Adventures with Fina

Well, you all probably by now know I'm more of a cat person than a dog person. Most of this is because any dogs my family has had have not been well trained and have lots of annoying habits (not the dog's fault, but still annoying) mostly due to my parents. So, when Jon asked if I'd watch Fina for him while he's in DC, after immediately agreeing, I started to get a little scared. She's a big dog, a German Shepherd, and while I like her a lot, and she's quite well trained and has a very sweet nature, she's still a BIG, VERY STRONG dog.

Jon left yesterday. I went over to take Fina out after school. Having gone on walks with her and Jon before, I thought it would be fairly easy.

Was I ever wrong.

Ok, it actually wasn't that bad, but I felt like she walked me more than I walked her. What should have been about a 10 minute route according to Jon, took us about half an hour. As soon as we stepped out the door, three things happened that got me and Fina off on the wrong foot.
1. A guy on a bike rode by right in front of us (Fina lunged and took me with her, she hates bikes).
2. She tried to eat a plastic food container lid that was on the sidewalk (I got it away from her).
3. A surveyor was doing his surveying right in the middle of the sidewalk maybe 30 feet from the door. Fina was VERY interested in what he was doing and, took me with her.

I give Jon a lot of credit. He really makes walking her look extremely easy. I feel like she stopped and sniffed EVERYTHING which I don't really remember her doing when I've been out on walks with her and Jon. It's nice out, so tons of people are out, or they have their dogs in the yard which is a huge distraction for her. As the walk progressed yesterday, I think we got more used to each other, but for the first part of it I was thinking "OMG, what have I gotten myself into" and "I'm going to absoutely ruin all her training because I, apparently, can't even do something simple like walk a dog."

Today went much better, but I was the one that still got walked part of the route...I bet we'll have it down just in time for Jon to come home:)

She is sweet though and she was SO excited to see me when I went over this morning, though maybe she was just excited to see a person, it didn't matter that it was me...

So, it's been a bit of an adventure thus far. I don't mind doing it at all, but I really hope I don't screw up all the training Jon has done...

Listening to: The Electric Soft Parade, No Need to be Downhearted