-^-for posterity-^-

i take the dog for runs now. he’s been feeling a bit pent up and needs to get out and about.

first there was the problem of finding a place to run. people are simply everywhere and we didn’t think we could actually find a place where he could run without being constantly bothered by other dogs and children. eventually we found the perfect solution. we are going to be building on 40 hectares of land just about one half of a mile from the university and the roads have already been paved. there is one giant boulevard that stretches for at least one half of a mile. it is surrounded by tall grass and nothing else. they have even installed lights to let us run at night.

the second problem is actually getting there. jota, the dog, is about two and a half feet long at this point at least one foot tall. he is thick, not fat, but heavy. he would have to ride on my motorcycle and that is simply a problem when there is only one person.

we solved this by training him to sit on the gas tank. he sits just in front of my legs with his little paws on the handle-bars. we have had only one run in and that was when a dog actually started to chase us and jota decided he would bark at him and he turned and almost fell off but i caught him and sped away. we normally arrive in good spirits. he is a little anxious on the way out, but normally he doesn’t do anything stupid.

we leave the bike and begin running. i try to walk at first but he has just too much energy and pulls me until i begin to run. he then spends the next five minutes pulling me along. it’s actually quite awkward to run while someone is pulling on your right hand. for me, running symmetrically always felt a little better than trying not to be pulled sideways.

after those first five minutes are over, he tires out. he spends the next 10 or 15 minutes running beside me.

after those relatively bland minutes are over, he tires out completely. he spends the next five minutes or so running behind me trying to slow me down. at the end of my runs i always do sprints and he is always dead last. i have to cheer him on the whole time and he just doesn't see the point after all the running we had done up to that point.

at the end of the run he is plum tuckered out. he walks over to the motorcycle and puts his two front paws up on the seat; this is my signal to pick him up because he wants to go home. he sits quietly for the ride home.

at home he walks in circles around the room apparently lost. he drinks only a bit of water and smiles. i never thought it was possible to see a dog smile but he simply sits down on the cool tiles, looks at me and smiles. he does this until he is too tired and then sleeps.

he loves to run and, while it’s a debacle, it’s also a lot of fun to see him get some exercise.