Who runs with their dog?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 ).

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.

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!

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.

Get a Huskie 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.

I've been running with my boys for ~3-4 years (they're 5.5 years old). I've tried to teach them that they are different kinds of leashed and unleashed outings. Leashed outings on which both dogs are on the same side as me are for running only, no sniffing. Leashed outings on which my right-side-trained dog is his side and my left-side-trained dog is on his side are designated "stroll-and-sniffs" where we lolligag and they're allowed to stop at just about whatever they want to sniff a bit. I try to make sure I get in a least 1 stroll-n-sniff every 2 days to make sure they get some good sniff time in.

We also learned "leave it" which works pretty well for this. It's also nice to know that command when there's another dog walking the other direction, I spot a birdie or other small critter noshing in our path, or heavens forbid there's a dead run we go by. Yes, "leave it" is a must-learn command.

Other than that, I trained my boys to run/walk right beside me, not pulling on the leash in front of me and lot dragging behind me. I wanted to instill in them that they have to watch my feet and body language for cues.

One last thing... PRACTICE... REPETITION... Start using a command or routine for no-sniff outings and PRACTICE OFTEN and try to always use the same routine.

My boys absolutely love of run outings and our stroll-n-sniff outings. I think they love the reinforcing gesture of fun as a pack. Good luck.

Maybe with the Gentle Leader no pull harness will work - it goes around their nose so you have control over where there head goes... http://www.petedge.com/catalog/product_popup.jsp?entityId=45354&entityType=product&templateType=1

Want you want to strive for is, (with the help of the gentle leader or not) to have 2 different kinds of 'walks' - one where he gets to decide how fast you are going (I usually use the phrase 'go ahead' or somethin like that to let them know). And then another one where you are in charge, usually with a very short hold on the leash (and you have a "lets go" or "lets walk" or "lets run" or whatever you want as the command that you are now switching what kind of 'walk' you are on). It can also help if you have a specific areas for each of these different kinds of walks/runs.

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.

This too it has to be consistent you let them know that the direction is foward. Not zig zag as dogs love to go. Eyes foward and no stopping. Short leash and a tug for slowing down or moving in some odd direction. They always go on my right side too. This seems to work it is contants discipline though. Thats why I perfer off leash if possible. Oh a gentle leader words great too. It looks like a muzzle but works more like a harness.