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They Take the Bounce Out of Bowser
Topic Started: Jun 22 2007, 05:16 AM (28 Views)
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They Take the Bounce Out of Bowser
By DAVID SHEFF, Published: June 21, 2007

FILLED with trepidation about being tied down, Mary Turner and her husband, Richard Stein, decided to put off parenthood awhile and see how they did with a dog. Ms. Turner, a lawyer, found Bingo, “a darling cinnamon-colored puppy,” trembling in a cage at an animal shelter near their home in San Bernardino, Calif.

Mr. Shein, an investment banker, said, “We were smitten, but six months later the cute and meek puppy was the size and had the demeanor of a full grown male cougar.”

Bingo was an insomniac who routinely broke out of his crate around 4 a.m. He would find a chew toy or mouse — a live one — and plop it onto the sleeping head of Ms. Turner or Mr. Shein.

“Another night he escaped and then tore up hundreds of toilet paper rolls into tiny bits that covered the house,” she said.

“We thought ‘dog tired’ referred to the dog, but no,” Mr. Shein said.

The couple consulted a veterinarian, explaining that they took Bingo on morning and evening walks and that a dog walker came at noon, but the vet said: “Walks aren’t enough for many dogs. Big, energetic dogs need lots of exercise. Bingo needs to run.”

The Shein-Turners were not runners, but a neighbor, a college student, was. Mr. Shein begged him to take Bingo out.

“Now Bingo runs with him almost every day,” he said. “We pay $20, which is double the cost of the dog walker, but after his run Bingo has dinner and falls into a deep, luxurious sleep.”

“And so do we,” Ms. Turner said.

The couple found their own dog runner, but in a growing number of cities one merely has to ask around a dog park or search Google to find one. At a time when affluent dog owners coddle their pets with massage, antidepressants and spa vacations, it’s not surprising that dogs have the equivalent of personal trainers.

“Dog running went from unheard of to über-hip,” said William Sharp, a part-time dog walker in San Francisco. “People like telling their friends, ‘I have to leave a key for Fifi’s dog runner.’ It’s far more sexy than ‘dog walker,’ which is so yesterday.” His business is down because, he said, “The runners are literally leaving me in the dust.”

HIRING a dog runner isn’t merely fashionable. “Many people have come to understand that their dog needs more exercise than they can provide,” said Dr. Monica Clare, a critical care specialist at the Animal Surgical and Emergency Center in Los Angeles.

“Dog walking is fine, but some dogs need more exercise. Dog runners provide it.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/21/fashion/21Fitness.html
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