Day 19: SATURDAY

 

A cab ride, the farmer's market, a big grassy park, and another EPIC walk back home made Saturday a fun and exhausting day for both me and Mikey!  Mikey tolerated the cab ride to the park very well.  The crowded farmers market was a little rough for him, especially since there were lots of people walking in all different directions.  But I kept him on a short leash and we made it through okay.  

He did enjoy the pig skin dog treats from the pork vendor.  

Smiling dog, gruff farmers.

 They cut the pig skin into tiny pieces and Mikey politely sat for each piece.

Mikey endorses Bradley Farm.

 

 Three different people asked me what kind of dog he was and commented on how well- behaved he was.  People almost always ask me “A shiba inu?  But aren’t they brown?” I explain most shiba inus are brown but there are also black ones and white ones.  (Technically “brown” and “white” aren’t the correct terms.  But I’m pretty sure they’re not looking for that much detail, so I don’t say “red” or “cream”.  And I leave out the sesame ones entirely!)  

Also on Saturday, one woman asked “A shiba inu?  But don’t their tails sort of curl up?”  I explained most do but some shiba tails are curved and other shiba tails, like Mikey’s, are just straight. 

I like Mikey’s straight tail.  It’s so fluffy that it looks like a fox’s tail!

Hey there, foxy tail.

Then we went into the park!  The weather was sunny but chilly so the park wasn’t very crowded.  Mikey got to walk on grass, play on tree stumps, and see gorgeous blooming cherry trees. 

There’s a dog beach at this park, but we skipped it because dogs can only swim there between 9 pm and 9 am.  (Also I forgot a towel.  And I forgot where the dog beach was.)

Thanks to Fido Brooklyn to the great pic!

 

 We alternated walking at a normal pace with slow ambling.  I tried to explain to Mikey that people walk fast in New York City, and he doesn’t live in New Jersey anymore.  He’s a New Yorker now!  He seemed to accept this.  There were many other dogs, but they left Mikey alone and vice versa.  We hiked through some forested areas.  I think he enjoyed the different terrain.  

Mikey did sit over and over. 

Sit.

Sit.

Sit.  (Maybe it's time to teach him a new trick?)

He earned many tiny pieces of apple for all those good sits. Maybe too many-- he got a little sick from all the treats and excitement!  Good thing I had an extra moses bag so I could pick up his mess.  Poor Mikey.  We took it easy after that.  (Which reminds me:  at the park, he did robert but no moses.)

Then, when we tried to get home, we couldn't find a cab.  We had to walk the whole way home!  It was all downhill, though.  Mikey REALLY likes walking downhill.  Sometimes he'll even break into a run when going downhill!  So it wasn't a problem.

And naturally Mikey wasn't tired at all once we got home.  Where does he get all the energy?  We went out to see friends in the evening.  Then when we got home after 10:30 pm, we walked Mikey.  He's gotten so good about robert and moses.  He almost never has an accident!  And he's been happily sleeping outside the crate.  What a good dog.