After a very soggy fall, we’ve had gorgeous weather this week.  I’ve been taking advantage as much as I can with walks with the kids and dogs!  Jack, naturally, believes that he’s too big to ride in a stroller so each walk starts with a wrestling session before we can begin.    I sadly usually leave the old man home…I can’t manage 3 dogs PLUS the stroller, and well…Brady is a pain.  I either have to have him in a strict “heel” at all times, which is hard work because let’s just say his focus leaves something to be desired…or if I DON’T have him in heel, he’s straining against the end of the leash, barking at the dogs/construction workers/other walkers etc that we run across, and generally making an ass of himself.  It’s a wee bit hard to manage him while I’m trying to steer the stroller also, without running us all into a ditch.  Yes, this is despite the fact that Brady has had more obedience training than any of my other dogs, ever.  I admit I am a total failure when it comes to training that dog!  And now that he’s 11.5 I will officially say that I’ve given up for the most part.  LOL

Lizzie, however, is a lovely walker because she Just Doesn’t Care as much as Brady does.  And I have always only taken Nash out with her, hoping that he would learn her lovely leash manners, and so far he’s doing great!  I can pretty easily have both of them on leash, trotting next to the stroller, and no one even gets run over.  Much.

Today I took my camera with us and took only Nash, and of course Jack.  There’s a big area of as-yet-undeveloped property that’s connected to my neighborhood…it’s just starting to be built in as “Phase 4″ of my neighborhood, but for now is just acres of grasses and open field.  It’s a GREAT place for cricket hunting (Piper, you would swoon!) and generally just being a dog and a 2-year old boy.  Later, Nash gets to be a show dog and get a bath/blow dry for tomorrow’s show.

Can we go home now?