running with dog

I really enjoy running with my dog.  I am missing it quite a bit as I have needed a few months off for injuries.  Our dog is a pitbull and loves to run.  She serves many purposes on the run.  Companionship is definately one of them.  As a pit, she also is my protector.  I used to run early in the morning with her when it was still dark.  As a woman, I would not want to do that alone.  When I get back to running I plan on finding some trails.  My hubby didn't like that idea much as I would be in more secluded areas.  I just told him that I would bring the dog and that was the end of that discussion.   I think the only problem that I run into with running with the dog is times like this when I can't run her.  She needs her exercise same as I do.  My hubby takes her on short bike rides when he can so that helps.  Good luck with your dog and congratulations!

I like to run with my pup. Only bring him on trail runs, but the problem I have is when we get close to home (trails are close to my house) he takes off. A nice 1 hour run turns into 1:45+ after searching for him. I've met many of my neighbors this way. I take him xc skiing and he does the same thing. Especially annoying when I go for late night tours and home at 10 PM turns into finding the dog after 11PM. He is part Greyhound, so he charges "out of the gate" but starts to fade after about 5K. At 10K he is really done. But somehow he has the energy for a good kick to run away toward the end. Otherwise, I enjoy taking him out. If I wasn't married, he'd be a solid wing man.

No friggin' way I would run with my dog off a leash for exactly the reasons outlined above. First squirrel crosses our path, she's be headed in that direction, I think I will buy a harness for her though, don't like tugging on her collar.

I've sprained my ankle really bad running with my dog. We were in a groove, so I wasn't as focused on her when she stopped to smell the goose poop on the trail. I tried to avoid stepping on her and landed on the edge of the pavement where it meets the grass and my ankle was done for a few weeks. She still runs with me for shorter 1-2 mile runs when I can keep a better focus on her, but any longer than that she stays home.

I run regularly with both of my dogs. One is a Shepard mix, the other is a lab Shepard mix. The Shepard mix was just diagnosed diabetic so we've had to hold off with him until it gets under control. The lab mix could run forever and has never ending energy. I've taken him on runs up to 6 miles a ways back. I like to think he motivates me to run more often.

Never ran so much until we got our current dog, and he loves it too. He also enforces lots of z2 running - he's some sort of hound mix, so we have to stop every few houses to sniff or pee. But that just encourages me to run even more because he stops less the more we frequent the same route. My only real gripe is when he poops just after we pass the last trash can for a few miles.

Hah! Mine has a favorite trash can too.

I started to run with my dog when my husband had to take a job in another city for work. He used to walk the dog before work while I ran, but with him away during the week, I had to take over morning dog duties.

I started out with shorter runs and now we can do 10+ miles at a time. He definitely starts fading though around 5 miles. I only let him off the leash if we're out on a trail and there's not too many people out as he also does the "no way am I going home!" thing. He's a border collie lab mix and loves to sniff and chase things, and he always wants to play with other dogs. Now I just love running with him. I'll bring him mountain biking too if there's somewhere he can be off-leash. The "fun" of getting him back to the truck is worth the companionship.

I wish I had a dog to run with for safety, companionship, and motivation. I'm very envious of all of you who have dogs. The husband has a strong NO DOG policy. :-(

We have a one year-old aussie (blue merle) and we're up to 4-5 miles in the FL heat & humidity. I'm planning on doing a lot of running with him this winter as I prep for the spring HIM. We do a mix of trail running and road running, sometimes all of one to 50:50 mix. When we got him for Christmas I was determined to have him as a running partner, he's a chick magnet, LOL!

i wish i had a dog who i could run with.

i have a very lazy pug, who abhors physical activity. i think it would kill him to take him on any of my runs :-P

I have a three year old German Shepherd that lives for running with me. If I ever need a little extra motivation to get out the door she guilts me in to it!

Came across this in my archives. It’s been over 4 years now and I still miss my friend….

