Dogs
Shane needs a trim. 🐕
My boy Shane. 🐕
Last night I learned that just because a boy dog has been neutered doesn’t mean they have no ‘desires’. Our spayed girl was surprised, too. 🐕
Seeing as I’m back; our new doggie, Shane the lurcher, is settling in well after a few dodgy weeks. He’s not a runner like Leela, sadly, as he’s too interested in sniffing everything. 🐕
I have a pocket-full of doggy treats and I’m ready to kick some bottom. 🐕
More of Leela and I after our run this morning. 🐕🏃🏻
A few photos of Lady Leela Doggington after our run. 🏃🏻🐕
Trying to get some kind of routine going again for writing, running, gardening and - quite basically - anything apart from sitting down and watching ‘Judge Judy’ all day. Off for a run with this girl soon. 🏃🏻🐕
Another run up the mountain with my best friend. 🐕🏃🏻
Had an incredibly soggy run with my dog this morning. 🐕🏃🏻
Gorgeous day in which I ran with my dog, did some gardening, and ate a doughnut. 🍩🐕🏃🏻
Leela was in mischievous form during our 5km this morning. 🏃🏻🐕
Most productive run with my dog for months. 🐕🏃🏻
Absolutely soaked to the skin. 🐕🏃🏻
Took my dog for her yearly vaccination and was told she’s a lovely, well-behaved, girl. 🐕😍
A great run/walk with my dog to start the day, a superb Burnley performance to lift my mood higher, and plenty of seeds ordered. What a lovely day it’s been. 🐕🌱🏃🏻⚽️
Sunday up the Mountain.
Lockdown has been a pain in the arse for routine and particularly the routine of running.
Around this time last year, I went from training for Connemara marathon, to a few laps of our garden, to - basically - becoming a couch potato. With the kids and home (I have four, three of whom are autistic) opportunities to get out and about were few and far between. I went through a stage of getting up at 6am to get out for a 5 km here and there, but that’s no fun. The beautiful local park, Strokestown Park House - where I enjoy most of my exercise - closed due to the pandemic as the grounds are part of a museum and, before I knew it, I wasn’t going outside my house and garden at all.
The pounds piled on both for my dog, Leela, and I and neither of us were happy. I only started running a few years ago in 2017 at the age of 40 and Leela joined our family in 2019. I generally ran alone, I liked the solitude and mindfulness of being out with only my thoughts and daydreams for company. Lovely Leela loved her walks and guilt-tripped me, one planned run morning, into bringing her out. Using her lead and harness, we went out for a slow 5 km, and she absolutely loved it.
Reading a little more into it, I became aware of canicross and how running with your dog can increase your bond. I got a hands-free harness and, eventually, a proper canicross running belt and harness and off we went!
Anyway, I’ve all but given up on long distances, and we go out every day for a 5 km, running four of those. I wouldn’t really dream of going out for a run without her now, she’s my best friend and great company.
🐕🏃🏻
Shoes and dog. 🐕
Slowly building our fitness levels. 🐕🏃
