Runs with dogs!!!

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  • My dog is a rescued 2 year old lab-mix (Pharoh hound we think). I bike, not run, at a park near our house and we will ride anywhere from 6-10 miles. 10 miles is probably my dogs limit. He is very well trained and I feel safer and more comfortable with him off leash (plus he loves chasing the rabbits into the bushes - not sure what he will do if he ever catches one!). We ride early in the morning when hardly anyone is out. Every once in awhile someone will cause a problem or we will see animal control and I will have to leash him. Like others have said, every dog is different, but please don't go off leash unless adequately trained and they will come immediately when called. If you want a dog that can run for long distances, I saw on Dogs 101 (might be good to check their website) that Rodesion Ridgebacks are very athletic dogs and are owned by people like Carl Lewis who run alot everyday. It is reported that they can run with a horse for up to 30 miles (maybe that was 30 minutes)...either way, I thought that was impressive. Hope any of this helps!
  • Yes! I have a 5 year old Doberman Pinscher... he is amazing. The longest we've gone together has been 9 miles (so far) and he usually joins me on 3 or 4 runs a week. On long runs (over 6 miles) I bring an extra water bottle along and stop at 6 or 7 miles to let him hydrate. We always use a leash as we primarily run city streets (and our city has a leash law); I tie him to my waist with a safety release knot to keep from holding anything. We live in the desert southwest so the climate can be extreme... but we DO run year round: we just make minor adjustments each season. In the summer- we run at night so the pavement is not hot and in the winter he wears a sweater for the chilly mornings.

    I'll also note that I run him with a choke chain. He is perfectly leash trained- but with his long sleek neck, any collar has to be very snug to keep from sliding over his head. I feel that a tight collar would be uncomfortable for him while running- so he only wears a choke when we hit the roads (it stays loose the whole time- but will NOT slip from his head if it comes down to it!)

    I would highly recommend running with your fur-babies... Talk about good motivation!

    If anyone is looking for dog recommendations... feel free to ask me about Dobes. I seriously have nothing bad to say about this dog (except that he squishes me when he tries to sit in my lap and he makes me look bad at running- haha).
  • brandimacleod
    brandimacleod Posts: 368 Member
    2 miles almost every day with my girl boxer, on leash, year round as long as it isn't above 95 or below 10. Super cold mornings she wears a sweater. Super hot days we wait until sidewalks cool. Biggest problem is her sudden stops. She has ADD!

    About 30 feet with my boy boxer. He has to stop and pee on every single mail box. Aaaarrrggh! So he just gets walks.
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
    dances-with-wolves-poster1-rizaladam.jpg

    Runs with dogs... Dances with Wolves...

    Anyway... I tried it once with our year-old toy poodle and it was a disaster.
  • I recently started C25K and have been taking both dogs with me on leash. One is a 7 year old lab, the other is a nine month old Poodle mix. They get a little crazy on the walking portions but once we break into a run they love it! They are great motivators as they want to keep going and going. I don't plan on taking them out in the summer months unless its a cool night or morning. My lil poodle man wears a sweater or a puff coat since I keep his coat short :)
  • AZTrailRunner
    AZTrailRunner Posts: 1,199 Member
    Yes! I have a 5 year old Doberman Pinscher... he is amazing. The longest we've gone together has been 9 miles (so far) and he usually joins me on 3 or 4 runs a week. On long runs (over 6 miles) I bring an extra water bottle along and stop at 6 or 7 miles to let him hydrate. We always use a leash as we primarily run city streets (and our city has a leash law); I tie him to my waist with a safety release knot to keep from holding anything. We live in the desert southwest so the climate can be extreme... but we DO run year round: we just make minor adjustments each season. In the summer- we run at night so the pavement is not hot and in the winter he wears a sweater for the chilly mornings.

    I'll also note that I run him with a choke chain. He is perfectly leash trained- but with his long sleek neck, any collar has to be very snug to keep from sliding over his head. I feel that a tight collar would be uncomfortable for him while running- so he only wears a choke when we hit the roads (it stays loose the whole time- but will NOT slip from his head if it comes down to it!)

    I would highly recommend running with your fur-babies... Talk about good motivation!

    If anyone is looking for dog recommendations... feel free to ask me about Dobes. I seriously have nothing bad to say about this dog (except that he squishes me when he tries to sit in my lap and he makes me look bad at running- haha).

    I have owned Dobies since 1987, and ran up to 10 miles with one of my previous Dobes. My current fella is a perfect trail dog, and will run right past people, dogs, and horses without even looking up. He just lays his ears back and clears the path for me.

