They don’t talk back. They love you unconditionally. They will go as slow or as fast you want. They will hang back or be in front of you and never complain.
The best running/hiking/walking/backcountry skiing partner you can have, man’s best friend, a dog. You can listen to your iPod or your own thoughts, the dog doesn’t care.
There is noting better than exercising with your dog. You can hear the heavy panting, the pitter patter of the paws or the slurping from the stream along the trail. At the end of the day the dog was always there for you. There are endless stories about dogs saving their owners lives in the backcountry. But on a daily basis their pure companionship saves much more.