Forums >General Running>training a dog to be running companion
Interval Junkie --Nobby
The neighbor's dog and I are good friends. He pulls like a demon as soon as the leash goes on: just so excited to pee on everything. So, last week I decided to let him open it up. Got my runners on and we shot out the door. 6:10pace and I was still a drag on him . . . for the first 1/16 of a mile. Then gradually slowed to my easy pace of 8:30 or so w/in a half-mile.
He only made it 1.5miles before I started pulling him. He's a great dog (shelter dog), so if I ask him to, he will run past what's good for him. Instead we walked back home and he spend the next two hours panting off the heat. He's a big newfoundland/black-lab mix who just doesn't get the exercise he needs.
2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do
jfa
I tried booties on my dog when it was a really cold winter and the roads had a lot of salt on them. He would not stand for them and ripped them off. He seemed to be ok without them. I don't know about the heat on their pads. I think maybe the pads are tough enough without boots on most dogs.
I hold my palm like a cup and pour the water into it , and he drinks from there.
I would highly recommend a Sporn training collar. It instantly stopped my dog from pulling on the leash. Google it to see what it looks like, then you can get a cheaper ( and better made) one at Walmart or Target.
Biggest mistake people make with running with their dogs is over heating them. My dog's tongue is a great heat gauge. The longer it's sticking out, the hotter he is!
Have fun!
I run with my Border Collie, I would also agree to wait until they are at least a year old and the growth plates are closed. I am a new runner and we started C25K together when he was 14 months old, 18 months ago. He runs in a harness and I use a waist belt so that my arms are free, he is pulling, runs like a sled dog but I do not mind, can make hills really easy! He knows the difference between a regular leash and his harness and running this way has not effected his leash manners.
A harness works well when running as there is no pressure on the dogs throat and neck. I compete in agility and spend a lot of time around people who are very geeky about dog training, and from them I have learned to be very careful of the products sold to prevent pulling, such as the head halters and harness. They are great training tools, but can really tweak a dogs neck especially when you are running as they work by turning the dogs head towards you. This also applies to the harness intended to stop pulling as well, different issues but can also cause the dogs physical problems.
great thread!! dogs are great!! we have 3!! Papillions, agility dogs but too small to run with me.
wife & I recently went to Reno for AKC national agility championships & I spent some time (w/o wife knowing) going around taking pictures of possibly runningpartner/agility dogs for me. doing research now for sometime in the future (1-2 ys) as we have lots going on right now & bad timing.
We have dogsat a Brittany for our friends a few times & she is a natural runner!! but she has gone through basic/advanced obedience classes already, new into agility & very well trained. beautiful dog!! She became where she was expecting to go out with me everday & would not leave me alone until I did. When I would come down the hallway & she would see me wearing my bright yellow Brooks shirt she would go ballistic. very cute 3-6 miles was our norm.
funny that yesterday went through a search to match you with your dog on animalplanet/dogs101 & the match for me was ..........
Brittany Spaniel 98% (surprise? not really, maybe just the %) English/Cocker Spaniels were a distant 2nd
As several have posted: obedience classes/training & 1-1.5 yrs old is a no brainer!! they have to develop. So I'm not talking as an expert here but it does take on avg 11-12 mths on smaller breeds & 12-16 mths on larger breeds for their growth plates to close. each breed & individual dog is different. For AKC agility they need to be at least 15 mths old to compete. any breed.
Feeling the growl again
funny that yesterday went through a search to match you with your dog on animalplanet/dogs101 & the match for me was .......... Brittany Spaniel 98% (surprise? not really, maybe just the %) English/Cocker Spaniels were a distant 2nd
Well that just means you have good taste.
Brittanys and Springers are "decent" running breeds (make sure they are hip-cleared lineages). They are stockier working breeds though, there are breeds better suited to distance running overall. My Springer was great for my wife at 10-11min/mile, at 7min/mile he loved me the first mile and hated me after that, unless we are on my own property where he can take breaks, get water from the pond or soak, etc.
I had not run with him in a couple years since we did 10 miles together. I did a workout on my backyard grass track last week and after a couple laps he just did fifty yards with me each time I came around. After that he would go sit under a tree. Every 10min or so he'd come back and check on me like "are you still running in circles?? Idiot....I'm going back under my tree"
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
We have a Lab/Chesapeake mix. His usual approach to running is to take the first half mile at light speed; the next half mile at a comfortable pace; and the rest of the run imitating a boat anchor.