    One thing to note about Dobies is they can carry a genetic heart issue. So check with your Vet to make sure they have a sound heart. Otherwise, they're terrific running partners.
  • 719Lily
    719Lily Posts: 9 Member
    3 year old female black lab on a leash 4 miles. Miss her when she is not with me. She keeps me going. :)
  • lwhitman4
    lwhitman4 Posts: 144 Member
    Awesome thread, J.R., and I'm glad I finally get to read through it!!

    While I don't run too much (mostly walk/jog/hike/bike... I guess what I could consider myself running would be considered jogging by other people... LOL), I occasionally take my 2 year old Boston Terrier with me during hikes. I love the companionship but it gets tricky when there's other people or animals on the trails. He listens pretty well except when he sees a person on a bike - he's scared of them. Imagining my other two dogs on the trails with me is entertaining, my Wirehair Dachshund would peter out after maybe a quarter mile, and the baby Boston Terrier... well, he's "special". Think Barney from the Simpsons. So, the oldest Boston (aptly named Indiana Jones) gets to adventure with me.

    How far do you typically run? - Hike 3-6 miles.
    What's the farthest you've run with them? Hiked 5 miles.
    What breed(s)? Boston Terrier
    Leach/ Unleashed? I have him harnessed, but I'll unhook the leash when we're not around anyone, it gives him more freedom to sniff and pee on things, and he rarely lets me get more than 20 feet away before he comes running back.
    Year-round? Except in summer. He's brachycephalic and I don't want him getting heat stroke.
  • kaetra
    kaetra Posts: 442 Member
    How far do you typically run? - Walk/Jog intervals, we've built up very slowly together to about 1.5 miles
    What's the farthest you've run with them? - so far about 2 miles
    What breed(s)? - American Cocker Spaniel
    Leach/ Unleashed? - Leashed
    Year-round - Sort of, but I avoid temp extremes (90 degrees and up; 20 degrees and below)
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    I have a 2 y.o. jack russell/beagle mix...she has her nose to the ground ALL the time so she's easier to hike with compared to running, but we have done both. At home she's just a couch potato but on the trails she can go forever!
  • gabrielled
    gabrielled Posts: 247 Member
    I have English bulldogs, so there is NO running. We jog occasionally, but never in the heat. And I have already paid for MY knee surgery and hers. Things got better when I got Jaeger leashes. I wear the leash like a cross-body bag strap, that way my hands are free. The bullies do love to hike, though.
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,641 Member
    I have a 6 month old miniature poodle puppy. I've taken him for 20-30 min walks before and he's done great. I'm wondering if I could ever run with this breed and if so how old should he be and how long should I run with him? I don't want to hurt him.
  • beccalucy
    beccalucy Posts: 250 Member
    I have a 2 year old lab I've just started running with. He's trained well on a lead, runs next to me beautifully but does tend to get distracted! We've managed 3.5 miles so far, but the last mile was a bit of a drag so I'm going to let him get used to that distance before upping it.

    Any tips of reducing distraction would be welcome!
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
    I'm putting this under Fitness, since it relates directly to running.

    For those of you that run with your dogs:

    How far do you typically run?
    What's the farthest you've run with them?
    What breed(s)?
    Leach/ Unleashed?
    Year-round?

    How far do you typically run? Anywhere from 1 mile to 10 daily, weather depending (never less than 6 a day though)
    What's the farthest you've run with them? We walked/ran 17 miles once day, through the woods and at the local elementary.
    What breed(s)? (on my profile pic, left to right) Rogue is an American PitBull Terrier/Rhodesian Ridgeback/Blackmouth Cur, Harley Quinn is German Shepard/ Anatolian Shepard/Siberian Husky, and Parker is a German Shepard/Siberian Husky
    Leach/ Unleashed? Always leashed, too many unfriendly dogs in the area that i'd rather not have to choke to death if they attacked my dogs.
    Year-round? Even on holidays :)
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
    I have a 2 year old lab I've just started running with. He's trained well on a lead, runs next to me beautifully but does tend to get distracted! We've managed 3.5 miles so far, but the last mile was a bit of a drag so I'm going to let him get used to that distance before upping it.

    Any tips of reducing distraction would be welcome!

    Squeaky toys work wonders for me. Also, keep a baggie of treats and work on obediance while walking/running. My dogs know to stop and sit any time a car coems by or i stop for any reason-even if the reason is just to see if they're paying attention :)
  • vickyg1
    vickyg1 Posts: 211 Member
    I wish I could run with my dog. Shes a Black and Tan Coonhound so if she smells or sees something she comes to a complete stop, nose goes to the ground and shes off :)
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
    Yes! I have a 5 year old Doberman Pinscher... he is amazing. The longest we've gone together has been 9 miles (so far) and he usually joins me on 3 or 4 runs a week. On long runs (over 6 miles) I bring an extra water bottle along and stop at 6 or 7 miles to let him hydrate. We always use a leash as we primarily run city streets (and our city has a leash law); I tie him to my waist with a safety release knot to keep from holding anything. We live in the desert southwest so the climate can be extreme... but we DO run year round: we just make minor adjustments each season. In the summer- we run at night so the pavement is not hot and in the winter he wears a sweater for the chilly mornings.

