Running with a dog?

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SyntonicGarden
SyntonicGarden Posts: 944 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi! Can anyone recommend any resources for teaching / training a dog to be a running buddy? We adopted our second Cattle Dog. She's full of energy and likes to run.

I'd like to take her with me, so that we both get exercise, but she's not getting the concept of running, for the sake of running. Thanks!

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  • jtarmom
    jtarmom Posts: 228 Member
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    Is it that your dog doesn't want to run, or is pulling you all over the place?

    My dog has always been my running buddy - I use a gentle leader when I run with her. It keeps her close and not pulling. It took a few runs for her to get used to it, but now it's like a dream.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I used to run with one of our greyhounds. If the dog is not used to running for extended periods of time, it will take her awhile to work up to it. My dog and I did the C25k program 3x/wk and that was perfect for both of us to ease into it (greyhounds are sprinters, not distance runners for anybody who is wondering why a greyhound would need to work up to 5k.) It also took him awhile to get used to the idea that we were going on a run, not a sniff and stroll. After several sessions it seemed to click with him that when I got out the waist leash it was running time vs. regular leash meaning it was a pleasure walk.
  • SyntonicGarden
    SyntonicGarden Posts: 944 Member
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    She's a rescue who had previously lived on a farm. She's very muscular and loves to run. She's also getting used to walking on the leash.

    The first issue I'm having is getting her to walk, without stopping. She cowers and lays down every few steps. Then, when we DO get walking, she stops to smell everything.

    I know she'll need potty walks, but as Jemhh said, it's the difference between running and sniffing/strolling.

    Gentle leader? Might have to look into that.

    Thanks!
  • acmanna
    acmanna Posts: 200 Member
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    I have an Australian shepherd...she runs but only in circles. After 9 years she still can't run in a straight line...but at least she always comes back to me one way or another. Joys of having a herding dog =)
  • Roxiegirl2008
    Roxiegirl2008 Posts: 756 Member
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    I tried once...yes once to run with one of ours. Epic FAIL! I thought since she is a border collie/lab mix she would love it. She loves running around the back yard. Well it took us forever to finish because she had to stop and check out everything. I don't think there was a blade of grass not peed on. Oh and then she just sat down.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I have a border collie/Australian kelpie mix. I believe that most herding dogs are "soft" dogs -- that is, they do not respond well to correction and punitive training. They just fall to pieces when scolded or yanked by the leash. That may be part of your problem, and it certainly will be a challenge as you try to teach her. That said, herding dogs are smart and they learn FAST when you use positive reinforcement.
    I am not training expert, but I might suggest teaching the dog to heel on the leash first, with a piece of food held in the left hand, to lead the dog along, the common method of training a dog to heel. Then, once she gets that pick up the pace a bit while having her heel.
    My dog still gets distracted, and stops to sniff or pee, all the time when we walk. But she runs fine and it is fun to have her company. Well worth the effort.
    P.S. ASPCA has pointers for how to train a dog not to pull on the leash on its website.
  • squirrelzzrule22
    squirrelzzrule22 Posts: 640 Member
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    acmanna wrote: »
    I have an Australian shepherd...she runs but only in circles. After 9 years she still can't run in a straight line...but at least she always comes back to me one way or another. Joys of having a herding dog =)

    LOL our aussies always herd me when I try to run with them too! They have to cut accross at an angle to herd me out of the street. Their little instincts are too funny!

    OP, try a harness instead of a leash on a neck collar and work up to it. Bring a little bag of treats and start with walking at a steady pace by holding the treat on front of their nose and rewarding after a stretch of good walking. That is how we taught all our pups in puppy kindergarten. once she is cool with the whole leash idea I bet she will like the running.
  • congruns
    congruns Posts: 127 Member
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    train the dog on loose leash walking before running. it's hard and takes a lot of work
  • SyntonicGarden
    SyntonicGarden Posts: 944 Member
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    Whew! I'm glad that I'm not alone with the Cattle Dog / Kelpie silliness. Yes, they absolutely shut down if they get yelled at, so positive reinforcement all the way. She's got a harness (we call it the "six-pack" because it reminds me of plastic thing that holds 6 bottles of soda together). After reading an earlier response, I looked into the Gentle Leader and might give that a try. We're working with an obedience trainer, but running isn't part of the curriculum.

    Thank you all again!!
  • BJPCraig
    BJPCraig Posts: 417 Member
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    SyntonicGarden wrote: »
    She's also getting used to walking on the leash. ...

    The first issue I'm having is getting her to walk, without stopping. She cowers and lays down every few steps. Then, when we DO get walking, she stops to smell everything./quote]

    If she's not used to being on the leash, it might be partly an issue of just getting her used to it. As for the the sniffing, that's just dogs. When my wife & I take our cockapoo for a run on the path around a local lake (it's .7 miles around), we always walk one lap for him to go potty and sniff, and then we start the run. The walk serves as a warm up and he gets the sniffing out of his system.

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