Jake the Wonder Dawg – my friend
M. Rogillio
9/9/09

Jake would not take his pills this morning. He usually chews them up and likes them….but he would not chew….would not swallow….just looked at me with big, sad eyes. I let him spit them out. He had been laying here beside me by the computer and then got up and walked to the utility room. I thought he wanted to go outside so I opened the door…but he just stood there. He is obviously uncomfortable but just doesn't know what to do. I left the door open and went to get his pills. He came back into the LR so that is when I tried to give him his meds. After he spit them out he went into the kitchen. He is so weak/tired he can barely walk. Every breath is labored. I sat back at the computer and heard what sounded like him falling….or collapsing. I went into the kitchen and he was lying down. I lay with him on the kitchen floor and petted his head for a long time and just cried. He has been such a good dog. I love him so much. It just breaks my heart to see him like this.

I remember when we got Jake about 8 years ago and he was just a little puppy….big ole feet that were too big for his body….we knew he'd be a big boy. He went through that puppy stage chewing up everything…including the seat on our John Deere lawn tractor. He used to chase the horses around the pasture like he was herding them up or something. It wasn't long before he got too close and one of the horses kicked him and knocked out one of his molars. That didn't stop him from herding horses.

We always said Jake was the "head of ranch security" and he kept an eye on the place. We could always tell by the sound of his bark if he was just playing with Joanie or the horses of if he was sounding an alarm that there were intruders on or near the estate grounds. He could tell from the sound of a car's engine if it belonged here and never barked at the sounds of any of our cars. Once I came home in a rental car and he came running and barking till he saw me get out.

I'm not sure when it was that I started running with Jake but those runs are my favorite memories of Jake. He loved to run! He would see me putting on my running shoes and just dance around so excited he didn't know what to do. When I was training for marathons I'd often go as long as 18 miles. If it wasn't too hot, Jake could easily run 13 miles or so but when it was hot, I'd arrange for Casey to come pick him up at about 9 or 10 miles. Casey would park a few hundred yards ahead of us and get out of the car. Jake's ears would perk up as we looked ahead at this stopped car. And then he'd see Casey! I'd drop the leash and he would sprint ahead to meet Casey. I remember one run where Jake kept stopping and walking and we were only about 4 miles out. Finally he went to the bathroom and I noticed a big ball of tinfoil in his stool. The previous day there had been a land auction near our property and they had free hamburgers. Evidently Jake had stolen a hamburger and ate the thing - tinfoil and all!

Jake was the perfect running companion and coach. He would usually try to start out too fast but I'd tug a little on his leash and say "Slow down a little Jake!" and he'd slow his pace. Most of the time we ran in silence but I would occasionally asked him "How ya doin' buddy?" and Jake would look up at me and seem to say "Feelin' good! How you doing?" I could always tell when Jake was getting tired. Most of the time he'd run out in front of me just a little. As he got tired, he’d drift back to run beside me and when he'd get really tired, he’d run slightly behind. When he got really tired or had to pee, he'd stop and we'd walk. If I needed a walk break, he'd walk with me and would keep looking back/up at me as if to say "C'mon, let's go!!" He was my coach and he challenged me.

We went hiking a couple of times to the Walls of Jericho. Jake and Joanie had a wonderful time running and exploring. The Walls is way down in the bottom of a deep ravine. Coming back up out of the ravine Jake worked like a sled dog pulling us up the trail. He was so strong and powerful with big muscles on his chest and shoulders!

Jake loved the pool and, up until this season, thought his job was the official "pool greeter". If someone went off the diving board or off the deep end, Jake would run around to the shallow end, jump in the water and swim out to meet them. He loved the water and would follow me around in the pool. He taught himself how to use the ladder to get out of the pool in the deep end. Pretty neat trick for a dog to climb a ladder. When it was hot outside, Jake's favorite place to relax was on the first step in the shallow end of the pool.

Jake went out every morning with Casey to feed the horses. Casey always took the dogs with her when she rode horses around here. Jake was a scout and loved to run ahead and check things out.

