Leave em at home.
Last Tuesday, I went running. I love to run. It feels good all over. And I have the best running buddy. He is a 5 year old, allergic to everything, fun loving, bird chasing, pace setting, black lab. He loves to run almost as much as I love to run. And he has the energy to keep up, if not try to set my pace a little faster than I like to move. But he is sympathetic to my pokiness and will trot along beside me. To be honest, he runs better without his leash. I believe he treats it like a lifeline. When we run with the leash, he pulls because he knows I am at the other end being dragged along behind. But without it, he plods along at my heels, almost insecure because he cannot feel that connective pressure. Sure, occasionally without the leash, my dog is prone to bouts of ADD when a squirrel zips across our path, or a bird swoops overhead. Off he goes on his mini adventure, returning shortly saying in his doggy way: “Hey mom, checking in, how is the jog going? It sure is a beautiful day to be … holy snap a deer!!”
I love my big dog. I also love that he is incapable of catching said wildlife. Alas, he is only allowed to jog “naked” when we are on a wood trail and there is little chance of others out and about. Do not get me wrong he is a big friendly dog, and he WILL be glad to greet you. But I am sure it can be a bit intimidating having 100 pounds of barking and sniffing under your sombrero.
Now, I have more than the one lovable beast. I have a herd. In addition to my running buddy, I have Vinnie Jones, the aptly named Boston Terrier. He is 20 pounds of “I ain’t putting up with yer crap” dog. Never tell him he cannot do something. Case in point: when his beloved Frisbee is floating out in the bay, he WILL go get it, and sink in the process…(20 pounds of muscle mixed with little legs makes for bad buoyancy). He is not allowed to run with me. As much as he really wants to go, he just cannot keep the pace. The other dog, of course, is Molly, the Boxer pup. She is not my favorite running partner because she likes to jump, go right, go left, what’s that behind us, oh look a bird, yippee another dog, crap, it’s attached to a person, bark bark bark… Yet with all that energy, she needs the run, because then when we get home, she is out…asleep, thank you for coming, exit stage left!
So last Tuesday I went running. I love to run. However, I made the mistake of taking BOTH my ol’ running buddy and the hyperactive puppy. I returned home with a pulled muscle and I believe a broken toe.
I can keep up with my big dog, but coupled with that little bundle of energy… no, only one at a time, please. So now my dilemma: Which dog gets to go and which stays home? I have thought about taking turns with the two…Molly certainly needs the run as does Smokie, but I hate the idea of leaving one behind. I run today. It is my usual route. I think Smokie. When I do speed training, Molly will make a great race.
My best friend says the only way to make her run is to put a pack of wild dogs after her, I have one that may just fit that bill…and I have the blackened toe to prove it!
Last Tuesday, I went running. I love to run. It feels good all over. And I have the best running buddy. He is a 5 year old, allergic to everything, fun loving, bird chasing, pace setting, black lab. He loves to run almost as much as I love to run. And he has the energy to keep up, if not try to set my pace a little faster than I like to move. But he is sympathetic to my pokiness and will trot along beside me. To be honest, he runs better without his leash. I believe he treats it like a lifeline. When we run with the leash, he pulls because he knows I am at the other end being dragged along behind. But without it, he plods along at my heels, almost insecure because he cannot feel that connective pressure. Sure, occasionally without the leash, my dog is prone to bouts of ADD when a squirrel zips across our path, or a bird swoops overhead. Off he goes on his mini adventure, returning shortly saying in his doggy way: “Hey mom, checking in, how is the jog going? It sure is a beautiful day to be … holy snap a deer!!”
I love my big dog. I also love that he is incapable of catching said wildlife. Alas, he is only allowed to jog “naked” when we are on a wood trail and there is little chance of others out and about. Do not get me wrong he is a big friendly dog, and he WILL be glad to greet you. But I am sure it can be a bit intimidating having 100 pounds of barking and sniffing under your sombrero.
Now, I have more than the one lovable beast. I have a herd. In addition to my running buddy, I have Vinnie Jones, the aptly named Boston Terrier. He is 20 pounds of “I ain’t putting up with yer crap” dog. Never tell him he cannot do something. Case in point: when his beloved Frisbee is floating out in the bay, he WILL go get it, and sink in the process…(20 pounds of muscle mixed with little legs makes for bad buoyancy). He is not allowed to run with me. As much as he really wants to go, he just cannot keep the pace. The other dog, of course, is Molly, the Boxer pup. She is not my favorite running partner because she likes to jump, go right, go left, what’s that behind us, oh look a bird, yippee another dog, crap, it’s attached to a person, bark bark bark… Yet with all that energy, she needs the run, because then when we get home, she is out…asleep, thank you for coming, exit stage left!
So last Tuesday I went running. I love to run. However, I made the mistake of taking BOTH my ol’ running buddy and the hyperactive puppy. I returned home with a pulled muscle and I believe a broken toe.
I can keep up with my big dog, but coupled with that little bundle of energy… no, only one at a time, please. So now my dilemma: Which dog gets to go and which stays home? I have thought about taking turns with the two…Molly certainly needs the run as does Smokie, but I hate the idea of leaving one behind. I run today. It is my usual route. I think Smokie. When I do speed training, Molly will make a great race.
My best friend says the only way to make her run is to put a pack of wild dogs after her, I have one that may just fit that bill…and I have the blackened toe to prove it!
1 comment:
Maybe if I borrowed one I'd find running more enjoyable...
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