Dogs! (Read 1450 times)

and no most dog incidents are brought on because stupid owners who allow them to roam loose

I agree. Most "bad" dogs are the result of bad owners. I have a very large Black Lab (110#s+) who is a real wuss but has never met a stranger. His size scares the crap out of a lot of people so I keep him on his lead when I am out. He is very well trained to voice and hand commands but ,at 2 years old, can still be very playful.

Really good advice everyone! I have had my fair share of dog encounters and some just never seem to get the fact that all I want to do is keep cruising along in my run. Since we are on the topic of dogs I have been considering getting a dog to run with and I would really like to get one that can handle longer distances (12 - 20 milers if not more). I use to run w/ my brothers mixed breed dog (lab and chow mix) but it would always get sore paws before we could run any more than 4-6 miles 3-4 times a week. It seemed to be able to handle the longer distances ok, but I really want to make sure the dog that I do get will be able to handle the mileage. Any suggestions out there for good dog running breeds or mixed breeds for that matter (I am not picky)?

I just got a dog as a running partner, she is a Husky mix from the pound and is a virtually perfect running partner. She was just over a year old when I got her 1.5 Months ago and in this short time she has learned a ton. First off she LOVES running, (which is a great thing to leverage when training her to run on the leash, if she pulls just stop running!). She has gotten much better at not pulling, moves to my side when cars are near and is beginning to respond to voice commands. She runs everything with me these days and I have not hit any obvious distance limit with her. I stopped her at 9.5 miles on my 14 miler the other day (just because I don't really know her limits yet) but I am quite confident she would do 20+ happily. As for the theme of this thread, I have really never encountered a problem with dogs other than following me. Dominance is key though, only a very poorly trained dog will continue toward me if I face them and establish dominance, and if they continue, I am not afraid of the swift kick to the face. Grabbing the caller and forcing them down is a great way too but I rarely want to stop. I do think that the owner is 99% responsible for the behavior of the dog and the other 1% is for the stupid people that taunt dogs.

Those are beautiful Dob's! I love dogs. Have had big dogs (Shepard's raised in the sport of schutzhund) all my life. I agree with the sentiment that in their yard they can be as vocal as they want. Attack me for running near-by and i will do what i need to. This is my guard dog, Tater. (note that is a cap from a raid can - clean of course - just to give you a size idea)

Any suggestions out there for good dog running breeds or mixed breeds for that matter (I am not picky)?

A few recommendations: 1) Adopt a rescue/shelter dog. All of mine are rescue dogs. Mutts are great! 2) In general, herding breeds/mixes (shepherd dogs, cattle dogs, border collies) have good endurance, as they are used to running for hours at a time, and working breeds are very good too. Surprisingly (from what I've read) greyhounds are sprinters but not so good at long runs. They make excellent companions, though. Especially rescues, greyhounds that don't make the cut as racers are plentiful and really need good homes. If personal protection is a factor, breeds with an aggressive look like Dobermans, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Bull Terriers and the like) are good deterrents, even if they are really wimps. 3) If you adopt a longhair breed, then plan on cutting way back on their long runs in warm weather. Even our shorthair Dobes cut back in the warm months and it's even more so for longhairs, as they will run until they drop to please you, and by then it's too late. Let us know what you decide!

) Adopt a rescue/shelter dog. All of mine are rescue dogs. Mutts are great!

Just want to echo this!! DH and I volunteer at a shelter, and there is no shortage of loving dogs that need loving homes.

The one on the left is Daisy, my avatar and running partner. They are always on leash and under control. Seeing your red Dobe on the right brought me to tears. I lost my 11 yr old red Dobie last February. I still miss her so much. Wonderful, wonderful dog.

I love all dogs, but I'm really partial to Labs - as you can probably tell by my avatar Although I had a red Dobe years ago, and I still miss her. My agility instructor is a Dobe breeder - she has lots of them, and they are all the sweetest dogs around. My younger Lab is just about old enough to begin running with - he will love it. I may take him out today for a trial run. I must say that I have been lucky and not ever been chased by a dog on a run. Of course, now that I've said that...I better carry my pepper spray.