I'm a lucky Dog!!!

Spruce Mountain Open Space!

I’m a lucky dog.  My upright and I went running this week in several beautiful parks.  I love trails that wind through tall pine trees and meadows dotted with flowers.  I enjoy all of the scents left by other dogs and various animals such as rabbits, foxes, and even deer.  We visited small ponds where fish and turtles swam and I saw a hawk swoop down and catch a large rodent. 
My upright and I love Fox Run Regional Park.  We like to arrive early in the morning and then we go for a run.  My upright carries a collapsible water bowl and water bottle for me.  She makes sure that if I need water, we stop.  The trail is steep and challenging in places.  Eventually, we wind through the woods until we arrive a two small ponds in the center of the park.  The ponds contain fish and turtles, a large gazebo, and picnic tables.  We love this park! 
We also traveled to a park called The Homestead Ranch Park.  This park was originally settled in 1874 as a homestead.  It contains wide open meadows, tree studded bluffs, and a pond.  The trail is not very long, but it is very scenic up on the bluff!  The views are spectacular. 
In addition to that park, we also met some friends at Spruce Mountain Open Space.  The trail winds its way to the top of the mesa.  The views are spectacular.  A hawk was circling above us, then suddenly dove for the ground.  I was a little bit scared!  In its talons, the hawk had captured a rodent for breakfast! 
On Labor Day morning, we ran the Pikes Peak loop which is a beautiful trail in the trees with a nice combination of shade and open areas.  The trail winds through the Cathedral Pines community, with many wild flowers, aspen and pine trees, and lots of peace and quiet.   The trail also connects to the Black Forest Park.  Black Forest Park is one of my favorite parks although it was damaged by a fire in 2013.  The trails are unmarked and there is a lot of erosion, so if you want to hike or run in this park, be careful! 
Here are some tips to make your run enjoyable for your four-legged furry friend. 

1.        Carry water and a collapsible water bowl (esp. if it is warm out and if you are running a long distance).

2.       If you’ve never run with your dog before, be sure to start out with an easy two mile run.  After you see how your pet does on that, then increase the distance.  My upright and I enjoy running for miles and miles.  I love runs that range from 4-8 miles, but have run 10 miles.  Border Collies were built to run and run and run, but not all dogs are like us.

3.       If you have a young dog or a puppy, I do not recommend running with them until their hips are fully developed.  Racing around in a back yard is different than running mile after mile with a human.  We have to match your pace and that can be very challenging for a young dog.  If you want to do some running with a younger dog, start with just a mile or two.  Help them to build their running muscles! 

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I'm a dirty wet dog!