Cliche as it may be, dogs make awesome companions.  When you hit the trails with a dog you have someone to talk to, when the hills get long you're not actually going it alone, and dogs don't have a training plan of their own so the run has one purpose - fun. I'm dog-sitting for my boss at the moment and this particular dog is a blast to run with.  While she's more than capable of out-running me, she's doesn't seem to be interested in pushing the pace or running off like a maniac. She just leads the way sometimes and trots behinds at others; once she's gotten over the excitement of herding deer that is.  It's such a great feeling to spend a few miles with a dog at your side - she glances up every few strides as if saying "thanks for playing with me."  All I can do is smile and say "no, thanks for playing with me."