Dogs...

I love dogs! I really do. Particularly dogs who have respectful owners.

There are two women who walk with their dogs every morning on my neighborhood route. They each have a little dog... like a boston terrier or something similiar to that in size. And everytime you get anywhere near them while running, they go absolutely apeshit, while their owners just stop and let them go apeshit on their 15 yards worth of leash. Normally, I just grin and bear it and try to speed away. This morning... was a little different.

First off, let me say that there are lots of people who walk their dogs on the sidewalks in the neighborhood and everyone of these dogs are perfectly fine. Usually the owner just stops, makes the leash short and the dogs usually don't even look at you as you pass by. No big deal. There is also a lady who walks 5 full size boxers everyday and she always steps off the sidewalk and lets you pass while the dogs sniff each others asses. No problems.

Well, this morning, it was dark and my mom and I were running around a corner and bam! There were the two women and their dogs. Immediately the dogs start barking, nipping, and lunging towards us. I tried to go around them off the sidewalk and the dogs kept going towards me. Obviously, the owners hadn't tightened their leashes when they saw us. One woman says, "oh, they wont bite you." Meanwhile... I am stopped and trying to walk my way around these damn anklebiters. Finally, my mom and I get around these dogs. We meet them on the way back and the ladies tighten their leashes and one woman says "You didn't surprise them this time." I was livid and secretly wished that I had let them bite my ankle so I could have kicked the shit out of one of them. But, then I realized... it's not the dog I wanted to kick the shit out of, it was the owner! When we got back to the house and it was time for mom to go in, I decided to go back inside and finish up on the treadmill... I didn't want to come in contact with those dog owners again.

Sidewalks are built for everyone to enjoy. Runners and dog walkers alike... There is room for everyone, but I just wish some people would have the common courtesy to shorten and tighten their leashes when someone walks/runs by. Is that really too much to ask? Uggh. I hate that they are making me NOT want to run outside in the mornings.