Finally. Finally, finally, finally. We are back running again AND I can get access to Doctor Disco’s laptop, too. I always wonder what keeps Laura from getting out there to get her nose in the wind (no, neither of us is fast enough to generate any wind on our own, unless it’s from our butts), but then again, I’m very much a couch hound myself. I can’t really complain.
Laura and I are running on our trails again, in the woods, and it’s just wonderful. She’s very easily excited about a run, and when she picks up her running bra, I always have to jump around to get her to try to calm down, but it doesn’t really seem to help a lot. She’s really slow, but she keeps up, usually.
I worry, though, since I’m a black dog and the summer is coming. My running partner sweats, so she’s ok. I, however, being of a higher functioning type of being, do not (only in the pads of my feet, that is). So it’s harder for me to stay cool when we are out on the trails, or even worse, running on the sidewalks or near the roads.
There are some rules about when to run with your dog, and when to keep her home, once the weather begins to get warm. You obviously want to check to see if the trail, or the road, or the sidewalk, or sand (lucky dogs!) is too hot for your dog’s paws – the best way to do that is to hold your own bare foot, or hand, on the surface for 10 seconds. If you can’t hold it there, don’t try to make your best friend hold hers there, either. Our pads might feel tough, but they still can get hurt. We can’t tell you when our paws are overheating, or when we are overheating in general. So you have to watch out for us – we will keep you safe from marauding squirrels and overexcited chipmunks, and you have to do your part, too.
As far as the humidity goes, you want to know what the temperature is outside, as well as the humidity level. Add those two figures, and if the number is higher than 150, your dog would be better off with an evening walk, or maybe some fetch inside. Don’t forget – your dog runs around in a full fur coat, and you’re in shorts and a tank top. And even just a few extra pounds can make it that much more difficult for us to run with you.
Laura is always careful about taking precautions in the heat – she brings a bowl (it’s foldable, and honestly, a little too small for my taste) and a bottle of water in the car, and we share a drink after our run. It’s a nice little ritual after we finish up and I’m sitting in the shade in the car. I know she has some water bottles on a belt that she carries when it gets really hot, and I’m guessing that when things begin to get really hot again, if she does take me with her, she will bring those, as well.
So plan ahead, pay attention to the weather, and get out there and run with your pack!