Who runs with their dog?

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RobinC37
RobinC37 Posts: 242 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I try to take my dog every time I go running but I get so frustrated when he wants to stop and sniff everything. I make sure has time to do all "his business" before we get to jogging, so he isn't trying to go potty, he is just fascinated by smells. If you run with your dog, how did you train it to be a good running partner?
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  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
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    I'm going to stalk this thread.
    I can barely fast paced walk with one of mine. I'm sure 90% is his breed. He's a Lemon Walker Hound Mix. He's got one hell of a nose and once he gets a scent he wants to track, there's no stopping him.

    My other dog is a German Shepard.... with REALLY badly deformed back legs she limps really easily.... If I can get her legs fixed she'd be great at it.
  • dollhousedolly
    dollhousedolly Posts: 73 Member
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    Teach him "leave it". First at home, then when you think he is progressed when you are outside running with him. Have him by your side, instead of ahead of you. Best I can come up with :)
  • tallgirlshelley
    tallgirlshelley Posts: 108 Member
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    I used to try to run with mine, but found it near impossible. He's a black lab and LOVES to run, even though he's getting pretty old now (11). He didn't listen well enough to let him off his leash, unless we were pretty far out of town. Even then, I worried he'd run back on the road that I usually run. I had a fairly long leash and tried that for a while, but it ended up messing up my gait to sort of pull against him and then fought a bad calf muscle and some other minor things from compensating. In the end, I gave it up. If I'm just walking, I'll take him - on the leash. Otherwise I make a separate trip to let him run.
  • RobinC37
    RobinC37 Posts: 242 Member
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    He does well if I give him a little tug and a "Cooper, come on" and I only break stride about half the time, but I just want him to learn that running=not stopping and walking=stop and smell the roses/other dog piss.

    Breed: 75% black lab, 25% beagle.
  • Cyndieann
    Cyndieann Posts: 152 Member
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    I power walk with my dog. We have a specific route for exercise only, no sniffing breaks allowed. If he stops to sniff, he gets a sharp tug because I don't stop! It took him 5 or 6 walks with some serious yanks, but he figured it out eventually. I keep his leash very short when we exercise, this way he can't even reach the ground to sniff.
  • MissDarlaDoll12
    MissDarlaDoll12 Posts: 27 Member
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    Get a Huskie :smile: I have the same problem with my dogs (who are not huskies, although I did have one) The two are older so I usually just walk because Im not sure if too much running would hurt them. They seem healthy. I have a younger dog who has issues and never will pee outside the yard, drives me nuts. I have been planning on running with her when the weather allows.

    Most dogs will "get" it after awhile if you keep trying to communicate you want to run. Repitition. Like I said though, Im always concerned about causing injury, so I shy away from over exercising them. Not sure if there is such a thing. Better safe than sorry.
  • ar1102
    ar1102 Posts: 2
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    I run with my dog he is a chocolate lab mix and he loves it! I have him trained to run off the leash. He usually gets way ahead of me then stops and waits for me to catch up. I only do this on my road, which is a dirt road and not busy. Otherwise I run with a choke collar and say his name and give gentle tugs to teach him not to pull on the leash. But I totally understand the sniffing everything, it just takes time to train them to run with you and not result in a fight.

