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running with your dog.
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A bit dark - I don't know why I've only uploaded rubbish photos - try another one
I have recently acquired a puppy, mostly staffie, but tall and skinny so a bit of something else in there I think, and she is now 8 months old and I would love to start talking her running with me. I do most of my running on pavement though, on some quite busy roads, so she would have to be on lead at all times and at the moment, despite all kinds of training methods, she is pulling like a husky. I cannot seem to get her to walk, or run, to heel. Has anybody got any tips for this kind of training??? I have a regular lead at the moment, but would be open to purchasing something if it was guaranteed to work. Any advice is welcome as I have never run with a dog before but would love to spend some time with her in this way!!
My last dog died in Feb so I took the opportunity to get a Collie to come out marathon training with me. He's just coming up to 7 months old now. After running an April mara, I found out I have a serious problem with knee cartiledge. Op is on Friday. I'm told there's a high likelihood my running days are over.
Have already got the pup quite used to running alongside in a fairly disciplined way alongside a bike (I get less knee pain with this). That being said, about 4 weeks ago he ran right across my front whell and brought me down hard on pavement. Well, the learning goes for the owner and the dog I guess.
I've been told to wait until 18months before pushing the dog to regular long distances. This is supposed to be enough time to make sure all the growing phases are completely out of the way, so no long term joint issues. Has anyone else heard the same or something different?
RedFox - I think it's about consistency and patience. When it goes in front of you you stop - it learns you only make progress when it is at your heel.
TD - I had heard 18 months as well, but my vet said that it depends entirely on the dog...
YP
Have heard similar - larger the breed the longer it takes for full development. Avoided running with my retrievers until 12 months, and then just short runs. 18 months sounds about right.
Also keeping off the tarmac / pavements is best. I have also read that the dog running at a constant pace for long distances is not the best. Allowing a dog to run around where possible will reduce the likelihood of injury / wear & tear as the constant & consistent stress on joints is reduced.
We run almost exclusively on forest trails - our Oz is now 10 and still going well although of course 5-yr old Nemo is stronger and faster. Except when swimming - Ozzy is still very strong and fast in the water.
My border collie is my best friend and I run everywhere with him, except on events where dogs are usually discouraged and I think it's unfair to other runners.
All my runs are off-road and the only difficulty is that in the last 2 or 3 years - he is now 6 - he has developed the annoying habit of circling round in front of me and other people with the result that it's easy to trip over him.
He is also very keen on fetch and will temporarily go off with people who throw him a stick - probably because I won't throw one for him after he got one down his throat a few years ago.
The only things he can't cope with are extreme heat - as he has a very thick coat - and lack of water that he loves - he dives into every pond and stream going.
I recently bought a bungee lead that makes it much easier to run with him when he has to be on a lead and may even enter some cani cross events.
I've run with my older whippet (Scout is 11) for a number or years and he's gradually enjoyed it less and less so Now I only take him if going out for a 30 minutes or so. But our 11month Whippet puppy absolutely loves running with me- the longer the better! He is far more hyper than his big brother ever was and is very destructive if not exercised fully so a great incentive for me to run. We do a lot of off road as I love him being off a lead - he's good as gold trotting along side me, only occasionally lagging behind for sniffs etc. I put him on a lead if we ( rarely) encounter someone, just out of courtesy.
However, 8 weeks ago, whilst on a coastal path, as we passed a guy with his dog, Finn tried to say hello, and because I stepped to avoid him, I tripped, crashing down on my left cheek, badly cutting and grazing my face and knees, and next day after a visit to casualty, found I'd broken my cheek bone. Because I was holding his lead, I hadn't instinctively put out my hands to save myself. Poor Finn was very sorry and kept trying to lick me, but it wasn't his fault. However, since then, I've been very wary, and quite nervous when he needs to be on a lead so have been contemplating a cani-x lead.. What do people think?
Cani-x cross leads are brilliant, although Max is a very strong dog and I have to make the belt really tight. It's so much easier to run when both hands are free. You can pay well over £100 for them, but I got mine on Amazon for about £25.
My op went much better than I expected yesterday, so am delighted to hear the news that as long as I cut back on my running intensity (no more 6-7x/ week), I can get back on to running, mixed in with more cycling. Yan doesn't know it yet, but he's going to be a very happy boy.
ffRAN - A Cani-X lead might be a good idea, but you could still trip over the dog if it darts in front of you. Better idea would be training the dog to stay at heel when passing other dogs and enforcing the rule absolutely. When I'm out running with mine he's allowed to dot about as he pleases most of the time but if we're passing other runners, cyclists, dog walkers etc I call him to heel and make him run beside me till we're past them. I spent a year or so doing it on the lead and tripping over him if he darted out to cross in front of me but for the last 18 months he's been excellent and now running off lead he oftens runs back to me of his own accord when he sees other people approaching.
I found it helped a lot to always make him run on the left of me and to always pass people on the left too, so that I'm always between him and the other person/dog. It means that if he darts out to be nosey, he has to cross in front of me and as it breaks my cadence I always get annoyed and reprimand him. If he didn't get in my way I'd be tempted to let minor infractions slip, especially if I was knackered, but if he crosses my path he is right in front of me so often gets a toe in the ribs along with the verbal check.
TD - Great news on your op - you must be pretty chuffed!
Thanks folks. Yes, am happy and relived, maybe more so when I've actually started to run again. Still limping around the house with post-op swelling right now.
My dog has learnt this wonderful habit of getting right out the way if another runner or cyclist is coming towards us and i tell him to sit. He lies down, under hedges, in long grass, but right out of the way. Gives a good feeling of confidence and he just looks at me, waiting for a signal to go again. Would like to claim great training but I reckon he's just smart.
The last dog (a cross between Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd) believed she had the right AND obligation, to stop any moving object dead in their tracks. More than a little embarassing and took many years to get over.