I've had at least one dog almost all my life and have good memories of each one. But Jake is one of those once-in-a-lifetime dogs. He is so special to me. We have a bond forged with literally hundred of miles of running together. As I looked over the numerous pictures we have of Jake I see how young the kids were when we first got Jake and realize that Jake grew up with the kids. He is truly part of our family. I know that may sound strange or cliché to non-dog lovers but dog lovers know what it means to give your heart to a dog. I gave my heart to Jake…and he gave me his.


~Mike

Thanks for sharing Mike. We had a bassett hound, Beau, who died a few years ago. This dog was stubborn as heck, and pretty ornery as he got old but he was my best friend. As our lives changed with the addition of our daughter, deaths in the family, and several relocations, Beau was a constant source of companionship and love. My current dogs are great, but I still miss Beau (although a bassett would be a lousy running partner).

Running with dogs can be a great way for them to get excercise. Just be careful to not push a young pup too far, their joints are very soft and still growing. Also make sure you ramp their mileage as you would yours to avoid injury.

Good points. I'd add , be mindful of hot pavement on their paws and give the water. If you need it, they probably do to.

My dad's dog is a high energy breed who also has a nose that doesn't quit. When I'm dog sitting I'll sometimes run with him because I don't have a good way to get his energy out. (He won't listen to me in the field) He's really only good for about a mile at my pace. I"m not sure if I'm too slow for him to run comforitably with, or if he just gets bored. I know he isn't really tired because when we get home he'll run right over to his fetch toys and go at it full tilt. I'd love to have a dog to run with someday :P

The only training buddies I have are Lola, my chow/cattle dog mix & Ruger, my neighbor's Australian cattle dog. I take those two every Sunday on my long runs and they are awesome! I'm fortunate in that I have literally miles and miles of desert trail to run on so it's all off leash--they'll take off, circle back to check in, take off again. In the summer they chase lizards and horny toads, now in the fall it's antelope and jack rabbits. Towards the end of the run when they're tuckered out, they'll fall in line, side by side, and trot along a little ahead of me. I love it. My best runs are with them.

Ran with my beagle years ago. After a couple of falls, it was great.
However, be careful not to run more than a mile or two with a smaller dog. They will try to keep up with you - they love you so much - but it's not good for them.
Now dalmatians - wow, they were literally bred to run with carriages.

Don't just take a puppy out and run, there bones are soft and you can do permanent damage to their joints. Most recommendation I have heard is very minimal running until they are about 1 1/2 years olds. Once you start running with your dog remember that they do not have shoes on, and they have to build up to longer distances just like we would. Keeping your dog on a leash while running is not difficult, but you have to train them to run with you.

I've been running with my dog for 4 years now, he is a mix between coonhound and lab. Yes he would like to sniff everything, but I do not allow that on runs. I only allow him to stop when he really needs too, it becomes obvious after a little while when they need to pee vs just wants to sniff.

Be careful in warm weather, remember dogs don't sweet to cool off. When temp is above 75 he won't go more than 3 to 4 miles. However in cool weather like 55 I've had him on 10-11 mile runs and I'm sure he would go further if I wanted to.

Work on the leash training, my dog always stays on my right while running. I use a 5ft leash with my left hand through the loop and hold the leash about half way in my right hand. So he has about 2-3ft of leash and trots perfectly right next to me 95% of the time. The other 5% of the time- well he still a dog!

This is really close to what I experienced. If you are running, the dog eventually learns that it needs to keep running, too. But expect some clumsy moments - and some falls - for the first few weeks.

My husband and I took our 1 1/2 yr old golden out for the first run yesterday. It was an INTERESTING run. We became very good and bobbing and weaving to avoid the zig zag path of the dog. Overall for the first run I think it went well and hope she will get used to running with us. Part of the reason we wanted a large dog was to run and hike with us.

Edited by Trbilbao 2013-10-07 11:38 AM






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