Poop and Go On

"C'mon, Lassie, just poop so we can go home," says the hurried owner. It's the morning walk, and Daddy has to leave the apartment. Work Calls! "Help me out just this once," pleads the owner.

But Lassie strides on, past other drop sites from the past, determined to get as many steps in as a dog can. Why is Lassie so stoic and withholding?

A common habit of the walk-till-you-poop crowd is...once the bomb has been dropped, you turn around and head home. The poop leaves the chute; the walk stops.

Cagey canines learn this. Dogs are marvelous observers and, after enough consistently stopped walks, learn to stretch their legs and intestinal mazes to the max. They trot on and on and on, enjoying the sniffs. Your pleading falls on deaf ears and slowed colons.

What's the solution? Easy. Once your smart pet has ditched dinner in the shrubs, keep on walkin'! Reward the big event with more steps, sniffs, and scents. Talk to him too and let him know how appreciative you are of his colonic co-operation.

Yes, you might swing that bag o fragrant sticks another block but that's a fine trade off.

Here's to you on the next longer, and more productive, walk.