Thurs-Fri-and another dog-related rant

Thurs, recovery day, bunch of little runs/jogs/walks. 2ish miles to volunteer job, mostly jogging (was late), then 2ish miles back, then 3ish miles jogging to dragonboating and 3ish miles jogging back. Total 10.89 miles. Plus dragonboating, which was a lot of fun! My legs were a little dead, but I still had a bit of a cold so I wasn't too concerned. It was good to get an artificial fever jacked up.

Fri, 2.5 miles in the morning, 8.44 in the evening. Amazing how crappy I felt in the morning and how much differently, how much better I felt in the evening.

Except at one point. We ran by the Arboretum (not really through, just on the bike path beside the Canal) and, yep, someone's unleashed dog ran up to mine growling. I realize that mine probably stares down most other dogs, but he stays by my side and doesn't go up to them and/or growl. I tugged him ahead as the other dog went behind him for whatever reason, and then I stuck my leg between it and I/my dog and told it to "Go!" Meanwhile, the owners were pathetically mewing 'come, come, come'. It stayed away. The owners said 'sorry about that' as they went to collect it. I was too annoyed to meet their gaze, just said 'ok' and ran on.

Yeah, some dogs just run up to others growling and will simmer down. Whatever.

But this was on a REC/RUNNING/BIKE PATH!! There is plenty of space for ill-trained dogs to run off leash, why right on the path? morons.

I wished I had the guts to say 'oh, you dropped a chromosome.'

However, that wouldn't be constructive, nor within the limited reach of my impaired wit at times like these, when the curtain of red descends and I have a split second to mutter 'ok' and get out of there before I get all too nasty.

I talked with my mom about this, and she thinks that I might have a good idea: carry copies of a dog trainer's business card and hand them out whenever someone's dog is being a butt. I had a trainer come over once to help with my dog and she really helped; unfortunately, I've run out of the cards she left behind but maybe I can get her to send me more.

At any rate, it took me a few miles to cool down and then the endorphins kicked in and I was in the zone. So it ended up being a nice run after all. Then we walked for a bit and my dog had a nice sniff with another dog whose owner held it back at first. It was yipping and standing on its hind feet. I talked with the owner a bit as she calmed it down and then we let the dogs sniff each other. That's how it should be.