My mornings are filled with dogs--just not with my dog. (I can walk with my walking partner and get some exercise
or I can walk Kharma. She gets her walk later when I can give her my full attention and where she can be off-leash and run to her heart's content.)
While Kharma stays at home eating her breakfast, we never know what dogs we will meet. Apparently this is Great Dane week--yesterday an eight-week-old puppy the color of a Weimaraner and today two grey-and-black adults. Their size amazes me each time I see them. What are the odds of seeing three big dogs in two days?!
We've met Yorkies and mini-Cockers and Lhaso Apsos and German shepherds. We've rescued a poodle who somehow got separated from his owner. We've met some rare breeds, at least in our neck of the woods. The breed we meet most often? Probably Labs followed closely by Border Collies.
We've met some really cute crosses too. My favorites were a Schnoodle (Schnauser x Poodle) and a Westie x Poodle (does that make her a Woodle or a Pestie?). Good thing the Queen Mother didn't see that Schnoodle or our dog family would be just a bit larger!
Speaking of crosses, nothing is smarter or more fun than a Jack Russell x Rat Terrier. Big dog/little package! I still miss her after thirty plus years. (On the other hand, the less said about our headstrong and extremely friendly Cockapoo the better! She was undoubtedly the most challenging dog my family had when I was a kid.)
Back to the present. Although we are supposed to be exercising on our walks and keeping our heart rates up, we can't resist stopping (how old is he? what's her name? what breed is she? where'd you get him?) for each and every puppy we encounter. Our walks probably last an extra thirty minutes due to puppy meet and greets.
Kharma and Zelda both greet me at the gate, delighted with all the wonderful new doggy smells I bring home just for them. My pleasure, girls.