The Trials of Miles Part 3

It is COLD today, the kind of polar temperatures that freeze your nose hairs and bite at your skin. When it's this cold, Miles has to wear his little red jacket, because as cold as it feels to us, it must feel ten times colder to his little body. So this morning I waited for the sun to warm up the air a little, and then I took him on his morning walk. We were doing just fine for a while until we got to a large patch of un-shoveled, snowy sidewalk. He valiantly began to cross it, but about halfway to the other side he started limping, first on one foot, and then on another. The reason is that ice and snow stick to the fur between the pads of his paws, and it must really burn and hurt. So I picked him up, and I took off my mitten, and I closed my hand around each of his little paws. As I did so, he licked my hand oh so gently, which I believe was his way of saying, "Thank you, kind mistress, for alleviating the horrible sensations in my little doggie paws. This is another instance that proves my complete and utter devotion to you is well founded and appreciated. Now put me down."

So I put him down, and he started trucking along, until we reached another patch of icy snow, and had to repeat the procedure.

It doesn't matter how cold it gets. Miles loves his walks. The world (neighborhood) is such an enormous, exciting place! The variation of smells, types of dog urine, and interesting things to eat on the sidewalk when I'm not paying close attention make each walk an individual and rich experience. Today we came across an older gentleman who was getting his mail, and Miles suddenly bolted forward and jumped around, dancing and prancing until the gentleman bent down and allowed Miles to lick his finger. And then Miles abruptly turned on his heels and trotted away. There was simply too much for him to do; he could not linger.

Walking Miles is something I don't always look forward to. It's hard to get out of bed in the morning and go out in the cold. I'd much rather have my coffee and catch up on the news. But once I'm out there with Miles, walking as fast as I can to keep up, I always enjoy myself immensely. Miles' enthusiasm for life is infectious.

Today, when we finally came back out of the cold, I took Miles' little jacket off, and his harness, and he sat down prettily for me and cocked his head, asking for a cookie. So I gave him one, and now he is curled up like a little cinnamon bun on the bed, his favorite place in the world, warming up his little paws underneath his body and taking a nap. I've got to hand it to him: Miles really knows how to enjoy life.