Three Great Loves- Walking

Tilly LOVED going out for walks and sniffing EVERYTHING. It was truly the highlight of my day when I took Tilly on a walk because her happiness was contagious. And I got to do it at least twice a day… if you were thinking Tilly would be contented with only one mere a walk a day you were very much mistaken!

A 10-minute walk route could easily take an hour with Tilly because she inched forward slowly nose to the ground, before doubling back and zig zagging following any scent which had caught her attention. My mum always said I took Tilly on “Tilly-led walks” because I let Tilly choose where we went, and she would drag me everywhere. I would be lent over bushes as Tilly tried to force her way through. I would be ducking under tree branches as Tilly oblivious to my difficulties would pull me under and I would be dodging to avoid being poked and scratched. I would trek through mud after her, get leaves kicked at me as she dug in them, and be pulled through indistinguishable animal poo as she rolled in it. So, as I already mentioned when talking about first bringing Tilly home she had a tendency to find anything messy and murky to roll in. The problem is by the time I had realised what she was about to do it was too late and she would be on her back rolling side to side. The look of pure bliss on her face meant I would be distracted for a couple of seconds before my brain caught up and I pulled her out of it. She had to be bathed a lot!

Tilly had some favourite routes, some favourite places to visit and even some favourite sniff spots. I will talk some more about these later! Some of my favourite memories involve Tilly sat on my lap in the car while we drive somewhere different to walk. She ALWAYS knew when we were near our destination even if she hadn’t been there before and would begin quivering with excitement and fidgeting. On the way home she would still sit on my lap (on a towel though because she would inevitably be up to her tummy in mud!) and tired from so much excitement curl up asleep.