Do you run with your dog?

Nope, Cooper overheats easily so we stick to walkies - and even then I am always sure to bring lots of water.

I have an 81lb 3yo black lab mix. She LOVES to run!!

First (and this is important) - You don't want to run with your dog until his/her growth plates have solidified (about 1yo) because otherwise you can do some major damage to your dog.

Shelby (my dog) and I started with loosed leach walking where she walks beside me on on my left side and doesn't get in front of me or behind me. One of those leashes that has the extra loop on it helped with that.

http://www.petco.com/product/6316/The-Grrrip-2-in-1-Dog-Leashes-in-Black.aspx

Once we mastered walking right beside me we picked up the pace, with her staying right beside me. Eventually she figured out (on her own) the timer on my interval watch. When the beep would go off to run she would be ready to run!

If you are in a hot climate (S. Texas is HOT) I suggest a doggy backpack so that you can carry dog water with you on your runs. I think the longest run we've been on is a 9 mile, it was supposed to be 6mi, but I took a wrong turn on the trail. :-)

I used to run with my dog when I was running a shorter distance and I was slower, but now she can't keep up with me so I feel bad and leave her at home. She is a toy poodle and she's now 7 years old. I always used the shorter six foot leash and she always just stayed on my right side. Occasionally, she'd try to cross in front of me when she smelled something interesting, but the leash being short, I could pull it back and keep her out from under my feet.

I was running 1 - 1.5 miles at about a 12 minute mile pace and she could keep up, but like I said, I've since gotten faster and go farther...

I run with my dog. He trained with me for 2 half-marathons. He's an old man now - 11 years old, but we still do short jogs together. The key is teaching the dog how to walk on a leash and how to "heel," which means walk on your left side at the same pace you are walking. Once the dog has mastered walking on a leash and heeling, you might begin to do short jogging spurts to see if he can stay with you. I highly recommend taking any new dog or puppy to a dog obedience class. Good luck! Dogs make great running companions and give you a extra sense of safety from would-be creepers who might bother you.

I do. My dog is about 2 years old. He is a rescued pitt bull who is just a sweetheart. The only problem I have with him is that he tries to outrun me (which wouldn't be too hard right now) sometimes. AND he's not a good walker. He pulls too much.


If you aren't set on the dog, get a RESCUE! Adopt, don't shop! And a dog who is alittle older is better. Most vets will tell you not to run a dog who is very young.

Yup, I run with my dog all the time except for when it's really hot out. You first have to teach him to walk in a straight line and not stop and smell everything. It's just harder when they are puppies because they have such a short attention span.

No, but my cat will sit on the treadmill with me when I walk.

I run with my little 6 pound mini chiweenie. We started when he was about 18 months old. I started out doing Cto5k and decided to take him along. I was just doing loops around my neighborhood at the beginning so I figured I could drop him off at the house once he got too tired and finish my workout.

Boy, was I wrong.

We're up to Week 7 now and running for 25 minutes at a time. Well, I'm running. He's more at a fast walk. When we get done running, I collapse on a chair and guzzle water. He sprints laps around the house and takes flying leaps off the furniture for a good fifteen minutes before he's ready for a rest.

We're up to Week 7 now and running for 25 minutes at a time. Well, I'm running. He's more at a fast walk. When we get done running, I collapse on a chair and guzzle water. He sprints laps around the house and takes flying leaps off the furniture for a good fifteen minutes before he's ready for a rest.

My dog does that too, when we get home from running he is all hyper and runs circles around the house, bringing me toys wanting to play. While I am laying on the floor.

I do. My dog is about 2 years old. He is a rescued pitt bull who is just a sweetheart. The only problem I have with him is that he tries to outrun me (which wouldn't be too hard right now) sometimes. AND he's not a good walker. He pulls too much.


If you aren't set on the dog, get a RESCUE! Adopt, don't shop! And a dog who is alittle older is better. Most vets will tell you not to run a dog who is very young.

Unfortunately, not yet; every time I try to pick up the pace to a jog he turns around and jumps on me! He thinks I'm playing.

My dog is a big shepherd mix and I experienced this too, the first 7-8 times I would try to run with him. It was horrible because he's so big and strong that when he gets excited and starts jumping, he can really throw me off balance and scratch me. We eventually corrected it though. As soon as he started to jump I would shorten the leash to just a few inches long (or even hold his collar, he's just the right height for me to reach it comfortably) and walk instead of jog. For him it was best if I did not make eye contact with him or react to the behavior at all, but just kept looking forward and moving forward and restricting him w/ the leash in a no-nonsense way. He would quickly re-focus on walking and after a block or two I would try jogging again. It takes patience though. In the two years that I've had him, I calculate we've walked around 2500 miles together! I love him so much, even though he can be a huge pain sometimes still!

These days he's an awesome running buddy and I do feel very safe with him by my side. I only take him on 3-4 mile runs though, and only if it's early in the morning or when the sun has gotten low, otherwise he overheats and really slows down.

Hope this helps somebody! I went through that phase too where I thought "Oh no my dog will never be able to run with me!" Consistency in training wins every time.

I do and she was trained as a puppy, and I recommend going to petco and buying what is called an "easy walk" harness the first few weeks you should expect to fast walk and not run but once you both get used to it it makes running much more easy

Yes, I run with my dog She is a 7 year old beagle. We have been doing this for a few months. Since she has been doing it alongside me we have been on the same training. Just started increasing our walks, picking up the pace until we were running. I have 2 concerns. One is that after she gets bored she gets sniffy and therefore I have come close to tripping over her. The other is that sometimes it is too much for her. When I want a serious run I will leave her behind. She loves it but she started limping the next morning. I had to cut her back. The most we will run/walk now is about 3.5 miles. If we just walk we do about 5.
I love it and she loves it. Beagles get the old age spread going on but she hasn't gotten it yet. She isn't thin but she isn't fat either.

I walk very fast with the dog. My knees can't take outright jogging. She is a lab mix...about 70 pounds. She LOVES to run, and my daughter often takes her running with her. She actually behaves better on a run than a walk because she's moving too quickly to stop and get distracted.

She was a rescue and was not the easiest to leash train, but now that she's about 4, she's pretty good. You just have to make sure they don't have to poop or pee before you start. Just like little kids! LOL!

Does anyone run with their dog? How did you train them? How far do you run? What kind of dog? How old were they when you started training them?

I run with my dog. He is a 4 yr old 20 lb Beagle/Bichon Mix. I even roller blade with him. He is a machine though, all muscle. The vet can't believe his back legs. I took him to puppy classes when I first got him to get him leash trained. He still pulls though, he is total beagle and follows his nose. He's actually easier to run with than walk. When I walk he pulls and is all over the place. When I run he stays more focused on the running. Except when a rabbit or squirrel crosses our path, then I have to make sure I brace myself, he made me pull something in my thigh not long ago, bolting in the other direction. He will also run on a treadmill with me. I think if you get a high energy dog they don't need much actual "training" to run. I figure if it's too hot for me to run, it's too hot for him, I don't run when it's super hot. And if I am thirsty, I figure he probably is too. Easier for him though, he can drink out of puddles/ ponds. I have probably run with him since he was 5-6 mos old. If he doesn't get enough exercise he is naughty, so it motivates me to get out with him.

I have a beagle mix (with what I dont know) and I can relate to everything you say. Those beagle genes are strong.