Running with a dog

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  • pzarnosky
    pzarnosky Posts: 256 Member
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    ashleyminnich1 wrote: »
    I run with my german shorthaired pointer. I actually got him for the purpose of running with me. You need to be careful with certain breeds. Especially, larger breeds. They most definitely can increase faster than we do. I follow the 10 percent increase rule per week for myself, so my dog is doing the same. I plan to continue to run with my dog up into marathon training. We will be running 12 together this Saturday. His line is built for distance running. Some good resources for running with dogs are canicross websites. Hydration is key when running with dogs, and ALWAYS limit food two hours before and after a run to prevent bloat. Especially if you have a deep chested breed like a great dane.

    Mine absolutely 100% refuses to drink water during our runs. I have one of those cloth collapsable bowls and everything for him. Everytime we go for a long run and i take a break to grab water I try to give him some and he turns his face away from it lol. When we get back though, he drinks like a camel.
  • queenofpuppies
    queenofpuppies Posts: 189 Member
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    keep an eye on your dogs joints. If they start to look swollen there is a problem and you need to give him a break and maybe see a vet. If you notice him licking his paws it might be because they hurt too. You can give your buddy fish oil and it will help him keep healthy joints. Dogs really really like fish oil. Also, give him some baby asprin if he looks like he's hurting...i think its 5mg/lb. for dog dosage.
  • acampbe2umd
    acampbe2umd Posts: 145 Member
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    I ran with my dogs for years, they seemed to always increase mileage okay. Our rottweiler mix hated running, heck he hated walking, and would start out running behind me. I always kept him to 3 mile runs. My lab mix did great for many years. I could tell when she had to quit because it would take her 2-3 days to bounce back even on short runs. Turns out she had arthritis and I stopped running her. Follow your dogs cues and you'll be fine to increase mileage at the same rate as you are. Back in the day, my lab had tons of energy, so she could go for 5 miles or 10 and not need much in terms of "training". We trained her well on the leash for walking and that helped.
  • jaynee7283
    jaynee7283 Posts: 160 Member
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    I have a 2-3 year old dog I adopted last year that had heartworm, and we're still given him meds. But the minute the vet says he's clear, he'll start going out with me. He is all muscle and strength, and NEEDS to exercise to stay engaged and non-destructive in the house. Having him be sedentary while he is still testing positive for heartworms is sad. We're hoping when we take him to the vet in June he'll be given the all clear!

  • KathyApplebaum
    KathyApplebaum Posts: 188 Member
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    Pawsforme wrote: »
    You say he's an adult, but exactly how old?
    He's 5, so no worries there.
    Pawsforme wrote: »
    I'd avoid a lot of running on hard surfaces (bad for dog joints as well as human joints). Natural surfaces are better. And keep watch on his paw pads as you build up distance.
    On our 5 mile run today, more than half was off leash where he could run on grass next to dirt fire roads. He's a bit wiped, but the pads are in great shape. (We check him frequently because he's a big strong idiot. *grin*)

  • Nicklebee93
    Nicklebee93 Posts: 316 Member
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    I used to run with my golden retriever. We live by a school so the track field is open during the warmer months. And since it's fenced in he was allowed to be off leash... He actually got tired of running with me and went to lay in the field *shrug* i guess my dog is out of shape.
  • Aine8046
    Aine8046 Posts: 2,122 Member
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    I have a 5 year old hound mix, and run with him 3-6 miles. He never showed any signs of tiredness. However, he cannot be off-leash where we run and he pulls me strong though sometimes for a squirrel or a deer, so i do not take him with me all the time...
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    my rough coated/border collie mix has done a full 13.1 with me.
    she's 6.5 and i've started tapering her back. she seems happiest at 6 miles.
    bf wants a small dog but i'm hoping for another running dog in a year or two. by then i think the collie will be a full snuggly cuddly couch dog
  • HomeatWDW
    HomeatWDW Posts: 121 Member
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    I have a terrier mix with very short legs. When I first adopted him, he let me know when he was tired by just flopping down and refusing to move. He's in much better shape now, and even with the shorty Russell legs, he easily does 5K with me (granted, I'm walking it more than running but he'd prefer to run the whole thing).

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