Skip to Content

What We Can Learn About Life From Running with our Dogs

“I don’t run to add days to my life, I run to add life to my days.”
― Ronald Rook

I love this quote. I’ve been running most of my life. At this point, it’s simply part of my being. I seldom train for anything…I run completely for the enjoyment of it.

Have you ever run with a dog? Dogs run with reckless abandon, as if their run is the very best thing to ever happen to them, every single time they go! If you have a dog that you run with, you know what it’s like when you put your running shoes on. Their excitement can barely be contained! Our dogs can definitely teach us a lesson in learning how to live each moment to its fullest!

What we can learn about life from running with our dogs

This was the scene in our house the other morning.

I started to put my running shoes on…Murphy started to get excited. It’s like watching a little kid who wants something really badly. He was practically doing a dance in the front hallway.

“Are you taking me?” “You’re going to take me, right?” “Don’t forget me, I’m right here!” “I want to go, I want to go, I want to go!”

Then one of the other dogs started heading towards the door. Saint tends to take things more in stride. She wanted to go too, but she always takes a more mellow approach. “Ok, she’s taking us, whew.” “Open that door, let’s go now.”

At this point, I was practically laughing, because I don’t even have my shoes completely on yet, and I have one dog sitting by the door and the other one jumping around all over the place. So I said to them “Do you want to go for a run?”

At the word RUN, the third dog Clara (who can’t hear ANYTHING unless it has to do with food…she can hear a Cheerio dropping to the ground from the other side of the house) came sprinting up the stairs from the basement, indignant…“I can’t believe you were going to leave me here!” “I’m going too!”

And so off we went, the three dogs and I. Luckily for me, we have a wooded trail that opens up into grass fields right across from our house. There is no way I could run with three dogs on leashes. They usually run with my husband, or with both of us. But my husband took the boys and a couple friends to a paintball event this weekend, so it was just me. All of our dogs are good off leash and come when called, but I always bring leashes with me just in case. We rarely run into anyone and when we do, it’s someone else out with their dogs. Our dogs love other dogs, and all the dogs that we see are familiar to them at this point, so it’s like a big dog playdate when we see someone.

This morning, we didn’t see anyone though, other than a turtle who didn’t look like he wanted to play. The two older dogs ignored Mr. Turtle, who was pretty far from the nearest pond. But Murphy jumped around the poor thing, not quite sure what the social etiquette should be to make proper friends. In the end, he decided that the standard dog greeting would work just fine, and sniffed the turtle’s rear end before we moved on with our run.

I really do love running with my dogs. Besides the fact that it’s great bonding time doing something that we both love, I love seeing their excitement. We could get back from a run, and I could put my running shoes on again an hour later, and they’d be excited to go again. Never mind that we already went…to them RUN TIME is FUN TIME! We could all learn a little about living life to the fullest from our dogs. When they do something, they do it with gusto. They enjoy every moment of it, like it’s the last time they’ll ever do whatever it is they’re doing. And that’s the way we should live life. We SHOULD live every moment to its fullest and treat every day like a treasure. Life is precious, and none of us know what tomorrow will bring. Take a lesson from your dog…and enjoy today, and every other day, like it’s the best time of your life!

Linking up!

 

Follow on Bloglovin

Sharing is caring!

Brittnei Washington

Friday 12th of July 2013

Michelle! This is such a great read! It's so funny because when I read about the dogs' reactions it makes me think about my experience I had for one week of walking a neighbor's dog while he was at work. I never had to take care of a dog before so they showed me everything I had to do with his routine. But walking him for that week and just talking about the dog and taking care of him makes me think of the daily task of taking care of my son. Dogs are like additional children is what I believe after that experience. Between the 2 of them, the innocence, the mere pleasure for life that they have and the trust that they have in us as parents/owners is so free and admirable.

Michelle Nahom

Monday 15th of July 2013

I am so glad you enjoyed it Brittnei! I absolutely love dogs...they live with such a zest for life and they are always there for us. If you have a bad day, they sense it and they'll try to comfort you. I can't imagine life without them!

Miki English

Friday 12th of July 2013

Great post! We've lost both of our babies within the last year - a lab and a boxer. They had long happy lives but I miss them terribly. We used to have to sneak around to get our running/walking shoes on because as soon as they even suspected we were going out to exercise they wouldn't leave our heals. Of course we always felt guilty so would either take them for a walk first, or take them out when we got back. Dogs just have a way of filling our lives with so much joy.

Michelle Nahom

Monday 15th of July 2013

Oh I am so sorry! Our animals give our families a lot of joy...it is always hard to say goodbye. And I know what you mean about the excitement when they think they are going on that walk or run...it doesn't matter what the weather is, whether they already went or not...the excitement is there, every single time!

Christina

Friday 12th of July 2013

I can feel the joy comming right through my computer. I am not a runner, but since I've been feeling better due to my diet change, I have been running more. Running through the rain...........running down the driveway...........running to play with my kids. I am always laughing when I am running so I really understand what it must be like to run with your dogs. Maybe I should become a runner? Hey! Crazier things could happen.

Michelle Nahom

Friday 12th of July 2013

They are so happy when they see the running shoes come out...it's like they are kids in the candy store! Maybe you should become a runner! Do you have a dog? I bet he would love it!! They definitely keep you on track...once they start running, they never want to stop!! It just becomes something fun they look forward to every day. :)

Angela

Tuesday 9th of July 2013

I love the perspectives that animals can bring to our lives! The total joy they derive from the simplest things like a pat on the head, or a rub to the belly. Perfection!

Michelle Nahom

Friday 12th of July 2013

Oh the rub on the belly....every single morning every dog jumps on the bed (well one of them is already up there) looking for a belly rub! So funny how much they love that!

Natalie

Monday 8th of July 2013

My dogs get so excited too! It's hard to keep them from getting so over excited.

Michelle Nahom

Monday 8th of July 2013

I know! They crack me up sometimes - it's like watching a kid in a candy store!