Running with dogs

My favorite thing to do when I go home is run with my mom’s dog. Hands down. This is Zoe, a 4-year-old 98lb German Shepherd that thinks she’s one part lap dog, one part human. (Sometimes I think the latter is legitimately true.)

Smiling German Shepherd gif/boomerang

I always enjoy running but with this giant hairball of love next to me, there’s a whole new energy around it. The air seems fresher, the miles go by faster, the – well, you’ll just have to keep reading.

You don’t have to be a dog lover to appreciate these five life lessons that come from running with your pup, especially if it’s one of these 20 best dog breeds for running, but if you’re not a dog person I might just not be a you-person.

Sorry, that was aggressive. Let’s just get to the epiphanies

1: Running is not something we have to do, it’s something we get to do.

The moment Zoe hears the *click* of her running leash she bolts for the door. There’s no hemming and hawing about if she has it in her today, if she layered her running outfit appropriately, or if she should just stay in and catch up on “This Is Us.” She knows the end result is a wave of running-induced endorphins because yes, dogs also get a runner’s high and no, nothing is more pure.

2: Pace, splits, even mileage are the last of your worries. Just get out out there.

Does Zoe care that we didn’t have negative splits? No. Does she gives any consideration to including interval running to increase her VO2 Max? Nope. She’s just excited to be out there running, soaking in every step and embracing every slightly shorter breath.

Sure, if you’re training for a specific event then all the nitty-gritty details may be of some importance. But don’t let those technicalities get in the way of why you started running in the first place.

3: Don’t be afraid to say hi to your neighbors. A lot of them are friendlier than you think.

With two police school dropout parents, Zoe looks like one of the most menacing dogs on our route. It’s all too common we’ll get remarks from other dog owners to the effect of, “My she’s… big” or “Better watch out, she could eat you” to their 10lb Shih Tzu while they start to veer off the sidewalk and onto the lawn to get as far away as possible.

But every now and again some brave soul will stop and introduce themselves to us, many times resulting in a really lovely interaction. The world’s a bit of a scary place right now + the more we know about our neighbors, the more we can learn to love + relate to them, whether they’re next door, down the block, or halfway around the globe.

4: Don’t forget to look around and soak it all in. It’s a big, beautiful world if you let it be.

I imagine taking Zoe for a run is what it’s like when you take your kids to Disneyland for the first time. (Swap the diaper bag for a poop bag + the leash for… well we just won’t get into that one.) She can’t help but look around at all the trees, the birds in the sky, the houses we pass.

Instead of thinking about all the pillows she has to chew up when she gets home or wondering if she should switch kibble brands to hit her macros for the day, she’s fully immersed in the moment, appreciating every step, puddle, even the noisy motorcycle with a rumble so loud it sets off every car alarm. She knows the moment she’s in is perfect simply because she’s living in it.

5: And finally… Stopping mid-run to show your running buddy some extra love and affection is not only allowed, it’s encouraged.

It’s pretty common for Zoe to look up at me while we’re running with this look in her eyes like, “OHMAN DO YOU SEE THIS RIGHT NOW??! WE’RE ACTUALLY DOING IT!!” It will stop you in your tracks if you’re not prepared for it. However one one run in particular, about two miles in, Zoe looked up at me and stopped dead in her tracks. Not sure if something was wrong I dropped down to my knees to check in on her.

And then….

… before I knew it  she was  licking my face like I was the first ice cream cone of summer. And just like that frozen sweet treat (chocolate cookies and cream, please), I completely melted.

That little act of gratitude reminded me it’s always a good time to let someone know you’re there for them and you appreciate their company. Maybe just keep the tongue action to a minimum in public.

And that’s it! Have you run with a dog before? Do you have any lessons I left out? Leave them below or head on over to Instagram and leave a comment with your sweet pup’s name!

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