Adventures in Dogwalking

[stoutfellow]

Along the route where I usually take Ben and Murphy, there are a number of storm-sewer openings. Naturally, they usually attract mild interest from the dogs. But it seems that, at the moment, there's Something Down There. I don't smell anything, so it's probably not something dead, but whatever it is excites Ben tremendously. Now, Ben is pretty tall for a terrier, but he has an amazing ability to flatten himself; he gets his entire forequarters under the lip of the opening, and I suspect that if he weren't leashed he'd go all the way inside. I keep picturing him dangling from his leash, with me trying to pull him back out without strangling him. I think we'll have to avoid that opening for a while.

Meanwhile, about half a block down, there's a vacant lot that's just been mowed - but not raked. As a result, there are little matted clumps of cut grass all over, and Murphy just loves them. He'll drag me halfway across the lot (or he would, if I let him) to get at these tasty treats. It takes a good deal of strength to pull him away. I'm not sure what the attraction is; Ben doesn't show any interest and they eat the same food, so I don't think it's any dietary lack.

Oh, well. At least this way I get an upper-body workout with each walk.