While this applies to people considering parenthood, too, for this post I am talking about dog owners. I have taken up running. I’m training, it’s not easy, and I don’t like it. I have a specific route mapped out through the wooded trails in my area, and right now I’m trying to go a little further along before I turn around each day. I run past a lot of the same people every run, most of them with dogs. I see one elderly lady nearly every single day with a giant german shepherd. The first time I saw them, I was apprehensive, thinking, I’m way too out-of-shape to outrun a shepherd. However, as I nervously neared, the large dog aggressively... stopped walking and sat down. He is a well trained dog. I have since said to the lady (panted, really, since I’m running), “I love how well-trained your dog is - that is wonderful!”
