Walking a Basset

We always hear about how we are supposed to walk our dogs for exercise.  Get them out of the house, work those legs, and burn off energy.  Those people must not have ever had to walk a basset hound.

When I take Mr. Shelby Cornbread out for a walk it is definitely not for exercise.  Don't get me wrong, he and other basset hounds can be energetic and run, but that's only when they want to.  To say a basset hound is stubborn is an understatement.  

Shelby, as we call him, is really smart.  He's capable of doing the tricks of sitting, speaking, turnaround, and shake all on command; well on command as long as you have a snack in your hand.  He understands the following phrases. 

"Want some cheese?"

"Want a snack?"

"Want a treat?"

"Want to go for a walk?"

"Let's go bye-bye."

"It's time for bed."

"Let's cross the street."

"Leave it."

"Wait"

Nearly every weekday morning he is let out of his kennel by my husband.  Shelby bolts out like a bullet and proceeds to the couch for a morning rest.  

When I come down he greets me in the kitchen where he whines for his morning Greenie.  He knows that after Norah goes out to catch the bus, we will go for our walk.  Some mornings he is pushing her out the door.  He'll whine and bark at her as if he is telling her to hurry up and leave so he can get his walk started.  

I make Shelby sit so I can put his harness on.  Shortly you will understand why it's imperative he wears a harness and not just a collar.  We head out the front door.  We live at the end of a street on the top of a hill.  He runs out with much enthusiasm and tends to take a little tinkle right away.  Afterward, we meander down the hill all the while he is eyeballing the one neighbor's house that has a dog too.  Going down the hill isn't an issue usually.  We make a left and curve around the next street where we generally run into a neighbor seeing their kiddo off to the bus stop.  Shelby believes this person should acknowledge him daily.  Our pace is slow and not at all consistent.  He must stop and smell everything all along the sidewalk.  If there is a sign or tree near the sidewalk we must stop and smell it for a while and then stare in the direction of any house that has ever had a human that came out and interacted with him in the history of ever.  

He usually does his business at some point during this walk.  Then it's time to head back up the hill to home.  He does not want to do this. He will plant his stubby little legs and hold steady whilst I try to pull him up the hill.  It's not that he wants to run around more, as we've tried longer walks and he will just tire out and lay down, often referred to as going "flat basset" on us.  He wants to just stand outside and smell and watch and smell and watch and stand and sit anything but go up the hill to home.

Basset hounds are short and stubby but they are very strong!  They are also very stubborn.  This trait is why I must use a harness and not just a collar for the leash.  Shelby will choke to death before he will give in.  

I have resolved myself to the fact that walking a basset is an exercise in patience and not a physical exercise!