How to pick a dog who's a running companion (Read 1185 times)


Rungry!

     

    My mom has had 2 standard poodles.  Both of them are/were very, very smart.  High maintenance though with all the clipping of hair.  Every dog is different, and I suppose it's different when you raise a standard poodle from a puppy but neither of her dogs is great around my son.  The first one would growl and snap at him.  He was a weird dog to start with, didn't like strangers.  My son came around when he was already 4 or 5 years old so he didn't grow up with children around.  He wasn't great with other dogs either.  

     

    The 2nd poodle nips constantly and jumps.  He is very sweet and happy and doesn't mean to hurt anybody, he's just hyper and not well trained.  He is extremely hyperactive and barks constantly (her other poodle rarely barked).  He loves children, but because he nips and jumps, we are careful around him.   I was dog-sitting him earlier this week, and took him running.  He did great -- heeled well, only ran in front of me a couple of times (my mom has him on her left, I tried to keep him on my right - not his fault he was confused).  It was the first time I had run with him, and it was the first time he's ever gone running with anybody.  I was very pleasantly surprised how well he did and I bet with proper training he'd be a great running partner.  

    Thanks for your input!

    Jen

    Better I Leave


      So my wife and I have been checking this thread out. We've got a Rhodesian Ridgeback and I'm going to start training her for running with me. A few questions...

       

      1. Should I start her off on a leash? I've taken up to the high country on a few 7 mile run/walk/hike mountain trails and she's done pretty damn well without a leash, but I plan on taking her now on +5 mile steady runs around a local lake. And...

      2. Sometimes she likes to get out in front of a person. My wife suggests a bamboo stick to "nudge" (not whack of course) her back to the side. Thoughts?

      GinnyinPA


        If your dog's recall is 100% reliable, then let her off leash.  If not, or if you are running anywhere that she is likely to have to deal with traffic (i.e. running beside a road or across one) or if there are likely to be other loose dogs, you'd probably do better with her on leash.

         

        Our GR Ben has a very strong prey drive, which means that if he were off leash, he'd be chasing after every squirrel, rabbit, deer, etc. he saw.  He does that anyway, but at least with the long leash we can haul him back. He has tried to run across busy roads when chasing a squirrel.  Being attached saved us all.  We use a long (30') leash when hiking with him.  I've run only a little with him, as he is too fast for me, though he did settle into an easy trot after a while.

         

        I prefer having my dog in front of me rather than behind me so I can see what he is up to.  Ben is not the best trained dog in any case, and we allow him to be lead dog most of the time, but since he is very apt to find garbage or dead animals, I like having an eye on him so I can get garbage away.  On trails, he can't usually be beside us, as the trails are narrow, so ahead works better.  In suburbia he ranges all over on his short leash.

          "I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."

          -- Dick LeBeau

            As a Ridgeback owner, I would strongly advise never doing off-leash runs.  Mine, Molly, has been off-leash for days while hiking/backpacking in the woods.  She's been fine for that.

             

            While running, however, the sight hound instincts are much stronger, especially if there are other animals around.  She doesn't pull on the leash, but without it, she will go "inspect" small (or large, like deer) animals she sees. (Note: Molly has run probably 2,000 miles with me, and I still won't let her off-leash, even when on trail runs.  I probably could, but I will not risk my best friend falling prey to her own instincts for my convenience.)  Getting a roamer or "buddy leash" is invaluable and will keep your hands free.

             

            I would let the dog lead only if she will come to your side on command.  Otherwise, it can create some pack-mentality issues.

            "When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." 
            Emil Zatopek

            Better I Leave


              Good advice here folks. Much thanks. The plan for today is for 1 lap (2,62 miles) around the lake to see how she does. I'm sure I'll be learning every bit as much as she.

                This is the leash I was referring to, by the way.  Love mine.

                "When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." 
                Emil Zatopek

                zoom-zoom


                rectumdamnnearkilledem

                  Yesterday I had a running companion for about .2 mile.  Appeared to be an older female golden retriever/husky mix of some sort.  She showed up as I was doing my short warm-up walk then ran right at my side for a couple of minutes.  Eventually she decided that she was not up for running far and I heard sad little whimper barks behind me as I kept going.  I've seen this dog roaming our 'hood before.  I feel sad that she's not better cared for.

