Dogs and Running
I am 1/2 mile in to my weekly Friday afternoon run. (I cherish this time, as my girls are now old enough to go to open swim without me, which leaves me with some time to myself. I use this time for a good afternoon run after school.) However, I have come upon a dog. This dog is on the opposite side of the street, but he sees me and begins to come towards me and is barking relentlessly.
Why does this bother me?
On a sticky August afternoon after my girls had gone to bed, I went out for a run. It was the first time in 5 years that I had decided to go south from my house. On the way back, I was surrounded by a pack of 6 dogs. They had come down the hill from their house, ran across the road and encircled me. I had no idea what to do. I started screaming, but kept running. I was then bit by two of them. Only after I had stopped running, and screamed as loud as I could for the owner to get a handle on this pack did they back off. I then sprinted the 1/2 mile home and cried the whole way.
This memory begins to surface again as I evaluate my current situation. I stop running as the dog comes out into the street and as a car is coming from behind me. Then the car stops. The young gal is calling her dog over and over again, but he pays her no mind. The car swerves past the dog and I start running again. The dog comes towards me more and continues to bark. I stop. The gal grabs the dog and says, "Sorry, it is my mom's dog and he never listens to me." Well THAT didn't make me feel any better. She gets him into her garage and I begin to run again. However, the dog sees this and proceeds to chase me again! I stop, turn and yell at the beast to go, which he does. I start running again. My heart is beating wildly, but I continue on. Lucky to not have been bit, but wondering why that dog wasn't leashed. Thinking maybe again to carry some pepper spray.
I am 1/2 mile in to my weekly Friday afternoon run. (I cherish this time, as my girls are now old enough to go to open swim without me, which leaves me with some time to myself. I use this time for a good afternoon run after school.) However, I have come upon a dog. This dog is on the opposite side of the street, but he sees me and begins to come towards me and is barking relentlessly.
Why does this bother me?
On a sticky August afternoon after my girls had gone to bed, I went out for a run. It was the first time in 5 years that I had decided to go south from my house. On the way back, I was surrounded by a pack of 6 dogs. They had come down the hill from their house, ran across the road and encircled me. I had no idea what to do. I started screaming, but kept running. I was then bit by two of them. Only after I had stopped running, and screamed as loud as I could for the owner to get a handle on this pack did they back off. I then sprinted the 1/2 mile home and cried the whole way.
This memory begins to surface again as I evaluate my current situation. I stop running as the dog comes out into the street and as a car is coming from behind me. Then the car stops. The young gal is calling her dog over and over again, but he pays her no mind. The car swerves past the dog and I start running again. The dog comes towards me more and continues to bark. I stop. The gal grabs the dog and says, "Sorry, it is my mom's dog and he never listens to me." Well THAT didn't make me feel any better. She gets him into her garage and I begin to run again. However, the dog sees this and proceeds to chase me again! I stop, turn and yell at the beast to go, which he does. I start running again. My heart is beating wildly, but I continue on. Lucky to not have been bit, but wondering why that dog wasn't leashed. Thinking maybe again to carry some pepper spray.
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| I am in the yellow, during a very happy race! |
This happened to me on a run once. The owner was with the dog an the dog was leashed but not kept very tightly. As I approached I decided to cross to the other side of the street to be safe and just like that the dog turned around and lunged. He couldn't quite reach, thankfully, and I stopped in my tracks. What surprised me the most was that the dog owner then proceeded to yell at me for running too close to the dog. He told me that this was the first day he had the dog out without a muzzle and that I should be more careful. Ummm, how was I supposed to know? He didn't care that I was trying to explain that I was on my way to the other side of the street but to this day, I'm not sure why it was my fault. I had never seen the man or the dog in the neighborhood before and have never seen them since. So I can understand reliving the trauma when you come upon another dog.
ReplyDeleteOh no! Unleashed dogs make me so mad. I'm glad it turned out ok, but it can be scary.
ReplyDeleteThat feeling of panic is familiar to many people. One bad encounter with a dog makes anyone leery of any future dogs. I am glad that you made it through without a problem.
ReplyDeleteThat feeling of panic is familiar to many people. One bad encounter with a dog makes anyone leery of any future dogs. I am glad that you made it through without a problem.
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrible experience! This is the second SOL that I have read about runners being bit by dogs. Even the panic is traumatic enough. Thankfully you did not get bit this time.
ReplyDelete