Hello, everyone. For those of you who own a dog, I need your help.
On a warm Spring day I took Stanley for a walk. He is a long-haired Chihuahua so his coat was really long then. One lap around the neighborhood is equal to half of a mile. Normally, Stanley would walk along side me (at his pace) for the entire lap. However, on this day because of his long coat and because it was humid and warm, he was panting a lot. He stopped in a patch of green grass, gave me a pitiful little whine and stood at my feet wanting to be carried.
Being a compassionate and tender Master (sometimes a Sucker!), I picked him up and carried him home. Soon thereafter I had his coat trimmed down so now it is really short. The thing is though that most every time we walk now he wants to be carried home. If the weather is cool and not humid (hello...at this time of the year that's 5am!) he will walk the entire lap; however, if the weather is in the 80s or above, he wants to be carried. He is panting too.
All dog owners, I need your help...lol. No, seriously...I do want your advice. Is half a mile too far for a 5 pound chihuahua to walk? Is it too hot (thus the panting)? Or, am I just being a sucker and carrying my dog home?!
I pick him up and carry him a little while, then I put him down again to see if he will walk. Sometimes he does and other times he doesn't. Of course if he sees a bird or a squirrel within reach he will sprint to it, but after the chase he peters out and wants to be carried. I'd say he walks about a quarter of a mile (1 lap around a track) and then peters. Sometimes, he walks 1 and 1/2 laps or even 1 and 3/4 laps.
Needless to say Stanley and I are the talk of my neighborhood: "Oh, look...Stanley is walking Car again! (ha ha ha)" grrrrrrr.
If you have suggestions, please reply to this post or email me at car@ttica.org. Thanks!
Update: Stanley has adjusted more to the heat and is walking a shorter route, but he is walking the entire shorter route. It was the heat!
