Since Sampson did a partial tear on his right knee back in January, I’ve been having to walk the dogs separately.
At first it was no big deal, because Sampson really couldn’t go that far at all. We would walk down two houses, then turn around and walk back.
Two houses is barely enough time for a guy to do his business.
After resting, anti-inflammatories, acupuncture and hydrotherapy, his walks slowly increased in time and length. For the longest time he’s been at seven minutes. Seven minutes in whichever direction we are walking, then turn around and head home. I decided it’s now time to bump the walks up to eight minutes, when time and weather permit.
Morning walks can be a bit rushed, as I have to get ready for work. Afternoons are a bit easier because back in January, my hours at work got cut. I arranged my schedule so I leave work at 2:00 pm and I’m done for the day.
With the separation anxiety that Sampson has been having, it’s just easier for him if I come home and stay home.
Honestly, I am really enjoying the individual time with my dogs. Not just because I am spending one of one bonding time with them, but because I can work on them with their individual issues (Sampson’s need to greet everyone and Delilah’s sometimes snarkiness with other dogs.) Still, it would be nice, if their morning walks could be together.
So that is my new goal. Get Sampson’s strength up so he can make it around the block. This means he probably has to get his walk time up to around 11 minutes.
I’ve mentioned this before, when Sampson and I head out for our walk, I set the timer on my phone and when it goes off, I coax him around and head back home. Some of you may recall Sampson’s been having some issues with noises lately, so I changed the notification on my phone to chimes, which doesn’t seem to bother him.
When Sampson and I walk, we always head down hill in the morning and up hill in the afternoon. Sampson has made a friend on the street that loops behind our house, so I try and make sure we head her way in the afternoons, when the probability is better that she will be outside.
Yesterday I set my phone for eight minutes and Sampson and I headed up the hill. As we reached a point we hadn’t been to in quite a while, I pulled my phone out to check our time and we still had about 25 seconds to go.
I always try and encourage and praise him, so I said, “Good job Buddy, you really went far today.”
At that point the phone, (which I’d left in my hand) went Ding, ding, ding, ding and Sampson, with no coaching from me, turned around and headed home.
It reminded me of Pavlov’s dogs (minus the food of course) and made me realize that even when I don’t think he’s paying attention, he really is.
I wonder what other things he might be learning without me knowing? I wish he’d learn to pay the bills. 🙂
Humans do so many things that we dogs pick up on! We learned to sit when Mom’s phone rings on a walk, all on our own. We read you humans so well, but you humans don’t read us very well. We don’t mind. We know who the smarter ones are 😉
We have a nice home theater down in the basement. The boys love going down there because they always get a chew to enjoy at the start of a movie. Then they go to sleep for the duration. So now when we show them the Redbox DVD they head down the basement stairs quick as can be!
Dogs are amazing. I wonder what would happen if you changed to ring again? Would he still know to turn around or is it the chime that tells him it is time?
Good job, Sampson! Now YOU ring a bell to make Mommy bring you dinner!
Smart boy! Glad to hear his recovery is progressing 🙂
I’m glad to hear that Sampson’s walks are getting longer little by little! That’s so funny that he learned the meaning of the chime–I guess your phone has sort of become like a clicker 🙂
I’m sure our dogs know much more about our world, our thoughts, our dreams than we can imagine. Good news on Sampson’s progress.
Clever boy! They really do watch us way more than we realize.
That’s hilarious! I would have laughed all the way home!
What a smart boy Sampson is – I love it! It is amazing the things they pick up on. I wear gardening gloves when I go out in the yard to play ball with the dogs. That way I don’t have to touch that slimy ball – LOL – and I can also pull weeds and such while I’m out there playing with them. Luke knows exactly what it means when I go and grab my gloves!
Oh wow I love him being so dang smart. Glad he’s keeping you on a proper schedule. 😉
I wish SAM would learn to pay the bills; never mind the dogs. I do about 90% of it online, and he refuses to use the computer at all. 🙄
As far as Sampson – or Delilah, or any of our dogs for that matter – I think they pay attention and learn a whole lot more than we humans tend to realize. Ducky, for instance: I’ve been training her to the place command off and on over the last few months. Yesterday, when I put the mat down on the kitchen floor and said “place”, she went over to it and curled up on it. No noise, no balking about it, just did it. And after one “eh” as she got up, she laid back down and went to sleep. This after a few weeks of only doing it once or twice. I was really proud of her.
Sampson did a good job walking. Mom thinks we are crazy because when she takes us for a walk we just stand there
Snorts,
Lily & Edward
Or do the dishes 😉
It really is amazing how many cues they pick up on, often without us even realizing it. I can’t tell you how many words I’ve had to come up with for bubbles because just saying it will send Laika into a frenzy. I’ve used B, B-word, Ubbs, Lubs, Magic flying spheres & globes – and she’s caught on to all of them.
I guess it’s the same thing for walk & how we all have to use a different word if we say it but aren’t quite ready to go yet. And no, I don’t really have a good explanation as to why I feel the need to say bubbles multiple times a day.
what a smarty pants he is, you guys will get to that 11 minutes in no time.
I’m so glad you’ve written an update about Sampson. I’ve been wondering about him and how his rehab has been going so far. Haley’s coming along nicely and I did the same thing with her walks and setting a timer.
The one thing that bothers me is a clicking, popping sound in her knee sometimes. The vet says it’s nothing to worry about, but I cringe every time I hear it. I guess she now sounds like me with my cracking ankle sounds, lol.
Keep up the great work, Sampson! 😊