This is my twelve pounder boss, Mari. On our walks, she leads, Ginger and I follow behind. She gets to decide where she wants to go or how long the walk. If I move ahead of her, she stops and refuses to move.

“Where do you want to go?” I ask her, letting her take the lead and she moves on.

I could nudge her along another path. If it agrees with her, she would take it. If it does not, she digs her heels in. It is then either carrying her along the path I want to go or go where she wants to go. I invariably let her choose. She might be twelve pounds, it is still a lot of weight to carry on a walk.