Do you have a long list of things you’ve “always wanted to try”? I think most of us have that list, whether it’s written down or not. The things we think we’d like to do, but we can’t seem to get around to trying. Something keeps holding us back. Work is too busy, it’s not the right time, we don’t have the right gear or the right outfit… Or maybe we’re just holding ourselves back.

There’s no question that stepping outside of the comfort zone can be… well, uncomfortable. But this week, it was time. I finally took the plunge. I did canicross! 

You might think canicross is just a fancy word for the sport of running with your dog. But I learned it’s more than that. You and your dog are tethered together, so it’s pretty important that you’re both in sync and running together as a team.

DogRunnin is a PAWESOME Halifax company that specializes in all things canicross. They provide dog running services, meaning they’ll come to your house and take your dog for a run any day of the week. They also provide canicross lessons, and they even have a weekly DogRunnin Club.

Sarah, the owner, was kind enough to let me and Dallas join Club DogRunnin for their weekly group run. This week, they were headed to Cole Harbour/Lawrencetown Coastal Heritage Park which just happens to be one of our favourite places ever.

It was a beautiful evening and a fantastic group. And it was so fun.

But listen. If you’re questioning whether you and your dog need canicross lessons or proper canicross gear because “we do pretty well when we go for jogs by ourselves”, the answer is yes. Yes you need lessons, and yes you definitely need some decent gear. A hands-free leash and a harness, at least. Because whatever your dog does when it’s just you and her and the open trail, running with a group of seven dogs and seven humans is a whole different ball game.

Dallas was so excited. And so bad. I’m pretty sure she was imagining herself as a husky on the Iditarod home stretch. I was just along for the ride. But now I can’t wait until we can both get a little better.

In the past, I’ve let the fear of the unknown hold me back a lot. I’ve spent a lot of time worrying I wouldn’t be good at something, or that I’d look silly doing it. What a waste. Newsflash: I’m probably not going to be good at a lot of things. At least at first. And I’ll probably always look silly doing most things. But I’ve decided I’d rather look like an idiot trying something new than actually be the idiot that never tries anything. Guys, am I maturing?

Happy Fetch Friday, and thanks again to the DogRunnin crew for welcoming me and Dallas to the Club!