I feel like a total idiot when it’s raining during dog walk time.  Peanut and I normally love our walks together.  Even when we’re rushed, they’re one of the best things about any day.

Not when it rains.  When it rains, Peanut gets confused about why I’m making him suffer outside.  Don’t I know that we were just in a safe, dry place, and now I’m making him tread where even the stupid squirrels know not to go?!  Don’t I know that he could get struck by lightning at any moment, and he’s only a foot high in the first place?!  Puddles are dangerous when you’re only a foot tall.

So he looks at me all confused and tries to make a run for our house.  I try to get him to focus and go to the bathroom so we can both go inside.  Neither one of us feels very successful.  And if it’s raining hard enough, you’ll find me trying to reason with my dog in the torrential downpour.

That’s what happened this morning.  It was pouring, and Peanut was giving me the “You’re crazy!” look as he tried to pull me to safety.  I was trying to tell him that if he would just go to the bathroom, it would all be over.  I know as I’m speaking to him in complete sentences that he doesn’t understand me.  He still thinks I’m insane, and it  frustrates me even more to tell him clearly what needs to happen and have him continue his pull towards the house.  I haven’t figured out a good solution yet.

I’ve tried walking until he goes to the bathroom.  I’ve tried standing still, hoping he’ll get the idea.  I’ve tried standing under a semi-sheltered spot to allow him to get himself together.  I’ve even tried pre-walk pep talks.  None of those ideas got us anywhere.

Honestly, I think we’re at an impasse.    He will always think I’m stupid for going on walks in a storm, and I will always wish that he understood why we’re both standing there dripping wet for 10 minutes when it could be 30 seconds.  Sad, but true.  We both ate our breakfast in soggy silence this morning.  In general though, I’m a big fan of rainy days.  Just putting that out there.