Jogging with Your Dog

Before starting your dog running, run it by your vet and make sure your furry friend has a clean bill of health.

What You Need

To run with your dog, you only need the simplest of equipment, a collar and a leash. If your dog does not walk well on a leash, you will probably want to train him to walk on a lead. But until then, a prong or check(choke) collar is safe and can discourage pulling.

Any leash will do, but a traffic leash--typically 1 1/2 to 3 feet long--is useful for keeping your dog under control when jogging. They have a big handle so it's easy to grip. It's short so you don't have a lot of leash trailing, and some have a snap on the end so you can easily break your grip if you had to.

If running longer distances (more than 25 minutes) you should also bring water and a retractable water dish. Or plan your route so your dog can get water along the way.

Getting Started

You need to begin your dog running program slowly.You should never go out and power through 4 miles in 30 minutes your dog's first time out. Actually, you should really start by walking, even if your dog is energetic. Start by taking your dog for long walks at least a half a mile every other day.

After a week or so, sprinkle periods of running during the walks. You will have to increase the distance of your walk/runs to keep your exercise time at 30 minutes. Add distance by 10 percent each week. This schedule may look like this.

and so on until you are running the whole time.

If your dog starts lagging, slow down. Keep decreasing the walking over a week or two until your routine is all running.

And for every day you run, your should give your dog a day off.

Where to Run

When to Run

Dogs do not get rid of heat the way humans do. Sweat cools our skin, but dog do not sweat. They release heat through their paws and mouths. Because of this, they also release heat slower than we do, so you have to make sure they don't overheat.

• On warm days, plan your running route to allow drinking stops.
• Let the dog run through puddles and sprinklers.
• Dogs with longer hair and shorter muzzles may have more problems with running on warm days.

After the Run

Check your dog's paws before and after every run for any cuts or abrasions.

Offer your dog water immediately after the run, but just sips at first rather than free access to water. This will help your dog cool more effectively.

To Start Leash Training

It is imperative that the dog doesn't lead you or pull on the leash when you are walking him. In fact, before even heading outside, start by walking your dog around the house or the backyard where he is familiar with the surroundings and less likely to get overexcited. If he pulls forward on the leash, stop where you are, give a quick jerk with the leash and immediately release the leash to give it some slack while giving the "stop" command. Then give a "sit-stay" command and praise him when he is sitting (not too much if it gets him excited again). Wait several seconds then continue with the walk.

You will likely have to repeat this several times before your dog stops. As he understands that you are doing the leading when you are walking him, you can bring him out into the real world for a walk. If he still tries to pull ahead just repeat the process above by jerking on the leash. But when he is doing a good job, be sure to give your dog praises and encouragement.

Best Dog Types and Breeds for Running Companions

Not all dogs are cut out for running. Just because your pup likes to run around does not mean he or she is ready for long-distance runs. Starting slow is a good way to find out. There are some things to know about which dogs should not run and which are likely to like it. Breed Know your breed! Some breeds, like those dogs bred for working and hunting, tend to make better distance runners (for a dog, more than 15 minutes of continuous running). Very small dogs are obviously not built for long runs, but neither are very large breeds like Great Danes. Size is not the only consideration, but also genetic or physical features of your dog's breed.

• Greyhounds
• Retrievers (Golden, Labrador)
• many medium and larger Terrier breeds
• Border Collies 
• German Shepherds
• many Setter breeds
• Dalmatians
  

• dogs with shorter nasal tracks: many Bully breeds and mixes like Bulldogs and Bull Terriers
  
• Northern breeds during summer or very warm weather (Huskies, Akitas)
• very large breeds, like Bullmastiff and Mastiff, have more difficulty regulating their body temperature and don't need to overexert