It's the Rabbit: A Story in Pictures

My husband usually walks the dogs with me, or I walk them one at a time on a four block walk. It's great exercise for all of us. Today, however, my husband worked a double shift and I was tired, so I walked Buddy and Baby, the two males, together, and Holly a bit later with Chewy wrapped up in my jacket.

Chewy trying to climb out of my jacket. 
Look at his eyes--he hears one of those evil cars. 

This is why I keep my jacket zipped. 

Chewy always walks in my jacket. If I put him on a leash he throws himself to the ground and pretends to be choking to death, then instantly recovers when a car drives by and tries to bite its tires. Chewy will never be a "walking" dog. He will spend his 22-year-average-life-span zipped up in my jacket. Sigh.

The following story in pictures explains what happens when I try to walk the two males, Buddy and Baby, together. I suspect it also explains why Baby is a bit on the chubby side. I stop to take a picture every few feet, literally. Their conversation explains why I stop to take a picture every two feet--it's the rabbit.

Baby: "I think I smell something in this shrub. It could be a rabbit."

Buddy: "I smell it too, Dude. Smells like rabbit."

Baby: "The smell moved. I think the rabbit moved."

Buddy: "I think we should move. If the rabbit is here, though, we'll miss it."

Baby: "Mom is tugging on our leashes, but if we move, we might miss the rabbit. Gag. Choke."

Buddy: "I hear you, Dude. Don't move. 

Let's see how long we can make her wait. Cough. Gag."

'

Baby: "I think maybe the rabbit was here."

Buddy: "Okay, Dude, I'll go with you on this one, 

but you do realize we're standing in the street now, right?"

Baby: "Hey, I lived in the desert. I know rabbit when I smell rabbit. I smell rabbit."

Buddy: "I smell sidewalk."

Baby: "Maybe the rabbit ran beneath the landscape log."

Buddy (mumbling, a bit too loud): "Dude, you're embarrassing yourself. There is no rabbit."

Buddy: "Wait! Dude! I think the rabbit ran in front of our house!"

Baby: "I don't smell a thing. We missed the rabbit. It was under the landscaping log. 

Now you're just embarrassing yourself. I refuse to look."

And this is why my dogs are still chubby in spite of the fact that I walk them four blocks, every day, rain, snow, or sunshine--it's the rabbit. It's always the rabbit. 

P.S. The rabbit lives beneath the shrub on the side of the house. After listening to my two "hunting dogs" this afternoon, I think she's safe.