Expectations of an Aspiring Sled Dog

My very first blog post was about creating and managing expectations. Now, it seems I have unwittingly (that's how I do most things) created another expectation monster. I've been taking Trail Dog out for a walk or a run in the mornings for the last month or so. We've been pretty faithfully at it every weekday, so now....

Alarm goes off...



Someone is expecting something...



Oh, hey....I noticed you...uhm...put your shoes on and...oh, I see you are really close to the front door...soooooo, anyway.....if ya wasn't doin' nuthin' we could....



It's GO TIME!



Yeah, that's the stuff...



We've been watching Iditarod: Toughest Race on Earth on Discovery lately and it has inspired Trail Dog to transform into his new wintertime alterego, Sled Dog.

Mush, Dude, Mush.



Wait, I gotta pee on this because its mine.



Oh yeah, that's mine too.



and that.



Dad won't let me pee on the picnic tables, but just-sos-ya-know, they're mine too.



Its all mine really. I'd pee on all of it, but I can't risk dehydration with so many miles of Alaskan wilderness to travel, what-with being Sled Dog and-all.



You know, there are plenty of mornings when I'm not really feeling the outdoor love, but Sled Dog can be very persuasive. We'll hook it up again tomorrow, I'm sure. Those Alaskan guys at least get a sled to ride around on.

*** Addendum ***

I came home after work fully planning to go on a trail run -- solo. Sled Trail Dog (that's the early winter/late fall hybrid) noticed something was up. "Not this time, Buddy" I told him. He slinked (slank? slunk?) away, literally with his tail between his legs. Sled Trail Dog is persuasive, he had fun on our run.