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Dunkin' and I walk every day, but rarely are two walks ever the same. We'll eventually walk about three miles, but the pace is quite varied. Some days he's raring to go and we walk at a swift pace through the park and bog garden. Some days, as was the case yesterday, Dunkin' likes to take his time and make sure he doesn't miss any new scents. A woman commented that clearly we weren't walking for the exercise. I told her that it is his walk. If he wants to take his time, then I don't drag him along. He will "heel" if I tell him, but I rarely do.

There are a few constants. He will chase the ducks if he sees them and he will, at some point, find the perfect patch of grass and hurl himself to the ground like he can't take another step. There are some key factors in the spot he picks out. It must have shade, and it must be in a section where there are several paths crossing so he can see everyone visiting the park. If there is a nice breeze blowing and the grass is wet, then that's the perfect spot. Unfortunately he rarely considers me while choosing his spot and it's never near a bench for me to sit down. This might last for two minutes or twenty depending on how much he's enjoying himself. And trust me, it's hard to move a 100-pound Lab when he doesn't want to get up.

As the summer gets hotter, the earlier we get up to take these walks, so if you're out and about at dawn, you might see us strolling through the Bicentennial Gardens. Or more likely, Dunkin' is rolling around in the grass, enjoying the morning dew.