I had a great run today...even with the .77 mile long overshoot on a long run day. Nothing hurt too bad, was dressed perfectly for the weather, life was good. I tried a new route which was an amalgamation of three training routes (an 8 mile out and back, and a strange little loopy thing made up of two popular parks)--liked it a lot, especially since the familiarity of the routes and finite "chunks" made it easier to manage. This was my longest outdoor run to date! I was really pleased with how friendly everyone was. I don't know if it was the cold or the sun, but I got a lot more smiles in return than I normally do.
The one thing that bugged me was some of the animal treatment that I saw on various paths today.
The first case was a youngish woman that was running with a smooth/short coated, medium sized dog. Nothing wrong there...except...that the dog was wearing a pinch collar. My understanding is that these are sometimes employed by owners of dogs with longer hair and used to correct stubborn behavior in dogs. Generally speaking, I don't like the principle, although perhaps I can respect that there may be those who disagree. As it pertains to running though, I find myself to be quite concerned. It seems to me that if one is going to take the responsibility for correcting a dog's behavior, the time to do this is not on a run. There are several reasons for this:
1) Runners tend to focus on their runs--perhaps not the best time to also try to deliver consistent animal training.
2) If a runner does not believe they can sufficiently control their animal without the use of corrective implements, my guess is that the animal may be a danger to self or others. A tired runner is not in a good position to ensure the safety of themselves, their animal, or other human beings.
3) In the event that something happened to the runner, pinch collar presents another potential danger to the dog. I hate the idea of the leash getting caught in something! There are many things that could go wrong on a run. I get the need for a leash, but also assume that any risk to a runner is also a potential threat to an animal.
4) What if the animal cannot maintain pace for some reason? I would certainly hate to see an injured or unwell animal be forced to keep up simply to avoid the pain of the collar.
The other icky animal incident I witnessed involved a man running with a small breed dog (likely a smooth coat chihuahua, although not a show animal). I was surprised to see him running with the animal, and can think of better breeds that one might choose if running with the dog was a priority. The man looked like he had settled into a fairly regular pace. I passed him, then he passed me about a mile later at a decent clip. I am concerned that chihuahuas weren't designed to do multiple mile trips at 8:00 miles---their legs are only 4" long!
Finally, I saw an owner running with an older, large mixed-breed dog. I don't know a lot about large breeds, but I do have a bit of background. The animal clearly had severe hip dysplasia--back legs close together with a strange bunny hopping gait. It was lagging behind its owner, who didn't appear to be taking note of the dog's obvious infirmity. Instead, the owner would yank the leash forward every few feet, causing the dog to lurch forward.
It's not really my place to step in and intervene with the choices of others running along the bike path. Still, I have to wonder about the choices people make. I ask simply that folks think about their choices. If you enjoy running with your animal, try to make sure that it can enjoy running with you--that your speed and distance goals are compatible with the abilities of your companion---that you acknowledge that the abilities of your companion may change over time---that you are able to manage the behavior of your companion using auditory or visual cues--that you be humane.
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