I Would Walk 500 Miles

Since we got B.B. (nigh on fourteen months ago) we've constantly struggled to give her the exercise she needs.  Malamutes require a significant amount.  Lots of dogs do, sure, but this breed in particular was built for the long haul.  It's in their blood.  They were bred to pull large packs across the Alaskan tundra, hundreds of miles sometimes, from sun up to sun d... well let's not use sun metaphors and Alaska in the same sentence.  Suffice it to say, they pulled as long as their masters needed them to pull.  They're strong and tough, and they need to work out a lot of energy.  Even house-dogs like B.B. work hard when it's time to work and sleep hard when it's time to sleep.  And if they don't get enough of one or the other (mostly the one), there's trouble.

As a puppy, B.B. would get worn out by a simple walk around the block.  In fact, since we didn't know much about dogs or dog raising, we were worried that I was pushing her too hard.  We asked our vet if that was a problem for her, describing in great detail us walking this small fur-ball up the street and back and how tired she looked afterward.  He laughed and assured us it wouldn't be a problem and said to do whatever we could to wear her out.  "Push her as hard as you want.  You'll appreciate it," he said with a smile that we only understood later, "Trust me."

So I did.  We walked almost every day.  I wish I could show you how happy she was walking with me.  (Oh wait, I can.)  It was as if this was the thing she lived for.  To be moving.  To see new places and meet new people.  To accomplish something.  And very quickly, it became one of my favorite activities, too.

Our walks started from less than a mile to more than a mile to several miles to what you might call many miles.  I was tracking them with my iPod.*  I could see exactly how far we were going, and how fast.  My average speed started from 3mph and increased to 4mph over the summer, which if you try it, is a pretty fast walk.  We got up to about 6 miles a day,  maybe 5 times a week.  We'd go early in the morning, before work, because it was too hot for her later in the evenings.  B.B. with her thick fur coat, can't take the heat.  I'd set the alarm for 5:30am, get some food in her and some water, and we'd be on the trails by 6.  Home by 7:30 or 8:00 which was just enough time for a quick shower before I ran off to work.  On the weekends we'd explore new trails (our town has tons of greenways and trails) and parks.  We found our favorites and got to a point where B.B. could lead the way and pull me along with her.  (Pulling is her favorite part.)  We'd both be tired upon returning home, and she'd sleep the rest of the day.

Unfortunately, we quickly got to a stage in her development where even 6 mile walks weren't wearing her out anymore.  As I tried to stretch it to 7 or 8 miles, I would invariably return home exhausted and she'd be hopping around as if to say, What's next, pa?  K and I had trouble with her tearing through the house in the evenings and just being a little hellion in general.  Of course, it was all our fault for not giving her what she needed, but still, it was difficult to live with her like that.  So K (who has a way of saving the day) started taking her to a local dog park every morning where B.B. could run around untethered for an hour or two.  She met other dogs, some still puppies like herself, and loved playing and running and wrestling, whatever she wanted to do.  That did the trick nicely.  B.B. could simply wear herself out.  Running around at the park has proven to be exactly what she needs.  We can skip a day, but by that second evening, we have the hellion back.  We can supplement with a doggy day care facility, but we have our doubts about those places.

Even with the new exercise regime, I still walked her several times a week, and she still loved it, but eventually the weather turned cooler and the days grew shorter.  Pretty soon, daylight savings time ended, and suddenly 6am was pitch dark again.  We moved our walks to the evenings, but after I got home from work, I was more often than not too tired already to go out.  B.B. never complained, but those days that I'd lace up my shoes and reach for the leash, she'd jump towards me and race for the door.  In fact, all I really need to do to get her bubbling with excitement is get my white gym socks out of the bottom dresser drawer.  She's a smart girl.  She knows the only thing I do with those white socks is take her for walks.

But with the sun going down by 5 in the winter, even those got fewer and fewer.  K still took her to the park every day, so B.B. got her exercise, but we both missed our walking time together.  It was a calm but sad winter in the Invisible Lizard household.

But spring brings new life, like it always does, and lately, we've been picking back up on our walks.  Mostly on weekends, but occasionally we sneak one in during the week as well.  I go with K to the dog park at least once on the weekend, sometimes twice, and have a great time with her and B.B. and all—well most—of the other dogs there.  Lately I've been walking B.B. home (which is nicely 6 miles exactly), although it's getting a little too hot for her that late in the morning.  I think I'm going to start walking her to the park instead.  And we're going to explore some of the other trails in the evenings this summer when it's not too hot.  We got her a backpack where I can keep some water for her.  (She is a working dog after all, and she seemed to really enjoy the pack.)  And we'll get back into our morning routine.

So what's my point?  Well, there is none, other than to say B.B. has been an unexpected gift to me in all sorts of ways.  To date, we've walked about 600 miles.  The Nike website tracks it.  Since I didn't use that thing at all (not really) until I got her, and I've only used it when I've been out walking with her, it's a fairly accurate record of how far we've gone.  I look forward to the next 600 and beyond.

* A year (or more) before getting B.B., I'd bought this little Nike+ thingamajig which plugs into my iPod—and of course I had to buy special shoes to go along with it—in the theory that I'd start running.  This thing is basically a pedometer that tracks your speed and distance through iTunes.  Sounds great, but seriously:  me, run?  More likely I was just smitten with the technology and wanted a new toy.  So anyway, it sat unused in my desk until I started walking B.B. around the block.  And then I was very glad to have it.  Check it out if you're an iPod fan and a walker or a runner.  It's worked out great.