walking vs playing

I've set up a sort of routine of two big walks a day-morning and night, and something small in between.

Today I was pretty weak in the morning, then had homework and a redbox show to finish before 9.  I set up a killer zip-line scheme in our front green area and sat on my chair to do some Taylor Series review, with several toys for the puppy.

He was too busy watching local passerby to really have any enjoyment.  (Unless that was it.  Pretty weak.  Still better than the living room stimulus.)  But I was pleased with his willingness to watch and not bark.  I praised him each time with new people.  He whined to walk about, and against my self-important sense "he HAD his time" I took him on a short walk-he voided his colon impressively.  So, while It would have been nice for him to just use the far end of his zip line, I'm glad that that was taken care of.

Well, dinner and the show happened, and I finally took him out again.  Another short walk done, it seemed wrong.  So I grabbed the soccer ball, and we had a merry time chasing it/him.  I poured some snow on his face, and broke into a sprint of abandon at one point-the only time I caught up with him.  It was nice.  Felt great for a few seconds before "how much longer?" and "I should be studying" guilt crept back in.

I can't find the original article I read recently, but it got me thinking about the possibility that I have taken on the "no play, no time, too busy, too silly" attitude adults had shut me down with in my childhood; it had been intimated that this is a way of trying to deal with or control the (admittedly mild) trauma.  Pretty jacked up, but with the trends of more obvious dysfunctions running in families, there is probably something to it.  Emotions aren't logical.

So I did my best to push that sort of play-hate back, and not regurgitate lame excuses on my dog.  He only has so much time.  If I wait for convenience to play, he'll already be an old dog.  It can be hard to remember that while I need to run around to work, class, the store, etc, he is just sitting at home with little original stimulus.  (I mean, de-stuffing a toy can only be as exciting as fresh air and stretching your muscles so many times.)  He CAN'T go outside unless I open the door.  That's a lot of waiting, and dependence.  (Plans are for a doggie screen door this summer.  At least he'll have autonomy to the patio.)

Eventually I got very thirsty, he seemed mildly tired, and we came inside.  While the temptation to risk the dog park to wear him out can be strong, tonight I got the sense that I am enough.  It was solid fun for both of us.  I guess I'll keep trying the zip-line if the weather is kind again.  He might just be so unused to seeing people when we aren't on an actual walk, where he is distracted anyway.

The other night we just took a very long walk in a nearby community I had never explored.  It is like a strip mall where people live.  ridiculous and awesome, but I wouldn't care for it.  Our long yards are better than their tiny fenced lawns.  Anyway, the walking is alright, but he spends so much time sniffing that I would not call it much of a bonding activity.  Lots of "leave it" practice.

vent [explicit]:

PS, I hate people with little dogs.  "let's say hi!  You know, for 2 seconds."  They let their micro-brats get Jorah all riled up, and just float away while I'm in charge of controlling a 60+ pound puppy that is trying to jerk my arm off.  Thoughtless dicks.  Maybe I'll start saying "you can bring your dog over, but then I'm letting him go."
Tonight the worst one was just standing there all jolly while Jorah was literally compressing my palm bones together with each bound. "Slowly!" She commands.  "slowly."  I bit back "that's easy for you to say!"  Told Jorah to "sit" instead, which lasted 1.5 seconds.  She isn't a complete social retard, and saw my struggles "maybe another time."  "Yeah!" Like, in an off-leash area.  Probably never going to happen.  I really hate her stupid bitch, she thinks it wants to play when all it does is bark at my idiot.  (No, not a happy bark.)  I did it for his sake, but in hind sight, letting him get away with such rude leash behavior is not going to happen again.  I have a neighbor 5 units down who never lets their dog near another one.  My main theory is dog aggression, but I'm starting to see their way of thinking as much more multi-faceted and prudent.


An article about the benefits of play, came up when I was looking for the one I alluded to.  Here it is.