Like most dogs, Kelly’s downright playful. And she’s pretty determined when she wants to play. When I’m pressed hard on deadline, typing away at my computer, she’ll come up and nuzzle against my leg. Sweet. Nice Kelly.
Then, she’ll paw me on the thigh. Not as cute. Okay, good girl. I might give her an absent scratch on the head.
If I continue to ignore her, she’ll pull out the heavy artillery. Standing up on her hind legs, she slaps a front paw down on my keyboard. I’m in the midst of typing the most brilliant line of my novel, when suddenly, dwqiuhfd4xg;z52gagaaaaa. Haven’t I taught that dog to use the space bar yet?
Anyway, this always gets my attention. I might throw her a tennis ball and hope that she’ll take the initiative to play with it herself. But more often, she wants me to play with her.
I used to sit and work all day, without take a break for any physical activity. This suited me, but not my waistline. Now, I guess you could say that Kelly takes me for a walk every day. When we get outside and the fresh air hits me in the face (right now it’s getting brisk) I’m always glad to be out there. Before, however, it was a major effort to get crowbarred out of my chair.
We go around the block, up the street, for about 1/2 mile, and back. Not an amazingly long walk, but enough for her short little legs (okay and mine too.) If, by chance, Kelly feels she’s not ready to return home, she’ll take the leash into her mouth and pulls me in the opposite direction. She’s surprisingly strong. A determined dog makes a great personal trainer.
Tail’s End: Take a break from your work today and enjoy some good, rigorous activity. Get a dog to show you how!
