Monday, May 21, 2007

Survival

This is Dugg, and this is what happens to Dugg when we get home from a walk. We do not take nearly as many walks as we should, but when we do it is like Christmas morning for Dugg.
He starts out at a good pace, high-stepping (as much as possible for a Bassett) with his nose high in the air. We have to walk in the street because Dugg easily gets distracted on the sidewalk--way too much for a hound to sniff.
5 minutes later, Dugg has worked up a good foam, which originally spreads to his hanging ears and then moves to Katy's ankles when he gets too close. Katy does not like this part.
10 minutes later, Dugg's enthusiasm is fading fast. He is a much slower Bassett at this point, as his nails are now dragging the pavement with each step.
15 minutes into the walk, Dugg's ears, jowls, and tongue are all sagging, doing their part to rid the street of any debris along the way. He's wondering if home is around the next corner.
At the 20 minute mark, Dugg is as sloppy as ever. He has never been a gifted walker, but now his stumbling is much more frequent. His nose and forehead are showing signs of wear after repeated trips land him too close to the road.
It's been about half an hour, and Dugg is considering quitting. He stops every hundred yards or so to test out what quitting feels like. He's not ashamed to sit in the middle of the road, after all, it's the dog-owners who look silly.
When we get on the homestretch, Dugg gets a magical burst of energy. He sees the finish line just a few houses down, and he can almost taste his water bowl. Ahhh...home, sweet home. While Dugg franticly drinks and spills his water across the laundry room floor, Katy and I await our favorite part...the collapse. You see, Dugg is a spoiled dog who loves comfort. He always seeks the softest place that is closest to his family, but this time it is cool, wood floor he wants. He makes it 3 steps into the kitchen, and falls heavily to one side. Mouth open and tongue resting on the floor, he leaves a wet spot as evidence of another survived expedition.

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