Big Girl Walking

Every once in a while, Savannah has a 'big girl walk,' which is how I describe her daily walks when she doesn't pull me along like a pony pulling a cart. Savannah really does know how to walk nicely (like a big girl) but there are so many night-time animals who have walked along the road and in the grass after dark that their smells must be overwhelmingly exciting to a young dog. And that's when she does pull me for all she's worth, as if the very next patch of grass will yield not only the critter's smell but the critter itself.  I start to walk slower when she's pulling at the leash, in an attempt to get her attention as the choker collar gets tighter around her neck. She does get the message, but if that smell out there is extra-special, she'll start pulling again.

But yesterday and today, I told Savannah that she was giving me big girl walks and I thanked her when we got back to our porch. I have no idea if she knows what I'm talking about, but she does indeed seem to know when she's being praised.

In these past five months since bringing Savannah home, she has never once barked when she had to go outside. When we first got her, I just kept taking her out at regular intervals, each time telling her "Let's go out!" when I put her collar and leash on her. I do think she knows the word "Out!" because her serious face breaks into a puppy grin when she hears that word.

When Savannah wants to go outside before our normal walking time, she will put her paws on my knees and look right into my eyes... the expression on her face is very serious when she does that. If I happen to be standing up, she will gently lift herself up and put her paws on my arms or my waist. The first time she did that, I was turned towards the kitchen sink and her paws landed in the middle of my back... had I not been able to grab hold of the kitchen counter, I would have been flat out on the floor.

It's funny that she will very rarely give the same "Out!" signals to my husband. He does walk her in the mornings, and sometimes when he needs a break from work in the afternoon, but usually, it's myself and Savannah out there on the road... so maybe that's why she comes to me first.

This past week, I've been walking Savannah around our backyard and a short ways into the pasture behind our house. I want her to learn more about her property than just the path from the porch and the driveway, so if she ever does get off the leash she will know by her smells out there that this is where she belongs. I'm sure she must recognize the house and the porch by now, but I'm wondering if she's doing that purely by smell and not by the looks of things.

I've been up and awake since four o'clock this morning. Not because Savannah started barking-- she was quiet when I woke up and just couldn't get back to sleep. I stayed upstairs and read a book until the sun started coming up. I didn't want to come downstairs and wake Savannah up from what seemed to be a very sound sleep for her. Now... if I can just teach Savannah not to wake us up.... which I know is ridiculous. We wanted a dog who barked. And she does. What's that old saying-- be careful what you wish for.