Quote Originally Posted by Dogmama
What breed of dog are you running with? I always worry about heat stroke. Dogs do not communicate well and you have to really watch them. Often, people do not realize that their dog is overheated until they collapse. Short nosed breeds are VERY susceptible to heat problems because the air isn't cooled enough before it gets to their brains.
Good call -- what should we look for? I always watch to see where my dog (a boxer/rottweiler mix, boxer sized with a rottweiler face ) is running -- if she's in the grass for too long, the sidewalk/pavement is too hot (normally she stays pretty close and just sniffs in the grass for a second). If she's trying hard to find a way to run in the shade, it's too hot for her in the sun. I also watch her tempo -- if she's dragging and panting, she's hot AND getting tired. I just don't know what her limits are and am afraid to find out by pushing too far and carrying her home (or to the vet!).

I love German Shepherds. We had one when I was growing up... such a loyal dog, great with kids and fun to play with. Even when he was old, he still wanted to be where the kids were (of course, the kids weren't exactly kids anymore by then ).