No, not really, but it was dusk when the fur-girls and I set out last night. See, Sissy has become a BEAST about walks. Gretchen gets excited when a walk seems evident and zooms around the house as only wee doggies seem to do, literally bouncing off furniture and walls, but Sissy will throw a fit and DEMAND a walk if one isn’t forthcoming.
So, I quickly slipped into my walking shoes and socks and slapped on their harnesses, and away we went, even though it was getting darker by the second. We managed, in part because one end of our road is more populated and has a few streetlights, but I’m hoping some of you who walk and/or run regularly can share your secrets with me.
Sissy isn’t going to give up walks because it’s too hot, and walking in the morning before work isn’t safe at all with everyone on our road heading to work or school, so we’ll just adjust the length and intensity of our walks to her constitution. I have a doggy water attachment I can put on a water bottle and take water with us. What else?
For future late walks, I do have day-glo neckerchiefs for each dog (thanks to my sister), and I have a head lamp thingee from LL Bean I can dig out from wherever I put it. Any other hands-free to hold on tight to two retractable leashes tips for walking in the dark?
Oh – and I happened to have on my New Balance Rock & Tone shoes last night. I like them, but since I rotate between three pairs of shoes for walking, I don’t know that they’ve made a huge difference in my tone or shape.
What are your favorite walking/running tips, accessories or what have you?
Chan Knits 
I don’t have any – besides just do it! And enjoy. There are some that would say camelback and possibly pepper spray. But I’m meh about it. Happy Tuesday. Love the girls dayglow bandanas. g
I had to LOL when I read “and zooms around the house as only wee doggies seem to do, literally bouncing off furniture and walls” – um, I’ve got some rather NON-wee doggies here who do the same thing… lol
I could use some walking tips myself so I’m looking forward to stalking your comments…
I used to carry pepper spray when I lived in Maryland, more for my protection than the the dogs. If there are scary dogs in the neighborhood, an umbrella is a safe way to discourage them. Aim it at them and hit the open button. It usually sends them away.
My dogs all get hot, so I have cool bandanas for them. They have little gel inserts that I keep in the freezer and slip into a pocket in the bandana. The help keep them cool on hot humid days.
To wait to get off the treadmill till *after* it stops…
I’m with Nicole…my big doggies not only bounce off walls and furniture, they have known to jump over the furniture, too. Doberman must circle living room sofa three times prior to each walk and before she will sit on the step and let you put on the leash (this occurs 3-4x a day). Dad walks the beasts. His job. I need to keep my shoulders in their sockets. If I take ’em out, it is only in our back acre.
I don’t trust those toning shoes!
I open the door and let Thor into the yard. That’s the plus to 10 fenced acres. Sorry!
Well I am fascinated that you rotate between three pairs of shoes > I Have foot pain…maybe I need to do this.
THe worst thing about walking Huck at night was the skunks…
I remember when it was too hot and humid for day walks…
hmmmmmm
tips……do you have a reflector vest to wear?? I know as a driver that really shows up far. FIreman wears one on his bike…
Walk in the heat? No thank you. As much as it can be a pain to get up, drive 15 mins to my parents’ house, and use the treadmill, I think that I may have to. Not that I’m scared, but I do worry about my safety, walking the trails in the woods when no one is home.
And I also meant to say, that if I had dogs, then yes, I would walk in the heat. But the fur beasts enjoy the AC a little too much. 🙂
I know those zoomies! As for the night walk tools…I got a cool dealie-bob at the dollar store. It’s an inch and a half round light disc, color yellow, which can blink fast, slow, or not at all, which clips onto…whatever. Cheap little battery op thing should make your group much more visible.
Get you one of those giant carabiner clips. You can put both girls leash handles through it and clip it to you or hold it in one hand. : )