Running with Dog

[Deborajen]

Does anyone here do much running with a dog?

After 7 months of no running due to what turned out to be a big herniated disc, I got rehabbed and started running again in late January. Most of my running since then has been with my dog. It's awesome - she's always up for it (never "not in the mood"), and she's going to make a speed demon out of me yet! Although I'm still not fast by any means, I've never seen my pace increase so regularly week by week. We're going to do a Dog-n-jog event weekend after next. It's a 1 mile dog jog or a 5K run to benefit the local Humane Society. I think the 5K is for people only, so we'll do the 1 miler. Should be a blast.

It's really been challenging trying to find good information sources on running with a dog. I want to make sure she doesn't overheat or get injured, so I tend to stay close to home and drop her off if she slows way down and starts panting. I also either carry water for her or stop at home for a drink after 15 minutes or so, which seems to be when she gets thirsty on a mild day. What's tricky is that she hates it when I drop her off at the house and go back out without her, so she pushes to go back out with me. I'm afraid of her overdoing it. She's an American Eskimo and she's only 3 years old so she's probably pretty resilient, but I don't know what to watch for as far as potential injuries. Vets don't seem to be able to offer much information - it's like a super-specialized subject.

Anybody know of any good resources on this? (Or have any suggestions from experience?)

[Susan]

I really wish I had a dog to run with I don't have much information to offer, reading your post I remember seeing a video of Christopher McDougall (the one that wrote "Born to run) running with his 2 dogs - maybe you can find some info on his blog?

And then a friend send me this video:

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/190744/

It's not about running but about biking with a dog, it's so cute

[Dogmama]

How lucky you are to have a dog to run with!

Several things to be aware of -

Giving water every 15 minutes or so is a good idea. It will keep her cool & give her a break. Constant pounding can be problematic on connective tissues if the dog isn't acclimated.

When she slows down, try giving her water & taking a walk break. Then start up again. If she's still pretty slow, I'd say she's had enough fun for one day. Yeah, they hate it when you drop them off, but we're supposed to be the smarter species...

Don't shave her. That hair gives her protection from the sun & actually keeps her cooler. This breed is a cool weather type of dog.

Run on soft surfaces when possible. Many dogs don't display orthopedic problems until it's serious.

Do not put booties on your dog. They sweat through the pads of their feet.

Run during cooler weather. If you suspect she is overheating, cool her off by putting water on her belly and paws. Get her home quickly & submerge her in cool water. Dogs pant, but if you see her stumbling, see her tongue really hanging out, etc., err on the side of caution.

Make sure her nails are short. Longer nails can affect their gait.

Hope that helps!

[colby]

I have ran a lot with my dog for several years now (she's probably 10 now, we've ran together since about 2007, so not a young dog). It's great that you're thinking about her this way.

I like to watch how my dog recovers from running in mild/cool weather (her preference) to understand what her maximum distance really is. It's getting shorter, she used to be able to do 20 milers with me, now 12 is as far as we'll go. She sleeps it off for about a day, the day after she's not 100% but pretty close - a lot like me.

I train her like I train me - I wouldn't go out and run 20 miles tomorrow, neither should she, unless she's been doing long runs with me, too. I don't worry so much about 30 minutes of running, but anything over about 45 minutes I have to start thinking more about whether the weather is appropriate, whether she will need water, whether it's just too hot for her.

When we're running, I pay attention to whether she's just getting tired (which is okay), bored (sniffing...), or actually needs to stop (too hot, too tired, etc). How she's panting, how reluctant she is to continue, how often she wants to stop for a break. If it seems genuine, we walk for a while, or I let her rest, or give her water.

I got a RuffWear Swamp Cooler last year. It's a jacket you immerse in cool/cold/ice water and put on their back to help regulate their temperature. It did make a difference in warm weather. Sometimes we "commute" by running to work (6 miles) and it's not all in the shade. Picture of her in her jacket: https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net..._6988469_n.jpg

The hard part really is knowing when they are "done" or need something, like water. I try to apply the same rules to her as I do for myself to start with.

Happy running

[Dogmama]

What a cute baby! Is that vest heavy when it is wet? That would be perfect for Zack. He HATES hot weather. In fact, he runs faster in the sun & slows down in the shade. It's pretty funny.

Where did you get it?

[colby]

What a cute baby! Is that vest heavy when it is wet? That would be perfect for Zack. He HATES hot weather. In fact, he runs faster in the sun & slows down in the shade. It's pretty funny.

Where did you get it?

It's very light dry, but it's been a long time since we've had to wear it wet so I can't say for sure. She didn't complain about it nearly as much as she has with other "new" things (like a doggie pack), even when wet she didn't do the "I can't walk, this is so heavy, I might die" dance. (I may just have jinxed myself for this year)

I bought mine at REI online, it was one of the few places I could find it. Looks like REI doesn't have it, but RuffWear's site does: http://www.ruffwear.com/Swamp-Cooler...=2&category=12

She's a 70(ish) lb boxer-rottweiler, and we got the size Large because of her big chest. It's a little long and a little loose, but I don't think we could have sized down.

[Dogmama]

Thanks so much! I'm ordering one for Zack.

[emily_in_nc]

The swamp cooler jacket has been on my "to buy" list for Paisley for moving to Belize since I first saw one last year in a swanky doggie shop. I think it will help a lot with the heat and the sun. So glad I found out about it in time!

[Deborajen]

Well, we ran about 2 miles today. It was 87 degrees when I got home from work, so we waited until the sun got behind the trees and it had cooled off a little. I didn't know how she'd do since we hadn't been out in temps that high - I didn't know how I'd do - but it went pretty well. We stopped and rested under a tree after about 15 minutes, drank some water, and then continued - she picked the pace right back up. So far we're just doing run intervals with walk breaks - no running straight through. I might look into a vest for her - those look like a great idea. We got a chance to run through someone's sprinkler system. Worked great for me but Abby went to the grass on the other side of the sidewalk where the sprinklers don't reach - she didn't like it one bit!

I'd heard that booties aren't a good idea because dogs sweat through their feet, but I also found an article yesterday that said one of the most common injuries dogs have with running is pad wear. I've noticed Abby sometimes licks her feet after or during a run or walk, but I can't find anything like a sticker in her foot, etc. Our LPS (local pet store ) told us pavement is our friend because it helps keep the toenails worn down, but maybe we need to watch the pad wear, as well as potential orthopedic issues, by giving her some field running time and not all pavement. We do have a small park that I've run laps in occasionally, and we may just have to clip the toenails a little more often.

We won't shave her. We were told about that when we used to have a Husky who was slow to blow off her undercoat in the summer. We just brushed and brushed - we'll do the same with Abby. It's supposed to provide some insulation against the heat as well. I expect her to overheat more than I would, so I'll keep an eye on it.

Susan, I loved the video - that guy must have a blast - and the dog too! - roaring around the bike trails together.

I did find a website on running with your dog that had some helpful info, if anyone is interested:

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/2928

It's a lot of fun and we get lots of smiles from people. Maybe they're actually amused because I can't keep up with my little dog - but what the hey!

[Spencer]

Very interesting.
I think when we do any exercise like running then we need a partner during running. I also carried my dog when i go to do running.