Running to the dogs: great training partners?

Dalmatians were featured as being excellent running partners for humans in today's Times (A Best Friend, Yes. Best Runner, Maybe Not), hounds, well, not so much.

Sparky was bred to run in a straight line; on the other paw, I am true to my breed at being excellent at the dodge, the feint, and the parry, which I ably demonstrated two weeks ago when my collar broke apart and I hightailed it around the swampy edges of the pond. Finally, my pal Jazz' dad tackled me, because as you know, I will not come when called. I mean, really! Have some pride! Plus, she and I were having a terrific time.

However, I am trying to make Mom happy and live up to Sparky's stellar performance. Even after a five-mile run, he used to pull Mom up the hills around our house. He loved to run, and she loved running with him (although he did develop an inconvenient habit of stopping at every other telephone pole to retrieve/send p-mail).

I have to admit, I'm getting pretty good at this running business. In fact, I am becoming quite the student in toto. I received an A+ from my walking pal Kelly (really! an A-plus!) recently and other glowing reports.

BTW, my reader from Buenos Aires turned out to be none other than my cousin Pazzo's mom, although what she was doing reading my blog on her exciting vacation, I have no idea.