Running With Poop Bags

School is out for summer, and I have decided it is time to address the problem of not being able to keep up with my dog Douce on the agility course. If, in the process, I learn to put down my pocketbook and run with my arms, all the better. Although my dad was a track coach for many years, I never could learn to like running. Now, it seems, I will have to.

I am starting with a super easy walk/jog program. Today, I took the dogs with me, so that if I had to stop, I could blame it on Stella, who is the only creature I know that gets tired exercising faster than I do. Also, I figured that potty breaks for the pups would give me a good excuse to dilly dally. How pitiful am I, using my poor Shih Tzu for an excuse to look less out of shape than I am??

So, I did a walk 5 minutes jog 1 minute program. It's the second week of the program, but I will probably do it for, like, three weeks before I move up. Any running program I do has to be super painless for me, or I will quit. Today was a perfect start. It was supposed to be a 30 minute "workout," but as Stella was actually getting tired, I had to cut back to 20 minutes. Love that dog! At the end, I had jogged for a total of 3 minutes, and it was quite apparent to me why I cannot keep up with Douce. He walked/ran ahead of me the whole time and I don't think he ever broke into a real pant. The third minute, I could feel my shins begin to hurt. 3 minutes and I feel it?? No wonder I hurt all over after a two day trial. I probably run a total of 8 or 9 minutes on a weekend like that.

The dogs were great company for me today. Personally, though, I don't want to continue running with them. First, Shih Tzu overheat so easily, and although you can watch for signs of over exertion, if they are on leash and you are thinking about your own workout, I think it would be harder to tell how the dog is doing. Second, it is awkward running with leashes and poop bags in hand. Why do I never see any joggers with dogs slinging poop bags?? It makes me suspicious. And third, it's not really that fun for me, so why would it be fun for the dogs? They don't get to sniff, bound, chase, eat gross stuff--all of the dogs' favorite things. They get good exercise on their farm walks!

Stella is still having a tough time in the mornings. Maybe, if I do my walk/jogs in the morning, it will do her good too. She could get over the worry that I will leave, because I will, but I'll be right back. I don't know. She has been freezing up in the house, no matter the time of day. I will notice her standing still, not moving towards anything to do, not able to lie down comfortably. She will circle the room, trying different spots, but resume the standing and staring, unless I put her into the bed, where she does seem to relax. I think she's been on the huperzine for two weeks, so tomorrow I will call Dr. Ogata at Tufts.