Running with your dog

There are some studies that say dogs tend
to resemble their owners...might be true :)

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace." - Milan Kundera




It was Thursday and I needed to go for a run, but I also needed to walk Baxter, as it was getting ready to rain severely and neither of us do well in the rain. Now, Baxter isn't in the greatest shape, but then again, neither am I right now, but I decided to combine the two. I figured we could take some breaks as needed and that I would definitely bring a water bottle. We weren't going too far, but I knew it would be far enough for the both of us. Running with your dog teaches you a few things, about running and about so much more. Running with your dog definitely changes the run, but the change is good.
Running with your dog means...taking a few more breaks. Sometimes you need a potty break and sometimes there is something you haven't smelled before, so you stop. He reminds me to just take a moment, but sometimes I have to remind him that he doesn't HAVE to air pee* on every single tree.  
Running with your dog means...carrying a few more items than you would otherwise. I got to wear the ultra cool running fanny pack loaded with plastic bags for doody and water and my iphone since my ipod is still not working. 
Running with your dog means...stopping for water breaks, not just drinking on the run. Now, I probably would have skipped on the water bottle if it were just me, since it wasn't too far, but my little wooly mammoth would need water. The bottle I had was probably too big for the fanny pack, so it hit me over and over again...awesome. Even more entertaining was the attempts to get Baxter to drink the water. I tried pouring into my cupped hand, he didn't drink. I poured some on the ground, that was a no go. I again poured some in my hand and tried to hand feed him, possibly a little got in but this was not going to cut it. So, I opened his mouth and poured from the bottle straight into his mouth...this worked! I just did small amounts for fear of making him gag or something. 

Running with your dog means...running faster and slower. I discovered that Baxter shares my dislike for hills, the run came to a snails pace at each hill and near the end of the run we walked the last hill, which I didn't mind at all. I didn't have my nike+ to verify, but I'm pretty sure when we ran at his normal pace it was considerably faster than I would have gone. We also had moments of straight sprinting, because you know, squirrel! 
Running with your dog means...having the best kind of running partner. The kind that keeps you company but allows you to listen to your music. Now, I have two awesome human running partners, so nothing against them. But with Baxter I can run, I can stop, I can do whatever and he follows along because he loves me.  He also feels that when it's over we should find the cool spot in the house and lay there. 
Running with your dog means...there should be treats at the end, for both of you. 
I may not run every run with Baxter, as I need to get some solid training runs in, but I will run with him when I need to be reminded that sometimes the reward is  just getting out and spending time with your best friend.


*when there is no actual pee coming out, but instead air. Yet, he must continue to mark his territory, with what I don't know