    I wish you better luck. I wouldn't give up running with your dog, its a great activity and good bonding time as well.
  • stackhsc
    stackhsc Posts: 439 Member
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    i would, but i cant get either one on the treadmill with me lol. on a serious note if i ever take it outside i will see if they can handle it, i'd love to but i', not sure they can go that far, one has had hip surgery, the other has bad hips too :( walking is good but a run may be too much for them
  • RobinC37
    RobinC37 Posts: 242 Member
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    Some good ideas here, thank you all! He's a year and a half. I didn't start running with him until recently to let his joints mature and prevent injury. I live in a downtown apartment, so runs and the dog park are his main forms of exercise. I want to keep him fit, too! I have a friend with two dogs that weigh twice as much as they should because they don't get enough exercise :(. I just want me and my pup happy and healthy and fit!
  • Vercell
    Vercell Posts: 437 Member
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    Wow good luck on the running part. I do good to get my dog to walk 30 min without lying in the middle of the street.When she dont want to walk anymore and she is 150 lbs I cant pick her up bring her back .home so let me no when you get some advice on the running part I just want mines to walk.
  • ar1102
    ar1102 Posts: 2
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    I used to be worried about that as well. I would only do up to 2 miles when my dog was a puppy and now that he is full grown I don't think it matters so much. Plus I heard that it depends where you run. So a lot of my roads are paved, and that can be hard on their joints (as well as mine :) ).
  • dollhousedolly
    dollhousedolly Posts: 73 Member
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    Most dogs will "get" it after awhile if you keep trying to communicate you want to run. Repitition. Like I said though, Im always concerned about causing injury, so I shy away from over exercising them. Not sure if there is such a thing. Better safe than sorry.

    Agreed, never stop repetition.
  • JCulp19
    JCulp19 Posts: 82
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    I run with my pit bull. She is really good as long as she has her lead on if she doesn't than she pulls like crazy.
  • eyeshuh
    eyeshuh Posts: 333
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    I have a pit and he was really bad about stopping to sniff everything when we first started out. After more and more running time with him it took less and less tugging the leash and telling him no! I would say just give it time. It takes a while for dogs to learn good habits (hey, same as humans! lol!).

    I will say, it does help if I can anticipate his interest. Like, if he kind of starts to tug I'll give a bit of a yank to let him know it's not OK. That never messes with my stride.
  • zoraiya
    zoraiya Posts: 38 Member
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    I plan to! In about 18 months when her bones are developed enough to run with me. I am picking up a puppy (golden retriever/lab mix) at a pet rescue this weekend, and she is going to be my walking buddy, eventually jogging buddy. I can't wait!
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    I live in a pretty rural area so I'm lucky that I can go off leash. They do better on leash when I run but walking they are still so young and hyper.
  • juliemouse83
    juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
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    I haven’t, yet, but I need to. I have a pack of Papillons, and the oldest, Belle, is really good on a leash, and she loves to go walking. If the neighbor’s cat will stay out of sight, it’s be fun. :)
  • sugarlips1980
    sugarlips1980 Posts: 361 Member
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    I tried this with my neighbour's dog, but I soon learnt it wouldn't work because he's been trained to wait at kerbs until he gets the say so. So every time I try to run across a road or cul de sac he stops in his tracks and I nearly go flying!!!
  • spangey13
    spangey13 Posts: 294
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    Get a Huskie :smile: I have the same problem with my dogs (who are not huskies, although I did have one) The two are older so I usually just walk because Im not sure if too much running would hurt them. They seem healthy. I have a younger dog who has issues and never will pee outside the yard, drives me nuts. I have been planning on running with her when the weather allows.

    Most dogs will "get" it after awhile if you keep trying to communicate you want to run. Repitition. Like I said though, Im always concerned about causing injury, so I shy away from over exercising them. Not sure if there is such a thing. Better safe than sorry.

    I agree. My husky agrees. Get a husky. We have a long leash and she is on a harness. If she stops, she gets a sharp tug and "heel" command. Now when I feel the lead go slack when I'm running (ie she's stopped, I've caught up and she's about to get yanked back on the footpath), I tell her to heel and she's good at it now.

    The harness is good as you have more control over them and you're not yanking on their throat and neck.
  • sanndandi
    sanndandi Posts: 300 Member
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    My dog jog/walks with me every day. She typically really wants to just go, go, go so most times I have to really rein her in. I find keeping her on a shorter leash allows me more control and she also stays next to me or just in front. it's important to always be in control and let her know I'm walking her not the other way around. But sometimes she does do the stop and sniff thing. when she does I give her an audible cue that we taught her when she was a puppy. I use the cue or the command "leave it" and she is pretty good most times. Sometimes you just got to let them sniff though. I give her 2-4 seconds to check whatever out then it's time to keep moving. She's a great companion, I love having her with me.

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