Avoid Jogging with Your Dog
Just because many dogs can run fast does not guarantee they enjoy long distance running at a set pace under some personal training regime or extreme sport you have designed for them and believe they may enjoy. Dogs have an uncanny knack of tolerating anything just so their human caretakers will be pleased; there’s a fine line between running for enjoyment and overdoing it – most dogs would likely prefer walking and boisterous play instead!
There are numerous blogs extolling the virtues of enjoying jogging or running with your pet. They provide helpful tips on special equipment that makes the task easier, possible health hazards to your pup and training methods to choose an ideal breed of running partner for both dog and human alike. Is it reasonable, though, to select one based solely on its suitability as a running companion? And should we put health risks into play just because we lack time or patience to take your pup for walks regularly or simply cannot find someone human to run alongside your companion pet?
“Keeping Up: That Are Our Rules Once I release the hound and allow him to roam off-leash, Rodney runs off at full speed ahead. But before returning back onto our path together he must catch up to me by the end. Our rules stipulate that although he loves his freedom at first he yields quickly to me so I can clip back onto his leash without stopping”.
As is often the case, some owners take things a bit too far when running with their dog; often going beyond 20 miles. Others go even further by creating and engaging in extreme canine buddy sports such as marathons, canicross, canibike or caniscoot; others still ignore any advice whatsoever and simply take off without considering breed or health considerations beforehand.
Some take extra steps in training their dogs so that they stay at a steady pace, maintain an even rhythm, drink from a bottle on the move, don’t stop to sniff, defecate or pee and stay within wide paths without foliage that might distract them. Clearing up after them or carrying around a poo bag seems an inconvenience in comparison.
Running with a bag of dog poop can be an unpleasant experience, so I plan my route so Rodney will pass by public garbage cans as often as possible. To maximize your run, this “strategy” should become part of your route so you don’t end up carrying around an unpleasant bag for more than several hundred feet.”