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For a bit of a different weekend, we have been dog sitting a five month old puppy dachshund - which is pretty darn cute! I feel it has had an enjoyable time with us and I know that Smallsteps has absolutely loved having it around, but we (me) are not quite ready to jump back into pet ownership again. I'd like to travel as a family a little first, as well as spend some time away from home and having a puppy that requires to go out every 2 to 4 hours during the day and not having anyone accessible to dogsit for us, it isn't quite time. But he is a cutie and has convinced me that next time, we might get a shorthair instead of the wirehair version we had earlier. 

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The other thing is, that while they have been walking together a lot (Smallsteps did 30,000 steps yesterday, 25,000 today), the weather is really nice. It might be quite a different story if it was raining and cold and no one wanted to volunteer to take the dog out - so they have to be voluntold. 

We all went for a nice little walk together today, along a ridge that separates the two lakes that our city sits between. It is a sliver of forest that overlooks the water and the surrounding areas and it has a tower on it that was used as a surveillance point for air defense during the winter war with Russia. When the weather is good, it is a very popular area with locals and tourists alike - though there aren't *that many* tourists here.

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The goal was just to get out of the house a bit and also, see how our guest would behave in more unfamiliar surrounds with strangers. He is a bit of a barker at times, but he is young and with a little training, will be less reactive to his surroundings. He did well and for a puppy, is surprisingly well-behaved and calm. 

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I think it is important to train dogs well enough that they can be taken into public, around other people or down to the beach without them freaking out and getting stressed. It gives a lot more freedom for both owner and pet and means that more things can be shared together. It also tends to lead to getting outside more, even if like today, it is for a walk in the park. Of course, he was leashed the entire time, as were all the other dogs we saw, as is the law in Finland - even for small dogs. 

Though, depending, people do let their dogs of the leash from time to time and it tends not to have too many issues. I don't mind this, as long as the dogs aren't dangerous dogs - as they are still animals. If a small dog "snaps", it can do very little damage, a big dog however and especially some of the breeds, it can be devastating. People might trust their dogs, but I don't trust people.  

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What the tower is really known for are the cinnamon donuts it makes fresh. They are one of my favorite things, but instead of those and a coffee, we decided to have ice cream instead. It is great they have a couple lactose-free options so Smallsteps can eat too and on the warm days, we tend to go this route instead. It is one of the rare things I enjoyed with my family as a child, and I am glad that we are able to do it now. I count myself pretty lucky that I have a family at all. 

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After a pretty tiring start to the weekend with the company sports day, after party and after party tiredness, it was nice to spend Sunday chilling out with very little timed schedule, dawdling walks, a play in the park with Smallsteps and a really simple barbecue to finish it up - just sausages and corn on the cob. If we can't travel this summer, as long as it is warm, we will be doing more of this kind of thing, whether we have a dog or not. 

How was your weekend?

Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]



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