COUCH POTATOES

Most of my posted photos are of the hounds running and being active. That is because I love to see them run. Even more, I love to try to capture them in a way that does justice to their grace and beauty. They have an incredible ability to go from relaxed and uninterested to focused and exhibiting pure power in an instant. To see that morph, never ceases to amaze and thrill me. I can feel their joy in running, it is a palpable thing.

I realized, after a comment the other day, my photos give the impression the greys are continually moving about. That is so far from the truth. I feel like I am perpetrating a myth. :)

They are couch potatoes. My girls sleep or are laying about 20 - 22 hours a day, with breaks for our daily outing, potty trips to the back yard, forays into the kitchen to eat, excited greeting time when I return home from being out and standing up to stretch and move to another bed.

Due to one thing after another: broken toes, cut feet, a broken car, and lots of travel, the girls haven't had much time to run with the other greys at playdate for the past 6 months. A very apparent side effect is that they are incredibly out of shape.

I had taken them for a short run in the dog park then for an even shorter walk to try to get them back to running condition before a full playdate. Willow was so tired she simply laid down on the field 300 yards from the car.

In the middle of the walk.

I couldn't figure out what was so interesting she had stopped walking until I turned around to check why one dog's lead was taunt and it felt like I was dragging a log. She decided she wasn't going another step and just looked at me like I was smoking something if I thought she was going to get up. I wisely chose to give her a few moments before getting her moving again towards the car because I was going to loose that conversation.

Me: "Really? You're going to stop here? You can make it. It's only 300 yards."

Willow: "Ohhhh! The misery. I can't go another step."

Me: "300 yards..."

Willow: "My aching feet."

Me: "When we get home you can put your feet up."

Willow: "That requires me getting up. Uggghhh. Then I have to jump up into the car."

Me: "I promise I will lift you in."

Willow: "It's soooo far."

Me: "Now you are just being ridiculous. Come on, get up."

Willow: "I scream bloody murder if you tug that lead one more time."

Me: "We'll wait right here until you are ready."


Yesterday and today I decided to see how they would do and we went to the normal playdates. The result? They are even more exhausted than normal. There hasn't been a peep out of the girls since we got home. In fact, not one has moved from the beds they collapsed upon when we walked in the door. A quiet day indeed. Ooooo, AND, I bet I get to sleep in past the usual 5 AM wake up it's time to play call. Woot!

Breeze. Looks a little uncomfortable, doesn't it?

Dru. Sporting a little ETS.

Willow. Tucked in.