02168: Yoshi's Walking Quirks

Yoshi's pee behavior has nicely shifted to being almost entirely dependent on walks. And while we were already happy that he was house trained to the point of only using his pee mats for doing his business, the fact that he now waits for walks is kinda awesome. We just have to make sure he gets walked twice a day to avoid accidents and to help him pass waste material out as part of his kidney treatments.

Yoshi is quite the delight to walk, and I know I've said this a few times on this blog already. But seriously, I really enjoy walking him, whether in Cubao or in BGC. Obviously BGC makes for a much lovelier walking environment, but Yoshi makes the most of things regardless.

Yoshi has such a strong personality for such a little dog, and I think that clearly shows when he walks. If I were straight, I probably would have benefitted from all the female attention that Yoshi gets as we make our way through BGC. And this is just one example really. He's such a delight.

Life is very different when your perspective is just a foot off the ground.

He Walks the Walk
Yoshi's default walking position is his head held high, his tail upright and the rhythm of his legs giving him a bit of a bouncing motion. He may sniff one or two things here and there, but for the most part he walks like he belongs on that sidewalk and everyone should clear a path for him.

He Walks Smarter
Give Yoshi the choice between a handicap ramp and steps and he'll take the ramp every time. This applies even when the steps are already right in front of you and the ramp is a few feet to one side. He knows the ramp is easier and he'll pull you towards the ramp if he can.

Stair Master
That being said, he's not exactly afraid of stairs either. However given his small frame, I suppose stairs can be a little daunting. So what ends up happening is that he takes a moment to get ready before he starts bounding up the steps rapidly. I guess he just wants to get it over quickly, but this in turn requires you to run up alongside him to keep pace.

Pack Leader
For the most part I've learned enough from The Dog Whisperer in terms of what needs to be done to assert authority on Yoshi. I'm not too terrible with the leash tugs and the other little tricks to keep his attention and on track. However there are still those moments when Yoshi reminds me that he's more than just another dog and he has his own ways to show he doesn't want to move like plopping down on the ground or pulling against the leash. This typically happens when (1) he's tired or (2) we're headed to the vet. And he always knows when we're headed to the vet.

Professional Pedestrian
One of my favorite moments when walking Yoshi is how he handles pedestrian lanes. When we walk in BGC, it's nice to wait for the Walk/Don't Walk to turn green along with all the other BGC employees and residents. And so when the light does turn green, don't be surprised to have this little white dog keeping pace with the pedestrians and eking out his own space on the lane. He does not dart and dodge other people in order to stay out of the way. He keeps on walking in a straight line and just expects people to respect his space. Spoiler Alert: They generally do.

Ignore the Peasants
I concede the fact that Yoshi is a snob of a dog. He barely pays attention to other dogs beyond a cursory sniff during chance encounters on the street and he deftly weaves through crowds without stopping to sniff them or let them pet him. And believe me, a lot of people call out to Yoshi and try to reach out their hand. Yoshi just gives them a look and then takes a bit of an arc around the person.

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