Running with the Dog, and The Stroller...

MudMom and MudPuppy (aka: The Terror)

My wonderful MudPuppy (aka Carter), was doing so well walking with the stroller on the trails. So today I decided to skip going to the trails and just leave from my driveway.

IT WAS HELL.

The whole run, Carter pulled and PULLED on his leash. I had to stop multiple times to attempt to calm him down. By the end of the run I was so angry and frustrated because he would just not stay at my side. I don't understand how he can do so well on the trails and be a complete terror when we just walk out the door.

I wanted to turn back at a quarter mile already (with a quarter mile walking warm up) but knew if I turned back I wouldn't actually go for my run. I want to enjoy my run and not have to trip over a stroller as I get bullied by my dog! I tie him around my waist so at least I have my hands free and that limits how much force he can get since it's only a 5 ft lead and my waist isn't tiny.

So, enough with the venting about MudPuppy. He's evil at times, but I love him. And hopefully, since all weekday runs will be out the door and not at trails, he will maybe learn to behave himself.

It's Above Freezing!!

So, what did I do?

I went for a walk.

But before I went for a walk, I had to get ready to go for a walk. Simple right? Hahahahaha.

Step One: Feed baby so baby doesn't scream the entire walk.

Step Two: Change baby so baby doesn't leak urine on me while we walk.

Step Three: Bundle baby. Yes, bundle the baby that will not sit still because he thinks it's great fun to try to get away when getting is snowsuit on.

Step Four: Attach baby carrier to self. That's easy enough. All these straps, just make sure you connect the straps to the right ends of one another or it's just a tangled mess.

... 10 min later after untangling self and getting straps right...

Step Five: Get wiggly baby into said carrier.

Step Six: Get the dogs leash and loop it around waist (that you can't see because there is a baby in a carrier attached to you).

Step Seven: Yell "WALK" loudly so dog comes running.

Step Eight: Get very hyper dog to sit long enough to attach his leash to his collar.

Step Nine: Get your own jacket on and gloves and hat.

Step Ten: Get out of the house before you realize how badly you need to pee and have to repeat steps 3-9 :).

So Muddoggy was very excited for our walk. It's the first time we've been out walking this year. We have trained him to run up and down the steps so he's not completely without exercise and the back yard is fenced so he runs free out there. But it's still icy outside and getting him to remain calm enough to not tip me and baby over was interesting. Thankfully I've always leashed him to my waist so I always have two hands free to handle him.

Mudbaby really didn't care about the walk. He was in his carrier attached to me and was having a really hard time trying to nap through the walk. He gave it a good try here and there. He'd put his head down on my chest, then Muddog would pull us off one direction or another and Mudbaby would look around like "why am I not crashed out on the floor like it's the drunken night after my 21st birthday?"

As soon as we got home in one piece I spent probably another 10 minutes disentangling myself from the dog and the baby. Muddog excitedly ran outside with extra energy from being so excited that we went for a walk. I put Mudbaby on the floor so I could use the bathroom that I realized I needed to use right after I had everything attached to myself. Once I get out of there, let the dog in, and head back in by baby... yep... crashed out on the floor like a drunken college kid who couldn't make it to the couch.

Now where's my nap?

Little Liver Pill, aka Carter

This is the Carter that was.

We decided to name him Carter, so Grandpa Muddy has nicknamed him Little Liver Pill. His original name that he probably didn't even know was Tyson. He is not a Tyson. He's the sweetest dog ever. You can put your hand down his throat when he's eating and he wont even try to bite, bark, or growl.

He was a furball when we brought him home, weighing in at just 24 lbs at three months old. He puked all over me on our 3 hour drive home! The lady said, "No, I didn't feed him today"....

Yes. Yes she did... And it was all on my lap.

We bell trained this amazing furball within a week of being home. He is a purebred standard poodle. He had almost no accidents other than the whole new place accidents. He still rings that bell. Sometimes to go potty, and sometimes to go chase squirrels. And he still loves to run over the ice on the inground pool in winter no matter how many times I yell at him not too. Somehow he knows when it's frozen over and when it's not.

Carter then loved to always be with people. He hated to sleep outside our room. He loved to bark at everything that walked past the house, and even the neighbors across the street when they were in their own garage!

 And this is Carter now :). He's still a furball. This was just before a trim. The lady at the bank told me he was too fat for a dog biscuit after winter before he got his spring trim. This is early summer and time for his second trim.

Carter is still an amazing dog. He's learned not to go on the furniture and how to sleep in the hallway without crying all night. He still barks at everything that goes past the house but at least allows our neighbors to use their garage freely without barking at them :).

Carter had also been trained to run up and down the steps instead of go for walks on really really cold, wet, or crappy days. I stand at the bottom and say "upstairs". He runs up as fast as his legs will carry him. Then Carter stands up there waiting for the command... I say "come" and he runs back down. Every 2-3 times he gets a tiny training treat. He inhales them. I'm sure he doesn't actually taste them. 

He gets into the garbage can.

He makes HUGE messes. 

He steals food from the counters. 

He cuddles you when you're sad or unhappy. 

He brings joy to our lives and I'm very glad Carter is part of my family.