Life with a Dog

Living with a four legged friend can be stressful but can also be a blessing. Author Val Mallinson, a dog lover and author quotes, "In our demanding- driven lives, filled with rules and requirements for what we must do, the faithful creatures who sit at our feet expect so little of us." (1) "They know the big wide world out there holds more wonders than they can possibly fit into their short dog lifetimes." (2) These 2 simple quotes made me stop and think about how my dog, Dexter, has a short lifespan and how I can easily spend quality time with him by exploring the great outdoors.


The first place I went to with Dexter was Grandview Dog Park in Kent which Val Mallison rated 4 out of 4 paws.

Dexter was a little too "playful" due to the fact that he is a small 2 year old Morkie; (Maltese/ Yorkie) this was a first time experience for the both of us going to a dog park.

I found that Dexter was the loudest one there at the dog park and wanted to play with the other large dogs. I had to pull him away and try to find an area without any dogs around so that Dexter could spend some alone time exploring new grounds he has never discovered.

After spending 20 minutes at Grandview Dog Park I can conclude that I should start having Dexter interacting with more dogs and bring him out to places whenever I get the chance where dogs are allowed. By reading Val Mallinson's book, my next goal is to bring Dexter out to another different scenery and stay for at least 30 minutes.

My question to dog owners is, do you believe you and your dog will have a stronger bond by taking them outdoors?

Citation:

Mallinson, Val. The Dog Lover's Campanion to the Pacific Northwest. Emeryville: Avalon Travel, 2005. Print.