                   

                  Our neighbor has 2 GSDs.  The male has hip issues, but her female is kind of a runt and can run run run.  I've considered asking her if I could take Ruby for short runs this Spring when my DS starts running, again.  Ruby adores my son and I think she'd really enjoy getting out of the fenced-in yard for some easy jogs with us.

                  Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                  remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                       ~ Sarah Kay

                    Good advice here folks. Much thanks. The plan for today is for 1 lap (2,62 miles) around the lake to see how she does. I'm sure I'll be learning every bit as much as she.

                    Think about using a harness to avoid neck injuries.  (I posted some examples and links earlier in this thread.)

                    "I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."

                    -- Dick LeBeau


                    My dogs are fast, not me

                      I just wanted to chime in on the Greyhounds as running companions. I have 2 (was 3 but we lost our 12 year old female in November) retired Greyhounds. They are adopted from the track at Southland and had very different careers. Please be aware that NGA (the association that oversees breeding and racing of Greys) Greyhounds are currently bred to run short distances. They have amazing bursts of speed for a very short period of time and then they sleep. None of my dogs would have ever made a good running companion. They take their retirement quite seriously and even a long walk or a trip to the enclosed ballpark for a Greyhound play date was an interruption to their 20 hours of sleep a day.

                       

                      Temperament-wise, my Greys are lazy, laidback couch potatoes who are happier sleeping and taking an occasional 1/4 mile walk around the block although I have heard of people who have trained their Greys to run about 3 miles. Good luck in your search for a dog!

                      Robin


                      Hip Redux

                        Or.. as is the case of my dogs... they just sleep and skip the bursts of speed part.  LOL  They take retirement SERIOUSLY.

                         

                        I just wanted to chime in on the Greyhounds as running companions. I have 2 (was 3 but we lost our 12 year old female in November) retired Greyhounds. They are adopted from the track at Southland and had very different careers. Please be aware that NGA (the association that oversees breeding and racing of Greys) Greyhounds are currently bred to run short distances. They have amazing bursts of speed for a very short period of time and then they sleep. None of my dogs would have ever made a good running companion. They take their retirement quite seriously and even a long walk or a trip to the enclosed ballpark for a Greyhound play date was an interruption to their 20 hours of sleep a day.

                         

                        Temperament-wise, my Greys are lazy, laidback couch potatoes who are happier sleeping and taking an occasional 1/4 mile walk around the block although I have heard of people who have trained their Greys to run about 3 miles. Good luck in your search for a dog!

                         


                        jules2

                          It's always struck me that this would be an ideal running companion plus they are good swimmers as they have webbed feet, in fact if you could teach them to cycle they could compete in Triathlons

                           

                           

                           

                          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otterhound

                          Old age is when you move from illegal to prescribed drugs.

                          msmrow


                            You've gotten a lot of responses and great advice already.

                             

                            I adopted a mutt- a mix b/t a cattle dog and a blue tick hound from the spca.  He needed a good bit of training to learn to behave on a leash, and lots of reinforcement.  I spent a lot of time clicker training walking back and forth in front of the house.  He still has terrible leash behaviors with my husband, because he doesn't associate behaving well for rewards with anyone but me.

                             

                            He and I started from the "couch" together and progressed at the same rate.  This was great timing, and I wasn't tempted to try to get him to do too much initially, because I wasn't conditioned for running either!  Now, he doesn't stop and smell while running, and will even poop in the road WHILE running, now rather than stop.  He loves running!  Everyone is amazed that he will trot next to me, adjusting his pace to mine, etc. but it did take a lot of work and training to get to this point.  If you are willing to put in the time, I think you can train most dogs who are physically able to run with you to do it well.

                            Jeffrey


                              Vizsla.

                                When you do pick out a dog, do you start it first off with a leash while running and then slowly wean it off? (More of a dog training question I guess)

                                Prairie running is peace.