Dixie is a veteran runner, but like many of us, she has had injury issues. At the age of two, she tore her ACL, which required surgery. Prior to the surgery, she could run five or six miles with me, and although she made a full recovery, I limit her to no more than 3 miles these days. A typical Lab, Dixie always desires to please. Our courses are located in Sharp Mountain, a labyrinth of trails located behind my home. The trails are lightly traveled, so the dogs can run free. I never have to worry about Dixie running away, as she is very concerned that I don't leave HER.
Ruby, a hound through and through, enjoys eating sleeping, and sniffing. Chasing a rabbit is more important to her than a big, juicy steak. She is always a threat to escape, so a pager collar is a must when she runs with me. Two miles is her maximum distance, and she will slowly waddle home once she reaches her mileage limit. Also, I must be vigilant when she ventures into the woods, as her hunter-hound instincts kick in, and she feels the need to disguise herself from her potential prey. So she rolls in animal poop!! Needless to say, my wife and I are never happy about her camouflaging technique, which begs the question, "Does her prey now think it's being chased by a giant poop ball!!"
Nevertheless, we thoroughly enjoy our training runs together. We traverse our mountain in all kinds of weather, but the dogs seem to particularly enjoy the snow. They enjoy it way more than their master does!
The announcement of, "You wanna go for a run," must be made mere seconds before departure, as the excitement is unbearable to the two girls. After, copious amounts of water are consumed, and nap time isn't far off...I'm talking about the dogs, not me!
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