Running With Your Dog: 8 Tips to Get You Started

  Meet Alice, an adorable, almost four year old Labrador Retriever. Alice is my furry baby girl, and she is spoiled beyond belief. I may be a little biased, but I think she's pretty much the cutest thing ever. I mean look at that face!

One of her favorite things to do is run. In our back yard, down the hallway, around the house like a little tornado - she LOVES running. She makes one heck of a running partner too, that is now that we've figured out how organized running works rather than the Phoebe-style running we saw on Friends.

When we first started running together she was a mixture of excitement and chaos. She'd sprint all out, dragging me behind her down the road. When you think you had finally gotten her into a decent pace, BAM! She'd veer off to the side to chase a bunny.We found our stride soon enough though, and now she knows her running harness from her walking harness, understands when I tell her to cross the street, and (perhaps most importantly) has learned the word "slow".


Do you have a little fluff ball at home who would love to be your running buddy? Here's a few tips I recommend you start with:


1. Talk to your vet.
Make sure your pup is ready to begin a running routine. You don't want to find out about an unknown health concern when you're two miles away from your home on the side of the road.

2. Don't start too young.
Puppies need time to develop. In fact, your pup shouldn't begin running with you until their bones have stopped growing. Not sure when they've reached that magical age? Well, just jump back to Tip #1 and take them in to see their vet. You'll have piece of mind knowing that your pup will be safe, and they'll get a treat for seeing the nice doctor.

3. Know your breed.
Not all breeds are created equal. Some were built to run, others may need to keep slow. Search for information about your breed or check out this list of natural runners on Animal Planet.

4. Start slow.
If your pup is new to running, I'd recommend starting off with a run that is 10 minutes or less in duration. Keep an eye on how your dog is behaving during the run though, if they seem to tire out take a walk break and let them catch their breath before you raise the pace again. After about a week or two, try upping the time by 5 minutes (maybe 10 if your dog just seems like a natural). I wouldn't increase the time too quick though, may just a slight increase of 5-10 minutes once a week to start.

5. Keep their paws in mind.
Be aware of hot asphalt, ice patches, broken glass, and other debris. During the summer, I like to put my hand on the asphalt before we begin a run. And in the winter, I try to stay clear of the houses I know run their sprinklers before our run. There have been a few times where we've turned the corner to find a sidewalk full of ice and it is not fun.

6. Stay hydrated.
If its warm out, or you're going to be running for an extended amount of time, bring some water with you. During the run, watch how your dog is doing. Foaming at the mouth, heavy panting, glazed eyes, and slowing down or falling behind are signs that your dog needs a break and a chance to cool off. If your dog begins to act disoriented, unfocused, or confused - stop the run immediately and see if you can get your dog in the shade or home as quickly as possible. And when in doubt, call your vet. I prefer to err on the side of caution and call my vet anytime I'm worried about Alice. In fact, when Alice was a tiny little thing my vet was awesome enough to give me her personal email address (and boy did that get used!).

7. Bring doggie bags!
This one seems like it would be common sense, but its worth the reminder. And remember to bring extras!

8. After the run:
Once you've finished your run together, its time to cool down. Make sure your pup has plenty of water to replenish the fluids they lost on the run and give them time to. Check your pup for cuts, scrapes, or signs of worn down pads. And if you ran in a grassy or wooded area, be sure to check for ticks or burrs that may be in your dog's fur.

Have any pictures of you running with your pup? I'd LOVE to see them!