I think part of this is his Chesapeake heritage. That breed is very independent and strong-willed. If they don't think something makes sense, they'll simply refuse to do it. Once he figures out that we're not chasing something, he decides I've taken leave of my senses and quits cooperating. (It definitely isn't because he's tired....I have never seen a dog that can swim faster or farther.)
He's also happier the colder it gets. I've seen him break the ice on a local pond to jump in and go for a swim. But the heat makes the poor guy wilt...I'm very careful about what we do and when we do it in the summer here.
By the way, if your pup has problems with blisters or raw pads, I'm a big fan of a product called Musher's Secret. You can find it at pet-supply stores sometimes, and it's for sale on Amazon. It's non-toxic, semi-permeable (so the paws can sweat) and doesn't make too much of a mess. It was created for cold-weather use, but it's also good for protecting paws against long runs on pavement or asphalt.
Well, that was a fun 5 minutes: Breed Selector.
German Shorthaired Pointer 98% match
The shorthaired is an all-purpose close-working gun dog that combines agility, power and endurance. It is square or slightly longer than tall; although it has a short back, it should stand over plenty of ground. It should have a clean-cut head, graceful outline, strong quarters and an athletic physique. The gait is smooth, light and ground-covering. The coat is short and tough
not bad for mile 25
If they don't think something makes sense, they'll simply refuse to do it.
They've got a good deal more sense than distance runners.
Congrats on your puppy! He is cute! I am biased though, I'm a lab-aholic
I run with my black lab Sammy. In the winter he can go with me up to 10 miles, in the summer I won't take him on anything but a slow, slow 1-3 miles that has sprinklers or a pond or some other way for him to get wet along the route. I started taking him on short runs when he was around 6 months and we worked our way up.
He is a field bred lab so he doesn't have too much problem with weight gain but I'm sure the running helps him stay trim.
He's my loyal running companion and I LOVE having him with me. I talk to him along the way sometimes, LOL. I generally run on a paved trail that isn't too crowded and he is off leash most of our runs. He has excellent recall and he knows how to heel, so I feel comfortable with that. I took him to obedience school when he was little and he learned all his proper leash manners, so he is good on a leash too.
I think you will be happy with your choice. Remember the best thing you can do is spend time training him so that when he's old enough to go on the runs with you it's enjoyable for both of you.
Well, that was a fun 5 minutes: Breed Selector. German Shorthaired Pointer 98% match The shorthaired is an all-purpose close-working gun dog that combines agility, power and endurance. It is square or slightly longer than tall; although it has a short back, it should stand over plenty of ground. It should have a clean-cut head, graceful outline, strong quarters and an athletic physique. The gait is smooth, light and ground-covering. The coat is short and tough
That was FUN! My answer is actually the dog I'm in the market for. I peruse pet-finders and rescues constantly to see if there are any available!! Just gotta convince the husband that 3 dogs are better then 2!
Flat-Coated Retriever 97% match
"Power without lumber and raciness without weediness" is the traditional description of the flat-coated retriever. It is strong but elegant, never cobby, among the most streamlined of the retrievers. It is slightly longer than tall, of moderate substance. The head is distinctive, long and of "one piece," all parts flowing smoothly into each other. The gait is ground-covering, smooth and efficient. The coat is thick and flat, of only moderate length, providing protection without adding weight. These attributes have resulted in a versatile and athletic hunter capable of retrieving over land and water.
Looks like there's one out there in MD, VF.
I do love that they have the rescue/shelter search incorporated into the dog questionnaire.
The breed q'aire got me an American Water Spaniel - which, looking at the picture, I think I ended up running with last weekend. I've never had a dog, and never been much interested in getting one. I do like them, but I live in a small house in an urban neighborhood with a teeny yard, in a family with two working parents and two busy kids. And an aged cat.
