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| training a dog to be running companion (Read 473 times) |
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My Webster |
posted: 5/29/2008 at 7:35 PM |
LOL. He is cute isn't he! These are the only pics that I have right now.....
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| "Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game" |
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posted: 5/29/2008 at 10:51 PM |
When you're ready to start running, grab a Gentle Leader (no, it's NOT a muzzle of any sort!) and get your dog used to it. My dogs didn't like it at first, but it's a wonderful way to keep them from pulling. You can get them at most pet stores, but don't buy a knock off...they don't work as well, IMHO.
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751500 |
| "Life is short... running makes it seem longer."
- Baron Hansen
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Carps10 view log |
posted: 5/30/2008 at 2:36 AM |
| dogs are great runners, I've seen a dog run multiple 4:30 miles in a row. just be careful in the heat. labs are covered in fur and they get dehydrated and overheated. |
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posted: 5/30/2008 at 4:16 AM
modified: 5/30/2008 at 4:17 AM |
congrats on your new pup! I love chocolate labs!! I have a 1 year old lab/shepherd mix that I run with all the time. He's a great running companion. This popped up on my IGoogle page just a few days ago. Thought you might find it useful.
http://running.about.com/od/safetyissuesandtips/tp/runningwithdogs.htm
Here's a pic of my boy with his new backpack. http://www.elrodtribe.com/mojo2.jpg I keep his water and bowl in one side and my water in the other. He can also carry his own poop bag when there's no trashcan around.
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posted: 5/30/2008 at 2:23 PM |
| When it's hot, wet the dog down first. It helps. When he gets older, make it a point to find a race that allows dogs. I did several 10k's with my old Savannah, and it was a blast!!! |
- Anya
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posted: 5/30/2008 at 2:33 PM |
I LOVE running with my dog. Suka is up to 10 miles with me, and he'd like to go further, but it's getting a little warm outside right now for him to do anything more. He's four years old now, and we didn't start running him until he was one year old. We wanted to make sure he developed properly first, since Siberians have to be watched closely for loose hips and joints - hip dysplasia is common in the breed.
Congrats on your lab - he will be so fun to run with when he gets older! I LOVE his name. Very cute.  |
| "If you run 100 miles a week, you can eat anything you want - Why? Because (a) you'll burn all the calories you consume, (b) you deserve it, and (c) you'll be injured soon and back on a restricted diet anyway." ~ Don Kardong |
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My Webster |
posted: 5/30/2008 at 5:53 PM |
thanks again for all the great advice! By the time Webster is ready I am going to be a pro! LOL.
Anzura--cool backpack thing! Where did you get it? |
| "Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game" |
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| view log Sherpagirl |
posted: 5/30/2008 at 6:17 PM |
| I agree with all of the advice on waiting until the dog is older. With a big breed like a lab I would talk to a breeder or someone that trains them to hunt to find out when they feel safe to run them hard. Labs are bred to run ... but they are big so I think they may be more prone to chronic injuries from running them too soon. My dogs topped out at around 15 miles before they start to break. Breaking usually includes blisters on their paws. We do mostly trail running so my 15 is probably 18 or 20 for them. My dogs are now 10 and 8 years old and they can still do 8 to 10 miles without much problem. Be careful with heat and hydration. My dogs cannot really take much over 80 - 85 degrees if there is no water to cool them off in. I always carry water for them to drink but when it’s hot they really need to get themselves wet to cool off. It’s also good to teach them how to drink from anything. My dogs will drink from a camelback hose, plastic bag, my hand or their favorite creeks or lakes. |
| If you're bored ask why you're boring |
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posted: 5/31/2008 at 1:53 AM |
| Quote from Lindso on 5/30/2008 at 5:53 PM:
Anzura--cool backpack thing! Where did you get it?
I got it at REI. There's a ton of different brands. This one is the REI brand. Just as nice and not as pricey. I think I'm mostly going to use it for our hikes this spring/summer and runs over 4 or 5 miles depending on if I run by/near a creek or not.
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| view log Jazz, happy dog |
posted: 5/31/2008 at 2:32 AM |
Like everyone else said, wait until the dog is at least a year old. Start him out walking.
Leash train him so he doesn't lunge at other dogs, squirrels, deer, people, etc. You must be alpha dog.
Depending on where you live, be extremely cautious if it's warm. What seems like a mild day to you can cause heatstroke for a dog, which doesn't sweat, and whose brown coat absorbs sunlight.
Be very alert for any signs of injury, lameness, or heat problems. Dogs will not show weakness if they see you are going out and they will try to keep up until they drop.
Take pepper spray, for other dogs who might attack your dog (or for two-legged predators). You are responsible for protecting him. It happens. |
| Just 'cause you can, doesn't mean you should
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| view log 26.2 |
posted: 5/31/2008 at 2:34 AM |
Lindso , Beautiful puppy ! I have run over 700 miles so far this year, and my dog Buddy has been there for all but about 30 of them. Puppies bones take about 2 years to form ,so you have to be gentle with them.I'm sure you'll be smart about it. In time ,talk to your vet about it.The trick for me is to have a real good hydration plan for my dog. In 70* temp he goes through about 16 oz of water an hour. I also try to run routes (trails) that he can swim periodically to keep from over heating.
Other than that, good luck with him and he'll be the best running partner you can have! |
| I wish the real world would just stop hassling me |
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| view log TRIing to beat the heat! |
posted: 6/1/2008 at 2:03 PM |
| Quote from treed942000 on 5/29/2008 at 4:09 PM: The one piece of advice I can give you is to wait a year before running the pup. During this time is when they have their bone and cartledge growth and you don't want to hurt that process.
I couldn't agree with this more!
You need to wait at least a year before allowing your pup to place the kind of physical demands that running requires on his joints. This is especially important with dogs that are prone to hip dysplasia... like your Chocolate Lab!
Enjoy your new baby! I'm sure he'll make a great running companion in time.
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HR monitor addict
5K PR- 23:58 (November '08)
10K PR- 54:27 (October '08)
Goals for 2009
Sub-22 5K (stand alone)
Sub-26 minute 5K attached to sprint triathlon
Sub-54 minute 10K attached to Olympic triathlon
Sub-51 minute 10K (stand alone)
Complete first 1/2 marathon (Feb 2008) in approx. 2 hours
Gear up training for early 2010 marathon
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