Bottom Feeders

Since I have had to rearrange my walking schedule to accommodate Molly's illness, I have decided to continue to walk 3 miles a day - on an average. So all I need to do is keep track of my mileage and have it average out to 3 a day. I know it used to be more, since I walked more than just with the dogs, but I have to start some place. So far, as of today, I am ahead. I started yesterday and walked 8 miles last night. That gave me 5 extra. I walked the dogs for one today, which leaves me with 3 extra. Or something like that.

Molly does love her walks, even if they are too much for her now. Yesterday I took them for a mile (oh, I forgot to add that one in!) and we ran into another dog. This isn't good; it's stressful for Molly. Today I decided to hit the big field in back of my house. I don't know what it's doing there, but it's huge, and the city mows it. It's at least 3 acres, I guess. I am not very good with distance, which is why I have to wear a pedometer.

I saddled up the dogs. I am still confused as to how it is that Molly is an eating machine and her harness is not getting tighter on her. There must be a metabolism issue going on, so I am feeling less guilty for feeding her enough for a 400 lb adult human male. We went through our yard, the yard next door where little Chase, the other beagle, lives and hit the field. Chase was not outside, or we would have gone to see her. The three of them together is a very cute sight. Watching me try to hold onto the leashes for my two without getting totally tangled up in Chase's leash that she is tied out with is not cute.

I figured beagles like to smell things, and they go slower when sniffing, so I let them track around the field (on leash, of course). Molly seemed delighted to be out in the sunshine and fresh air, smelling nasty things. Nothing makes a beagle happier than icky things to sniff (except food). We went around the field once, and I decided Molly was hanging tough, so we doubled back a bit, going slower, so they could smell some feathers and things.

Suddenly, Molly, my inveterate bottom feeder, sniffs at something while I am looking up and enjoying the day. Crap, never take your eye off that hog dog. I felt her move, and looked back at her just in time to see her gobble up some goose crap.

In the past, I have reached inside Molly's mouth to try to remove things she has scooped up. Last year she got her little lips around a very old peanut butter sandwich. I tried to get it out, but she just clamped harder and I ended up with what looked like poop all over my hands. I started to reach for her mouth today and thought, nope, not sticking my hands in goose crap. Not even for Molly. Uh uh, no way. She saw me hesitate, smiled, and swallowed. Ewww. Licked her lips, went looking for more....

I decided a mile walk was enough for dear Molly today. I made her hold her head up after that, and walk proud. She keep trying to root for more goose turds, but I wasn't giving her the opportunity. It was bad enough that Baby did her usual turd drop that I had to clean up. Based on what I saw, I would guess I am the only person in the world who has ever cleaned up after her dog on that field.

For sure, no one cleans up after those geese.

As we walked back towards Chase's house, I heard her bay a greeting to us. Just as I started to head towards her furry little squirmy body, I realized that Chase had company. A rottweiler puppy was tied out with her. I decided that Molly didn't need the stress of a new puppy to compete with, although I mightily wanted to go pet the little charmer. As I veered away, I ran into my neighbor's human company, along with his full grown rottie. Molly must have been tired, because she did not decide to treat the rottie like a rabbit. She was strangely calm, either confident or exhausted.

Even after a goose turd appetizer, she still ate double her usual amount for dinner. As I walked away, I heard her licking the empty dish. At least this time she didn't chew on the dish itself.