Short legs, long walks: our autumn routine

When Biscuit came home he treated every walk like a negotiation. Ten minutes in, he would sit down in the middle of the sidewalk and look at me as if I had personally invented gravity.

Three years later we do forty minutes most mornings. Nothing magical happened, we just changed a few small things.

Go early, go slow

Pugs overheat quickly, even in autumn. We leave before eight, while the pavement is still cool, and let him set the pace for the first block. Sniffing counts as exercise. A walk with lots of sniffing tires him out more than a fast loop around the block.

Change the route

We rotate between three routes: the park, the river path and the long way past the bakery (he has opinions about the bakery). New smells keep him moving.

If your pug sits down, they are usually telling you something: too hot, too fast, or simply bored.

Watch the breathing

• Loud, raspy breathing means it is time to slow down or head home.
• Bring water, even for short walks.
• A harness, never a collar, so nothing presses on the throat.

That's really all. Patience and a harness that fits.