A Beagle’s Paradise

Back in the Netherlands, I saw many dog owners, but that was still comparatively low to what I’ve encountered here in rural Japan.

Since I look after my mother-in-law’s beagle, Chappie, on weekdays, I feel like a part-time dog owner myself. My mother-in-law takes Chappie out for walks several times a day — which is great not only for Chappie but also for her own physical well-being.

But Chappie needs to run freely sometimes because beagles are basically hunting dogs that love to chase hares. My mother-in-law has a simple solution for that. She takes Chappie to dog runs — something I had never seen or even heard of before relocating to Japan.

It turns out dog runs are quite common here in rural areas. They’re usually open green spaces surrounded by hedges where dog owners can let their dogs off-leash to run and play with others.

It just so happens that I’m heading out to one of those dog runs today. Not for me to be unleashed, of course, but we’ll take Chappie there so he can have fun and meet some new dog friends.

Not that I have much to say in today’s post — but it doesn’t always have to be serious, right? Watching Chappie run with pure joy reminds me that sometimes, life doesn’t need a grand purpose. A bit of freedom and sunshine are enough.