Originally Posted by
Stolly
The trouble with this subject is that it attracts one or two 'dogist' members of the forum and their anti-dogism creates a picture that is vastly disproportionate to the problem, if indeed a problem exists. I run in the hills pretty much every day, largely in the Yorkshire Dales where I live or the Lake District just down the road, and I have never, ever, ever had a problem with a pet dog or a pet dog owner during my run outs. Not even once. I'll admit that I have had a couple of scary moments with farm dogs but, on both occasions, that was in the hills of West Yorkshire and much nearer to bigger urban conurbations. A massive generalisation I know (but hey you lot have been generalising about dogs and their owners) but the people that seem to have the most problems with dogs a) don't like dogs, b) live in towns or cities and c) perhaps come across more 'n'ere do wells' walking their pit-bulls
I run with my border collie Harry 99% of the time, day in day out, and nothing that I have ever done or achieved while fell running (a fair smattering of fell races, ultra's and even the Bob Graham) can beat the simple joy of running in the hills with Harry. To me its what fell running is primarily all about. And yes Harry does run up to people he meets, smiling and wagging his tail to say hello, and yes 'he is friendly so people don't have to worry' and 'it is okay and he won't bite!'