Have I mentioned that I am owned by a creature so lovely it will turn even the most hardened anti pet person into a puddle of cooing excitement? A creature that on a regular basis stops traffic and no, I don’t mean Hubby (although he is amazing as well!), I mean this guy:

If you are asking yourself now what kind of dog this is you are not alone. I have been asked this question every time I have taken Nelson out in public for the last nine years. Nelson is an Old English Sheepdog! And if you react by shouting “Really?” or “Are you sure?” let me assure you that, yes, I am absolutely, 100%, without a shadow of a doubt, positive!!!

Growing up my family had a menagerie of dogs that ranged from German Shepherds over Field Spaniels to Dachshunds, and as much as I loved every single one I had always wanted an Old English Sheepdog. I begged my parents endlessly but my mother was not to be convinced of the enrichment such a creature would bring to our lives. She was very concerned about long shaggy hair covering every surface of her immaculate household  (and I wonder where I get my OCD tendencies from…). In the end I moved on and out, life took over, but in the back of my mind a Bobtail never stopped occupying a space.

Imagine my delight when I found out that Hubby had also always dreamed of owning an Old English Sheepdog!!! He might or might not have gotten lucky that day and/or night…

As we settled into married life and created a home for ourselves the thought of owning a big, fuzzy dog was never far from our thoughts. And one balmy October night in 1999 Nelson finally came into our life. It had taken me almost a year of research and countless contacts across the country to find him at a highly reputable breeder in Santa Rosa, but the wait was well worth it. He brought us instant joy as he grew from a “tiny” bear like creature that cried every.single.night. for three weeks and pulled everyone’s socks off

into a handsome adult dog

After his first birthday Nelson became my true companion on daily runs. For all those years we lived on the coast and woke up early most days to fog so thick you could cut it, you could find Nelson close by my side or right at my heels as we ran up and down the empty damp streets or along the waterfront. Most people knew his name even if they did not know the name of the person at the other end of the leash. When I trained for my marathons Nelson would go out with me for part of the long runs, then I’d take him home and go back out to finish my miles. I always tried to limit his miles to 5-6 even though he would have run with me forever.

This was our daily routine until we moved to the desert a couple of years ago. With temperatures that don’t fall much below 100 degrees (no matter what time of day it is) from early May until late September I usually run on the treadmill now and Nelson prefers swimming in our pool. During the cooler winter months we still go out together but it is not a daily occurrence anymore and if there is one thing I miss most about living on the coast it is my daily early morning run with one of the most loving creatures you could meet. The extra benefit was that Nelson truly lived up to his breed’s calling and mostly ran a leash length behind me to observe his “flock” and guard her from predators on bicycles. Try running while pulling a tire and then see how easy the run gets once the tire is released. These days I am getting my strength workouts in Erin’s and Rose’s exercise classes but those years of running with Nelson will always remain one of my fondest memories. 

For those of you who have always wondered what hides underneath all the shagginess you only find on Old English Sheepdogs, here is a little taste:

Today’s Running Tip: Running with Men’s Best Friend!

Most dogs can easily run for several miles, but consider your own training when running with your dog. Start slow and short and build mileage over time. 

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