they were taking people in two by two, depending on their sight. They were worried though, about people losing control of their dogs since we were right by a major 6 lane road. Leia came over and suggested using the halty in the store to make my time in there tolerable with my exuberant doggie. He was great with the gentle leader on. First we went to look at rain coats. This store gives us 25% off so it’s a good deal to buy some of the dogs stuff here. Of course, living in Vancouver, I only have so much luggage room to use for Bogart’s treats. They didn’t have his size in a rain coat so we have ordered a size 22 for him. They didn’t’ have yellow rain coats so I’ve ordered a red one. I’ll have to decide if I want red or not when it comes in. It will be pretty cheap so I might just by it and see, if we aren’t visible enough at night in the rain, then get a brighter yellow coat. I got him some rubber balls, a rubber Frisbee type of thing, some healthy treats since he is very food motivated and a smoked bone. I think that is what it was called. It is a real bone from a real cow that still has grizzle and such on it. It has been treated somehow so it’s not covered in maggots but apparently it will give the dog hours of enjoyment. They say it is rather messy so I might give it to him here when I want to put him in the kennel for awhile. Including the raincoat, this came to about $50. Pretty good. I asked Bogart for his visa card but surprisingly enough, he wouldn’t give it to me.

In the afternoon we were out for another walk. I was paired with another person who walks at a fast rate. In fact, we can’t figure out how she and her dog go so fast since she is pretty small. I’d be walking behind her across the bridge in full stride and not be able to catch her. By full stride I mean that a little faster and I’d have to be jogging. I’m six feet tall by the way. They try to match people with others of similar speeds to make the most out of the walks. They will, at times , put you with people who are slower, if you’re a fast one, to help you learn how to keep your dog from racing all the time.


Anyway we had a very good walk. Bogart did very good. He missed the planter that he’d been consistently stopping at. Mind you, he was still sort of window shopping. Still likes that tattoo shop. However, he has expanded his tastes. He now found the jewelry store interesting as well as the Jamaican restaurant . Good taste eh? When walking over the first bridge we were just flying along and then Bogart came out of hyperspace because a woman with a walker was approaching. Once we safely passed her he kicked it up into another gear again until we got to the corner. On the bridge, when the railing is on your left, we ask the dog “over left with a sweep of our right hand across in front of us to the left, to get them to hug the railing and keep us away from the curb. We also walked past another dog without me even noticing which means Bogart barely moved his head.

The only two negative things for me was that Bogart let me a bit too far right and into a tree branch when crossing a road. At the next corner he saw his former trainer and wanted to do a diagonal crossing to get to her which, of course, I put a quick stop to by a pretty firm correction. Other than those two things he did very well.


I ran Bogart later with my friends lab named Rocco but they really didn’t play that well. I don’t think rocco was in the mood. I think tomorrow night I will go back to playing him with Rhino since they seem to get along and play with lots of gusto.

Looking forward to more walks tomorrow. I’m hoping it will be as nice as today. I finally broke out my shorts and a short sleeve shirt for our walks. Hopefully the weekend will be just as nice.