I get to go for a walk EVERY DAY! We should stop and celebrate that fact right off the bat because i know there are thousands of dogs who spend their lives tied up or in cages who would love to go for a walk. So, let me say it again, i GET to go for a walk every day.
Usually when i’m out walking i’m like a kid in a candy store–or a dog on a walk–running around, breathing in the fresh air, checking out what’s going on in the neighborhood. Sometimes i get to walk on a trail in the woods, sometimes i get to go to a community park, and sometimes i get to go into the town where my mom grew up and check out the old sights with her. It is hard to say which kind of walk i like best as they all have a little something special to offer. Town is great because i like to look in windows and see how people have decorated their houses. (maybe don’t repeat that if people think it’s creepy!?) The community parks are nice too, but i feel some pressure to be on my best behavior when i see all the manicured walkways, pretty benches, and signs with rules. Being in the woods on a trail is perhaps my favorite. When i’m out in front of mom, dad, and Molly on a trail, it is totally my responsibility to make sure we stay on the right path. If i’m lucky, we might see a bear or some deer or even a horse on the trail! Whatever we see, i’m just happy i can put one foot in front of the other, then the other, then the other. I get to go for a walk every day!
No matter where we walk, i like to put my nose to the ground and see who has been there before me. Mom doesn’t always get how much fun this is because her nose is nowhere near as keen as mine. If you’re a dog, and i am, there are smells everywhere. Take the time to stop and smell the roses, literally, do it. I try not to get fixated on all the temptations around me, but i can’t always help myself. Imperfect Phil. Here is the part you’ve been waiting for, the part i hesitate to admit, but the truth is, sometimes i eat poop.
I can’t help myself! I don’t know why i do it! It’s there, i see it, and i want to take a quick bite. Gross, i know, but i do it, and then i move on, i forgive myself because i’m perfect.
There comes a time in every one of our days when we see a cookie, or a potato chip, or an extra large latte with whipped cream on top, and we know we shouldn’t take a bite but we do…and that’s ok. We can’t beat ourselves up over a little indulgence once in a while, and we certainly shouldn’t obsess or feel guilty. I mean, the poop is there, so have a nibble.
I do believe healthy eating is important, and normally i stick to my five cups of dry food and two cans of wet food a day, but a dog’s got to have a little fun! I tell myself, “phil, you’re a good dog, you exercise, you drink plenty of water, and you get a good night’s sleep each day, so allow yourself a treat!” Life is all about balance, not body image. If i feel good, work hard, and take care of myself, then i deserve a tiny morsel of delight. i’m a dog, i love life, and i have flaws. i’m perfect. imperfect. Just. Like. You.