Last Sunday I was doing a long run on a nearby rail-trail. I was on a section with open space on both sides, no houses around, when, about 100 meters ahead of me these two dogs come running onto the trail from the neighboring field. A yellow lab and a poodle-type dog -- but looking at the pic now, I'm thinking water spaniel is as likely. They turn and see me, and come *racing* toward me. It was early Easter morning, and the trail was deserted, and, like I said, I wasn't near any houses, so I was frankly scared quite a bit by this - good thing the only injury I've ever heard anyone sustaining from a yellow lab related to the dog falling asleep on their lap and causing their leg to fall asleep. They started jumping all over me, and each other. They were wet - the poodle/spaniel/whatever soaked from head to foot -- muddy, and at least one of them had been skunked. They had collars and tags, but I didn't have a phone with me. It took awhile for them to calm down enough to let me start up my run again, but when I did, they trotted along with me like pros for almost two miles, holding perfectly about 3-4 feet in front of me without pause or straying (except when we passed one other runner coming the other direction, and they started jumping on her; I resent people who don't control their off-leash dogs in such encounters, so I hope she believed me when I explained they weren't mine - although they promptly took off with me again when I ran on, so I bet she didn't . . . .). Finally, we ran into someone walking their own dogs, who promptly leashed "my" dogs and got his phone out. I hope they made it home okay - I think they must have had quite an adventure overnight!
So, now I'm thinking, hey, that was nice, running with those dogs. . . . My girls really want a dog . . . . We wouldn't do anything as long as we've got our dear cat, but maybe after that. . . . That breed questionnaire didn't specifically address "good with children" issues, but it seemed encompassed within other criteria, and my kids are getting old enough (7 and 9) that they could learn not to be idiots with the dog, and even to assist in caring for it. I'd be just as happy with a mutt, and am strongly inclined to shelter/rescue animals. Maybe someday soon . . . .
Well that just means you have good taste. Brittanys and Springers are "decent" running breeds (make sure they are hip-cleared lineages). They are stockier working breeds though, there are breeds better suited to distance running overall. My Springer was great for my wife at 10-11min/mile, at 7min/mile he loved me the first mile and hated me after that, unless we are on my own property where he can take breaks, get water from the pond or soak, etc. I had not run with him in a couple years since we did 10 miles together. I did a workout on my backyard grass track last week and after a couple laps he just did fifty yards with me each time I came around. After that he would go sit under a tree. Every 10min or so he'd come back and check on me like "are you still running in circles?? Idiot....I'm going back under my tree"
the Brittany I ran with, Mattie was fine at a pace right in the middle of those 2. when getting close to 5-6 she does start slowing down abit & starts lagging behind just a little instead of wanting to "control" the pace. I'm sure she could handle more but I don't think I would run a dog more than that anyway. maybe i could get her on that 18/70 plan or similar to build her endurance. Anybody know of a good HM training plan for a dog?? ha ha
Mattie's owners take her out for 1 1/2 hr walks daily & also 2-3x week she runs along while they bike so she was well trained already. only minor issue is that if she sees any kind of birds she wants to stop immediately & check them out. We have a water retention pond close by & 1st time I ran with her by the pond she spotted a duck & would have jumped in if I had let her. Every time after that she would slow down by the pond & look for that duck!
I started running with my dog when we got him. He was a stray but the vet estimates he was a year old. He had no interest in walking politely on a leash and used to pull like crazy. My husband was willing to put up with this, but I bought a pinch collar (not a choke collar) for running. My dog very quickly (within about one or two runs) learned not to pull on the leash while we were running and politely ran beside me, making for a very pleasant running experience. He loved going for runs, so the pinch collar must not have bothered him too much. I highly recommend this approach for a slightly older dog. If you're starting with a puppy, perhaps there are better ways.
Congratulations by the way! I love running with my dog. He's run many a mile with my husband and I, and according to our vet, he's in amazing shape at 8 years old due to running every day.
Edited to add: Our dog is a German shepherd mix. I high recommend this breed if you live in a coolish climate. (We live in Seattle.) He loves to run and has kept up with us without a problem since day 1. Unlike shepherd purebreads, his hips are great. At 8 years old, he keeps up at 7:30 or 8:00 pace without any problem for a few miles. He also keeps up at a slower pace for long runs (up to 13 miles) without any issue. His only weakness is in the heat. He's not a big fan of running in temperatures higher than 80 degrees, but those are rare where we live. Maybe he'd get used to it if he had to.