Fast Walking

Today Dad and I went on what Dad calls a run, but it is really just fast walking. It's been a long time since we last fast walked together. We haven't done it since that day I saw the HUGEST butterfly EVER down at the beach. At first I couldn't tell if it was a giant butterfly that was flying way overhead, or if it was just a regular butterfly flying super close to me. So I jumped up at it and when I saw that it didn't get any bigger, or land in my mouth, then I knew it was super big!!! And that is AMAZING!!!! And I didn't think that Dad was afraid of it at first, but I guess he was because he kept "running" away from it even though I kept pulling him back towards it the hardest I could. And then that was our last fast walk together. And it was also one of my last fast walks at all, until a few days ago when Uncle Diallo took me, because even Mom stopped taking me too.

And I forgot how much I love (LOVE!!!) fast walking with people! Fast walks are the BEST, because they help me get so relaxed for the rest of the day at my house. Most days - days when I don't go to Doggie Goddess - I just feel a little too stuck in my house and in my body. I want to run and jump and dig and fast-walk forever, but there's no place to do any of that in my house. Even my regular walks or trips to the park aren't enough and I just end up wanting it all even more! But when we go on fast walks we can go so much further and all those feelings just drop off along the way.

At first fast walks seem too slow and I want to run for real, but people don't ever go that fast. And you know how people don't ever want to say hi to everyone or stop to smell all the yummy smells we pass? Well they're even more like that on a fast walk. They just fast walk past all of it without even slowing down. And maybe it's because they are scared at first, too. They tug on our rope a lot when we go through the crowded part of our fast walk, because they think they're going to lose me and then get lost. But after the crowd gets less, then people settle down and tug less. And I still want to go faster, but instead we just go farther. But by the time we turn around to go home the speed feels just about right so maybe they're right about that... Except that I don't think it is even time to go home yet.

So I tell Mom or Dad, or Uncle Diallo that by biting on the rope and pulling it the hardest the other way. But usually they just say "No, Nima, it IS time to go home." And they keep fast walking back home... Except Dad. He angry-tired-barks at me and puts his hand over where I bit it and keeps it there, so that I either have to bite him or go home. So then I know he means it for real. And in the end it's usually right to go home then. Because before we get even the rest of the way home, I'm feeling really warm.

And that's when Mom, or Dad, or Uncle Diallo take me to the bowl place for water and let me fast walk in the only shade that there is, even when there's only just room for one of us in it. And when we get home, sometimes Dad puts the cold rocks in my water and I drink it up and then lay down. I cool off quick, but I stay calm all day long. And that's what makes fast walks the BEST!

And now that Dad and Uncle Diallo are fast walking me again, maybe Mom will too! And maybe they can all take turns, so I can do it everyday! I will make sure none of them gets too close to a butterfly so they won't ever be too afraid to fast walk again.