Mansfield Park

I'm still walking the dogs along the frozen creek these days since it's not on any paths other people use and it allows the dogs lots of exploration in a relatively safe space. I'll keep going there until the creek starts to melt and then I'll walk in the woods until the foliage has grown in so much I can't get through. Plus the bugs are very bad in the trees so that will nullify walking there. In the summer I can take them to the beach which I haven't done in some time since the bridge to get to where the beach is suffered a fatal structural error in that it fell down. A snow plow was crossing it and it's unclear whether the snowplow caused it to fall or if it was just unfortunate timing but I'm just glad I was not crossing the bridge when it happened.

The big plan is to list my house in the Spring and move somewhere I can walk the dogs on my own property. I have a nice backyard now but it's really just a potty space for them. They need room to run and explore and the only safe way to attain that is to buy the land they need. Otherwise I am forever walking them off lead against the County bylaws and I refuse to accept that walking them on leash in the town is a) safe and b) gives them the exercise they need.

It's not safe because I have been responsibly walking them on leash in my neighbourhood and had other people's loose dogs approach and attempt to attack my dogs. I won't have it. I think tethering a dog to your front porch is dangerous, stupid and should be banned. The dog that attempted to attack Esme was tethered, ran toward us, hit the end of the rope and broke it, chased Esme around and around me(she was hysterical) while I attempted to hold back Raimi, all 110lbs of him, from attacking the other dog. In the end I fell, let go of his collar and he lunged at the other dog knocking it to the ground. As soon at it realized who and what had body slammed it, he bolted for home. It was not one of my finer language moments but I was proud of Raimi for only knocking the other dog down and then backing away. He didn't continue to attack and he and the other dog both knew he'd made his point.  If it had been Leeloo I think there would have been blood, Leeloo takes no prisoners and I have to be very careful with her - she has turned up the intensity of her protective nature since her first litter and she makes no bones about what she thinks about strange dogs near her 'pack'.

So I will continue to 'break the law' as long as I believe that my town is not safe for me to walk my dogs on leash or until I have at least a half acre to fence and turn into our very own dog park.