What my mornings look like

©2015 Lydia Hinshaw

Cooper often has to wait for me

 TUCSON, AZ -- When you're responsible for a dog in 100-plus heat, you get up early.  This fits in well with my sleep patterns.  Cooper, my temporary dog, doesn't seem to mind.  He surely doesn't want to go out at mid-day, when his feet would get fried.

 We're usually out shortly after 5 a.m., when it's a mere 70 degrees, give or take a degree or two.  We walk for an hour.  At least, I walk for an hour.  Cooper, only two years old, prefers to trot, stretching his retractable leash to the limit.  Then he has to slow down to let the old lady catch up.

 Cooper has some strange habits, though he might say the same about me.  If he sees something that interests him, like another pedestrian or a car or a dog, he may go into statue mode.  He will plant his feet and refuse to move.  Although he is not large, he is quite solid when this happens, and his focus cannot be broken by stern orders, or pleading, or begging.

 Once when Prince Charming had taken Cooper out alone, Cooper went into full upright rigor-mortis as they were crossing the street.  The dog wouldn't budge, and shortly a car appeared.  The Prince finally had to pick Cooper up and lug him the rest of the way across the street, to the amusement of the approaching driver.

 Thursday morning a car backfired, and Cooper nearly yanked the leash out of my hand.  I'm glad our house-sit will be over before the Fourth of July.