good running dog?

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124

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  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    That's maybe a good suggestion - do you have any friends with energetic dogs who'd be more than happy to have their dog get some exercise by running with you?
  • big_daddy_d
    big_daddy_d Posts: 37
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    guys I'm from Saudi Arabia,

    I will go back home in seven month with a ticket of 600$ of each of my dogs not considering the other costs ( passports, shots, papers, and .... etc) and to get a dog with me he should be pure breed because the rule of the country over there plus I'm glad there are people like you who will adopt mixed breed dog but don't force anyone to do that with being mean ....


    I donate, I volunteer, and I do everything to animal shelters in my area but I can't adopt a mix breed plus for the last time people plz understand I'm not breeding my dog for profit UNDERSTAND THAT PLEASE ...

    And one more if we stopped breeding our pure dogs wouldn't that get of the breed itself? how many English bulldog in the USA !!!
  • melholden10
    melholden10 Posts: 35
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    @ puggleperson


    Why are you trying to be mean? trust me I don't know you and your responds are the only thing that make me personalize you as a person and so far you are someone that I would love to not know ever ...

    FIxed dogs might avoid some health issues you are right I'm with you but if you fix your dog before he his mature years especially male dogs (which is between one year to a year and a half) your dog will might get some diseases in the future such as Osteosarcoma the one is famous to be located at you dog joints, Also a big risk is hypothyroidism the disease that is placed at your dog throat , cognitive disfunction, hemangiosarcoma skin, and many more diseases


    please I'm not trying to be mean but please do your homework before you attack someone like that thanks



    I'd be very interested to know what papers you have been reading to find the link between neutering male dos which in england generally done between 6-9 months of age and osteosarcoma and hypothyroidism etc I'm a vet student myself and other then osteosarcoma beign more prevelant in males then females there has been no mention of a link to neutering so was wondering if you knew any links to scientific papers on the matter.
  • healthieramanda
    healthieramanda Posts: 95 Member
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    Labs are great runners and very "people friendly" They tend to have "puppy energy" for a good 3-4 years before they settle down. Consider adopting from your local animal control. You'll get lots of running in with a dog!

    I've got a lab, and they're most definitely the nicest people friendly dogs. He loves going for walks and running with me!

    If you want a really good running dog, may I suggest a Siberian Husky? The only thing with these dogs is they're very very very active and they need constant regular exercise otherwise they become very destructive.
  • cmw72
    cmw72 Posts: 390 Member
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    I have a hound dog and he'll try and rip your arms out of their sockets ... I'm not sure that's exactly a good thing, but it does force one to keep up the pace!
  • cmw72
    cmw72 Posts: 390 Member
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    Double post deleted ...
  • kaypee65
    kaypee65 Posts: 120 Member
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    Some of it depends upon your climate. I live in Alaska so a Belgian Sheepdog is a perfect running companion. But if I were in a hot climate I'd look at a Dobe or Malinois. But these are all seriously active dogs that need daily mental and physical activity.I tried to avoid getting a dog, and was trying to find a good loaner dog for my run. But I finally decided to get my own dog and ended up choosing a Belgian and life has never been better.

    Good luck finding your perfect running buddy.
  • Melmade
    Melmade Posts: 349 Member
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    Be careful about large breed dogs & running. My lab ended up with hip dysplacia (sp?) and now it's so bad she can't walk without being on meds. It's a hereditary thing very common in labs & boxers, as well as some other large breeds. I used to take her running 4 to 5 days a week though, and she loved it. If you're really going to stick with running though I say Weimeriner or Bird dogs or Vislas. Just know that if you get a dog who needs to run, they usually need lots of attention & can be ill-bahaved if they don't get their regular runs in. (Digging, chewing stuff up, etc.) You might consider a retired Greyhound. They like to run one time, then are pretty happy lazing around the rest of the day. They're very fast though.
  • Dunkirk
    Dunkirk Posts: 465 Member
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    Thought about borrowing a neighbours dog, just for the exercise?
  • pumpkinmoccasin
    pumpkinmoccasin Posts: 316
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    Just make sure you're not running the dog too early at risk of structural damage, growing puppies with growing bones need time before they can go on extended runs! Look up athletic breeds if you want a running partner, but be sure you're going to keep up with running with them or else they'll be miserable without the exercise.
  • Hollie_downunder
    Hollie_downunder Posts: 192
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    I have a Staffy x Bull mastiff, he LOVES coming running with me and is my lil running buddy :)

