I quit running for a while because of the suspected heart problem the doctor thought I had. I kept up my walking.
Now, I am building up my running again with my trainer Willow. I have adding a minute each time I run. Today we ran 22 minutes and walked 46 minutes in the furnace outdoors.
The dog obedience teacher, the dog book I am reading, and the Dog Whisperer all say that dogs operate on a hierarchy system. You can argue politics all day with them but their instinct is to be a pact leader or follow a pack leader.
All three suggest you put yourself as the pack leader. At times I think Willow challenges my authority and tries to be the pack leader herself.
This morning while running she was running on my left. She saw something interesting on the right and cut across to smell it. I plowed right into her, stepping on her foot. She yipped and we both jumped.. I jumped away from the point of impact and so did she. Again, I landed on her foot. She yipped again.
After that she seemed to teach me with a new respect and stayed on my left side.
I am the new pack leader! When Anna is not around, anyway.
Too funny! At least you know who YOUR leader is!!
ReplyDeleteJudy,
ReplyDeleteThat's right! Anna brings home the bread. Or in this case, bacon.
My dog does that from time to time, and I have heard of dogs doing that to protect their masters. I think some of them have a shepherding instinct.
ReplyDeleteSteve,
ReplyDeleteI was being herded?
I absolutely cannot keep up with our dog...she might be a senior citizen, but she's mightier than I am...
ReplyDeleteBird,
ReplyDeleteThe boys had a part Shepard and part Huskie years ago named Brandy. She and I would go for run and walks. Back then this area wasn't so populated and I didn't use a leash for her. She would usually run way off the road but kept within sight. Sometimes she would run close. One day a woman in a Cobb County Animal Control drove up and asked me was that my dog. I said it was and she said I couldn't let her run loose like that - it was against the law.
Those were the days.
Now days, I wouldn't even consider letting her run without a lease, law or no law.
Dog feet or not, there's nothing like a nice run.
ReplyDeleteSuzanne,
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite part of the run is not during the run itself, but just afterwards, when you are soaking wet with sweat and you feel the air around your wet clothes and body.