    I'll also note that I run him with a choke chain. He is perfectly leash trained- but with his long sleek neck, any collar has to be very snug to keep from sliding over his head. I feel that a tight collar would be uncomfortable for him while running- so he only wears a choke when we hit the roads (it stays loose the whole time- but will NOT slip from his head if it comes down to it!)

    I would highly recommend running with your fur-babies... Talk about good motivation!

    If anyone is looking for dog recommendations... feel free to ask me about Dobes. I seriously have nothing bad to say about this dog (except that he squishes me when he tries to sit in my lap and he makes me look bad at running- haha).

    I've always wanted a Dobie, my great grampa had one named Apollo :) And with the choke chain (i'm against them, but it's due to someone abusing their use in front of me, and i;ve just never liked them-personal preference though) if he's got a scrawny neck (my male does, it's impossible to find one that fits and doesn't look like fishing line on him, haha!) I have found harnesses work wonders amd if you looke up "pitbull collars" it pulls up a few websites that have really nice, wide collars that can be custom fit to your dogs neck (i'm asking for three for christmas for mine-their collars are getting old). :) Enjoy your dobie, they are gorgeous animals !
  • airycha
    airycha Posts: 135 Member
    We have a 5 year old beagle and a lab mix that is about 10. We usually take them about 2 miles leashed. I usually don't go out if it's way hot or too cold (we live in Houston so the heat can get bad and if it's damp and cold outside it feels freezing, and I am a wimp) so they don't get exposed to extremes. They do pretty good. It actually helps keep me going some if they pull a little because it keeps me from stopping. It can be hard with the lab mix because she likes to zig zag and the beagle likes to stop and smell everything. I have taken them both by myself but usually my husband goes and we each get one. I put the leash loop up above my elbow and that way when i bend my arm a little it stays on and i don't have to worry about holding on to it. It can get annoying if they start pulling/stopping a lot. I usually switch arms about part way through if i only have one dog. I have thought about trying something out where it connects at my waist. I think that would be easier.
  • withervein
    withervein Posts: 224 Member
    I've got a dauschaund/rat terrier/something much bigger pound puppy. He's about 3 years old and he loves to go for walks/runs. I'm a terrible runner, but it works out pretty well. We go about 3 miles, we walk one lap at the park so he can sniff everything out and mark stuff. Then we run the second lap and he does pretty well, he wants to stop pretty quickly in summer as he's mostly black and he suffers in the heat. We usually run/walk the last mile depending on how much energy I have left.

    He's leashed as the park requires it. We stop every lap for water too.

    It's been good for me and for him, he's solid muscle!
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    I run with my dog for 2 miles and then she is done! Shes 9 yrs old, my first dog ever so I'm thinking that 2 miles is good at her age.
    Shes vicious too, doesnt like men or other dogs so it makes it ... challenging to say the least.

    Awesome protector for me and my 4 kids though :)

    my dog doesn't like other dogs either so right now I don't take her running with me...hoping to ease her into it this spring. She's 6 and has tons of energy.
  • tcraw15
    tcraw15 Posts: 223 Member
    I'm putting this under Fitness, since it relates directly to running.

    For those of you that run with your dogs:

    How far do you typically run?
    What's the farthest you've run with them?
    What breed(s)?
    Leach/ Unleashed?
    Year-round?

    3-4 miles --> 15-20 miles a week
    4.6 miles I think was the farthest..
    I have two dogs.. One is a 6 month old Borador, and the other is a 3 year old Texas Heeler. :)
    Definitely leashed... I usually run around my neighborhood.
    In the summertime it gets REALLY hot here.. so my favorite time to run with them is definitely during the wintertime.

    And even after a run, my dogs STILL have way too much energy.. I need to start taking them to the dog park more often lol.
  • gavini
    gavini Posts: 248 Member
    i had a pit bull mix (we think mixed with a lab, not sure) for a while that i tried to run with but she had so much energy (and speed) that it didnt work out well, i eventually switched over to biking with her running along side to get her some exercise (that dog was one giant muscle, it was impressive).

    i had a beagle lab mix- much more of a beagle than a lab- that i could go up to 4 miles with at about 8 min per mile pace before he started to slow down/ get tired. on a cool day he could go a little further.

    always leashed for both of them, eased in to it to train them for it of course.
  • ive just started running (well jogging) with my border collie puppy, we are doing just over a mile about 3 times a week. mostly cause i live ontop of a massive hill and it knackers me to run up it. hopefully in a couple of months it wont be so bad
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