Advice on taking your human for a walk

Well, after visiting the RAF memorial on Saturday (previous post) I took Gail for a walk along the nearby cliffs, starting at Portsoy. 

As an old dog, with much experience of life, I have come to appreciate the importance of making sure your human enjoys the walk as much as you do. How better to guarantee that outings are frequent and rewarding? 

One key thing to understand, is that humans do have slightly different requirements from us dogs. 

One simply must recognize, for example, that in the homo sapiens species, the sense of smell is sadly very limited. Would you believe,  your owner might just about be able to tell that one of their kind has peed against a wall (it does happen) but they wouldn't have the faintest clue about the identity of the pee-er. Yes, really, pathetic, eh? But anyway, don't expect them to get all excited about sniffing trees and lampposts etc., it just isn't going to happen.

No, what a human likes is a Nice View. This can include historic buildings, such as in the old (17th century) harbour at Portsoy.

Or, with Gail, glimpses of the sea are also important (boring, I know). 

Strangely, she doesn't seem to enjoy romping across a nicy soft boggy patch of ground nearly as much as I do.

And I've NEVER  seen her rolling around in the mud for the sheer joy of it.....

It is probably a good idea, for long term harmony (Martha and Bailey Basset take note), to tolerate some picture taking during the walk, including misguided attempts at 'arty' shots....

I have also noticed - and in this we, Gail and I, are of one mind - that an eating opportunity at some point in the proceedings always goes down well. (I'm afraid that I failed on this score last Saturday).

But all in all, I think I managed to give her a good time. 

I wonder if my fellow canine bloggers have noticed any other odd things that humans like to do on their walks?

I want to be carried

Quite properly, you are wondering where I am in the picture above. 

Lurking behind a tree perhaps? Hidden in the undergrowth? No. Not at all. I was at the time stuck at home, alone, with only my itchy paws to chew. 

The picture is of Bennachie. A hill near Aberdeen where Gail went yesterday for a long walk with friends. She says I couldn't manage twelve miles any more, and some of her fitter friends think I'm annoying because I'm too slow, and like sniffing things too much, and that anyway my paws are a bit sore at the moment so it would be better for me to stay behind.

The lady doth protest too much, methinks. For one supposedly so well educated, Gail can be weak on lateral thinking. 

If the walk is too long, why cannot I be carried some of the way? Gail is strong, I weigh less than 10 kg (just). Everyone would, I am sure, enjoy my company.

Can anyone out there recommend a rucksack suitable for carrying a small(ish) dog? Like the ones they have for babies, but suited to someone with four legs and a different shape? If so, please please please let me know! 

A record

Five walks. In one day. That's what I had earlier this week. Feeling jealous, fellow canines?

Let me explain how this came about. 

Normally, weekdays, I'm taken out just twice, first for a short post-breakfast stroll round the block, and later when Gail's finished 'work' for the day we go a bit further, to the park if I'm lucky. There's a break in the routine on Tuesdays, when the second walk is delegated to young neighbour Aaron. 

Well, this Tuesday, extra walk number one came mid-afternoon, admittedly at a cost, a visit to the vet (who poked me around a bit but didn't do anything too nasty). Then, after Aaron took me out, a visitor arrived and she and  Gail disappeared off for the evening, leaving me home alone. So when Naomi came in, I kicked up a big fuss about being all neglected and guess what, she fell for it, reached for the lead, and out we went again.  Gail and visitor came back half an hour later and, Naomi having retired to her room for the evening, I pulled the same 'neglected' stunt and so achieved a record-breaking five outings. 

Any ideas out there on how to improve on this?