What’s So Exciting about Going for a Walk?

Here’s a question for Clutch, the amazing Yorkie: Clutch, what’s so exciting about going for a walk?

I have loved the word “walk” since I was a puppy. Walk meant I got to run around on the farm with my human. How exciting!

Now that I’ve grown up some, I can’t really tell the difference between “walk” and every other time we go outside. But when I hear that word, it’s still exciting for me. It means it’s time to go exploring!

My Nose Comes Alive When I Walk

When I’m indoors, I always hear noises coming from outside. I’m very alert. If the noise is out back, I run to the window to see what’s going on. But the front windows are too high for me, so if the sound comes from that direction, I just bark. I want to be part of the action.

When we go for a walk, I can finally find out what all those outdoor noises are about. There are so many cool things going on outside. I would live outside if I could—except when it rains, snows, gets dark, gets too hot or cold, when the wind blows, during lightning and thunder, or when there are too many other animals around.

The minute I walk outside, everything I sensed from indoors becomes more vibrant and multidimensional. Smell is my biggest sense, and I can smell who has come by, what has happened, and who’s hanging out in the distance. My nose comes alive outside!

I don’t look up very much when I walk, unless I hear something. I keep my nose to the ground, so I don’t miss a thing. My nose tells me everything I need to know about what’s been happening outside since my last visit.

Of course, I’m also hoping to find some tidbit to munch on. That drives Miss Janet crazy. She says I’m like a vacuum cleaner. She’s always admonishing me that our driveway is not a vending machine. She’s right; it’s not. The snacks are free!

Walks Are Best When I’m in Charge

The best walk is when we vary the route. I like to try different things. The longer the route, the better, unless it’s mealtime or snack time. Bottom line: I need to set the pace and the duration. Let me lead!

I know how long I want to be out. If you shorten my walk, I’ll just get cranky. If you make it too long, I’ll be worn out and expect you to carry me back inside. Take your cue from me. I’ll tell you where I want to go, what I want to experience, and for how long.

Miss Janet doesn’t fully understand this. She will shorten the walk if she doesn’t want to stay outside. She’ll nudge me in some direction, saying, “We go this way.” But I don’t want to go that way, so we have to negotiate and compromise.

I really don’t get why she won’t crawl under the fence or behind the garden hose when I head over there. Something about untangling my leash. It would be a lot simpler if she would take me off the leash!

But she won’t let me run free in our yard. Read my previous post to understand why. It’s for my safety based on where we live, and we drive to other locations where I can run free. If your Yorkie lives in a safer environment, away from traffic, you might not have that problem.

When we walk up the big hill on the farm, Miss Janet is always way behind me, telling me to wait. I wait for a moment and turn to look back. As far as I can tell, she’s still moving in my direction, very slowly. So, I keep going.

Then she says it again: “Wait.” But it makes no sense for me to wait when she is still moving forward. If she really wants to slow things down, I would rather she just call me back to her. I’ll find something to do while she catches her breath. Waiting is boring, and it’s not in my nature to wait.

Walking in Weird Weather

I will walk in all kinds of weather, but that doesn’t mean I like it. Miss Weatherwoman Janet always announces any unusual weather before we go outside. She’ll say, “It’s very rainy today.” Yes, I know. I can hear it. Or “It’s very chilly today.” Yes, I know. I can feel it.

She thinks she needs to prepare me for what’s outside. She doesn’t realize how perceptive I am. I can already sense everything outside, whereas she has to consult that annoying hand box to find out what the weather is like.

Of all the weather conditions, rain is my least favorite. It’s like being forced to get a bath, except there’s no escape. I blame Miss Janet. Clearly, she left the faucets running all night, and now the whole world is covered in water, and there’s still more water falling from the sky. When it rains, I don’t want to stay out very long.

Wind is the weather that frightens me the most. When I hear it from inside, I hide under furniture. When I’m outside in the wind, I start shaking. Miss Janet is smart enough to stand between me and the wind, so I don’t get clobbered by something flying through the air. We stay close to the house when it’s windy, and we go back inside pretty quickly. I think Miss Janet dislikes the wind as much as I do.

Snow is fun. Ice, not so much. I love romping in the snow, although it gets stuck to my fur and makes it hard to move. Ice is interesting, but it makes walking hard. I slip and slide, and this makes my muscles sore. It’s exhausting.

Miss Janet wants me to remind all Yorkie parents to limit outdoor time in cold or heat. The American Kennel Club suggests no more than 10-15 minutes for small dogs in cold weather.

Everyone Should Love Walking

I love to walk often. Sometimes Miss Janet surprises me by saying, “Walk?” I love those surprises and hearing that “walk” word. I’m always ready for an adventure!

More often, I have to prompt her by whining. She may not respond right away, especially if it hasn’t been that long since our last walk. She gauges things by time. I choose to walk whenever I feel like it, especially if I’m bored, even if I went out not that long ago.

So, the whining gets louder and closer until I wear her down. When she picks up my harness, I am right under her feet. We’re ready to roll.

My advice for my Yorkie readers is to show your human, by example, how to make every walk amazing. My advice for humans is to learn to love walks as much as your Yorkie does. It’s good for you too!

Here’s that helpful article by the American Kennel Club about How Long Can You Keep Your Dog Outside in different temperatures. It varies by breed.

Happy Walking!

Clutch