Running with your Dog?

I run with my lab/shepherd mutt.
A leash and collar is good enough for us.

Oh, I do recommend pepper spray for any other dogs though. Last thing you want is a loose dog attacking yours.

I have 2 dogs, a German Shepherd/ Rottweiler mix who just turned 1 this week and a 7 year old Australian Cattle Dog/ German Shorthair Pointer mix. It took a lot of training to be able to run with the Ziggi, the pointer mix mainly because he thinks he runs the show and didn't want to follow my lead (if I let him have free rein he'd be dragging me across half the county!). I created a slip harness for him using a long rope and a heavy duty clip. I clip it to his collar, run the rope under and behind his front legs, then run the rope through the clip. It took some trial and error to get this homemade leash just right, but now it's perfect. If he pulls too hard the leash tightens up under his front legs, which he finds really annoying, so he eases off and the rope loosens. Dewey Dude, the Shepherd mix is a dream to run with, but I started training him as a puppy. I just have a regular harness and leash for him and he rarely pulls. He's also very intelligent and eager to please, so training in general has gone pretty smoothly with The Dude A lot of it is simply repetition. I walk or run with the dogs every day, so they've come to know what to expect from me, and what I expect from them. And of course lots of praise when they do something right always helps.
I had a pit for a while (my sweet little girl Moose ) and she was actually really good when it came to running or walking on a leash. I also started training her young and she was another very intelligent dog.

I've run / jogged over the years (~18) with 2 different dogs. The first key is a well trained dog. My dogs once trained never ever get ahead or behind. The leach is loose and there is no tension. I can run with normal form and almost forget they are there. When in the country after training, I usually just would put the lease in my pocket. They just stay in the same spot as if the lease was there.

You are in charge you train the dog as needed with choke chain etc, it is not acceptable for them to pull or fall behind unless there is a real issue.

Now from the dog's perspective, they generally love running, but you have to consider their needs. e.g. long runs, if you need water, they need water. Have them hydrated before and after runs just like you should be doing. There are going to be times, where the dog does have to stop and if trained properly this is for good reason, bathroom, not feeling well, injury, etc. Also for training, dog's get in and out of shape like you and can have overuse injuries just like you. So ramp up the running at a pace like you would ramp up your pace.

One more warning, think of the dog's interest as well, don't start running with them then magically quit and leave them high and dry.

Okay two more warnings, remember the conditions heat, cold, rain, snow and ice. Most dogs are really well equipped to handle everything, but one of my dog's had to take summers off or easy because of the Texas heat.

Enjoy, this can be quit rewarding for you and them.

Carlos_421 wrote: »

I run with my lab/shepherd mutt.
A leash and collar is good enough for us.

Oh, I do recommend pepper spray for any other dogs though. Last thing you want is a loose dog attacking yours.

THIS! Chassis and I were out yesterday and a huge freaking dog came out the gate acting vicious toward us. Seriously, made my boxer look like a teacup poodle. Scared the *kitten* outta me. Of course, Chassis acting like the drunk girl at the bar didn't help. She was holding her own being vicious right back. Luckily it was only for a few seconds and the owner got her dog but it had the potential to escalate beyond what I could control. Now I think I'm going to clip my pepper spray to my dog poop bags when I go out.

what is the waist leash with the storage? i run with my shepard/ rottweiler mix. we're doing couch to 5k together, his favorite parts are the walking breaks to pee on things. my favorite parts are the walking parts but for different reasons. he's great though! as soon as i hear the chime on the phone and ask him if he's ready he sets off, definitely keeps my pace up and prevents me from getting as bored.

I run with my black lab. He absolutely loves it! The longest run we've been on is 14 miles. We've had a lot of hours of practice together so just a collar and leash are fine for him. However I did buy a vest with several pockets. So he's my water carrier for those long runs!

I have a German Shorthaired Pointer and 100% of my runs are with him, we also participate in Canicross. Essentially, he is taught to pull out in front of me (a bit like a husky pulls a sled) and we are attached via a harness, a waist belt and a lead with bungee. The harness is designed to keep his respiratory tract free when pulling and doesn't limit his movements. The waist belt allows me to be hands free. The lead has bungee cord in it so that any sudden movements from either me or him are absorbed. We mostly run on trails (softer on his joints/pads) and we compete in races of 3 mile distances. During the week we'll do two or three shorter runs and then at the weekend a longer run 10+ miles but I usually just let him run free then with a ball. He knows commands such as left/right/steady/go/on by etc, I find even half an hour of running in this way is about the same as a two hour off lead walk as he's having to put in a lot more physical and mental effort. I think the "sport" if you want to call it that is bigger in Europe but I'm pretty sure Google would bring up some more information.

MinimalistShoeAddict wrote: »

I run trails with very little traffic at certain hours. If you can find a situation like that you could try to run off leash. Just make sure your dog is well trained and will come immediately to attach to your leash (keep in pocket) if any humans (or deer, etc) appear.

Worth noting that you check the legality on this. The trails by me are in parks with strict leash laws.