    he pulls ALOT which can sometimes really irritate me on my run when i keep having to tell him off, but on the plus side he drags me up hills and keeps up my speed when i would otherwise be lagging

    i went from never having run in my life, to doing a 5km fun run 3 months later and killing it (though it didn't feel the same running without my dog)

    only down side is not having two free hands.. and in my case getting sore arms from him pulling!!
  • kaypee65
    kaypee65 Posts: 120 Member
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    Pumpkin has a good point. It's best to wait until a puppy grows up before you start them on your running program. Until their growth plates close, generally between twelve and eighteen months, you risk some pretty serious damage to your growing puppies joints. If you go to a breed rescue or shelter you can adopt a dog and have it examined for hip and elbow dysplasia.

    Some large breeds have very low incidence of hip and elbow dysplasia, other have very high risk. You can go to OFA and check the statistics. The general good health of Belgians was one of the reasons I went with that breed.
  • Pinnagerjaggin
    Pinnagerjaggin Posts: 79
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    I'm just wondering what the correletion between saudi arabia and mixed breed dogs is?
  • kaypee65
    kaypee65 Posts: 120 Member
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    Oh yeah, and as for pulling, try canicross! You wear a hip belt, harness your dog, and let them tow you. No fighting over pulling since it's actually part of the game. My boy and I ran our first race last week. My goal was 25 minutes for the very hilly 2.5 mile course. My dog was so amped to run that we did it in 19 minutes. Not exactly front of the pack, but much better than I'd dared to hope. Plus we lapped everyone sitting on their *kitten* at home.
  • Pinnagerjaggin
    Pinnagerjaggin Posts: 79
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    Your dog is still a puppy. Before you adopt/buy a new dog train the one you have to walk/run well on leash. If you make it enjoyable for him he should love going on runs with you. If your dog is food motivated buy a clicker and take him out on leash. For each step he takes click and treat him. Eventually increase the amount of steps slowly. Once he's walking then you can increase the speed.

    Be careful with these brachicephalic breeds though and their breathing.
  • firedragon064
    firedragon064 Posts: 1,090 Member
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    Any big dogs would do. My white german shepherd/husky mix can run with my bicycle.
    My little maltese would run too and he is so fast except he can't handle the summer heat and can't run for a long time.
  • ursy87
    ursy87 Posts: 287
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    I go with my lab, who will just keep going forever! The only downside is sometimes she is still ba bit boisterous (she's almost 6) and I have fallen over her:happy:
  • cedarhurst2006
    cedarhurst2006 Posts: 378 Member
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    Try a hungarian vizsla - tons of energy and oh so cute!!!
  • esherwood2
    esherwood2 Posts: 16
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    It is adorable. I have a pitbull and she is lazy. I have to practically drag her.
  • greej
    greej Posts: 37 Member
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    If your neighbors don't have enough money to buy or adopt a dog, they don't have enough money to KEEP a dog. I just had to pay $1300 to get my dog's TOOTH removed. I pay $40 a month vet insurance and $90 a month food, not to mention routine vet care, vaccines, heartworm preventative, training classes, treats, toys ... Do your neighbors know the full cost of getting a dog--for that matter, do you? Especially one which may have any one of the dozens of medical conditions bulldogs are known for, which may grow up to be aggressive and require special medication/behavior modification (which gets freakin' expensive for the good stuff let me tell you) to adapt him to society?

    Are you prepared to find homes for 5 puppies because your neighbor may or may not be able and willing to keep a puppy, and then take them back without question no matter what their health or behavior status is, for the rest of their life? Are you prepared to get your dog tested for congenital defects--which I find hard to believe you've done, considering your puppy is still a puppy? Or are you counting on the dame's owner (if you can find one) to do all the work?


    As for a running dog, if you think you have enough time and energy to care for two, I would strongly suggest adopting an older dog as well (and I would suggest lighter dogs over heavier ones, so get a dobe rather than a rottie). If you buy a large-breed puppy you shouldn't run him for at least a year and a half. If you find you absolutely cannot possibly buy a mixed-breed, their are breed-specific rescues all over the USA.

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