Just because many dogs can run fast it doesn’t necessarily mean they enjoy running long distances
I remember the days when enjoying the company of your dog involved taking it for a walk, allowing it to sniff wherever and whenever it wanted and for whatever time, meet other canine friends, running the odd 5o metres with it, throwing a ball, conversing and allowing it to be …. well a dog. But such interaction doesn't seem to fit in with our hectic modern lifestyles anymore and we appear to be selfishly insisting they participate in our various leisure pursuits rather than considering their desires and needs.
Just because many dogs can run fast it doesn’t necessarily mean they enjoy running long distances at a set pace, following some form of personal training regime or extreme sport we have devised for them and perhaps conceitedly believe they may enjoy. Dogs are well-known for putting up with anything we throw at them in order to please their human carers. There is a fine line between running with your dog for enjoyment and running them into the ground. Given the choice most dogs might prefer a walk and a bit of boisterous play.
There are
plenty of blogs expounding the virtues of enjoying jogging or running with your
dog. They give helpful tips on special equipment that makes the task easier,
the health hazards your dog might suffer, training methods and the best breed
to choose, but rarely query the necessity in the first place. It must be questionable surely to choose a breed of dog on the
basis of whether it is a suitable running partner. And if health hazards are potentially involved, should we be putting a dog at risk just because we haven’t the time
or patience to take it for a walk or sadly cannot find a human running buddy.
Keep up - those are the rules
“I release the hound and let him roam off leash. I continue on my run and let Rodney sprint off, sniff, and do his thing. But he has to catch up to me by the time we get back to the path. Those are our rules. He revels in the burst of freedom, but he yields and returns to me at the end again. He comes close so I can clip him back onto the leash without stopping”. gearjunkie-Running with your dog
As in most things some people can take it too far, literally too far in this case, often 20
miles or more and invent and participate in trendy and extreme and totally
unnecessary canine buddy sports such as marathons, canicross, canibike and caniscoot.
Others do not heed any advice and just take their poor dog off without any
preparation regardless of breed or health considerations.
Dogs are unfairly given special training to ensure they keep pace, maintain a
steady rhythm, drink from a bottle on the move, refrain from stopping to sniff, defecate
or pee and keep to the middle of wide paths away from foliage that may distract
them. This is because it is an inconvenience to clear up after the dog or carry a
poo bag.
“Running with a bag of dog poop is a bad time. I plan my running route so that Rodney can go near where there is a public garbage can. If you want to maximise your run, this is a crucial thing. Build this strategy into your running routes so you’re not stuck carrying a stinky bag for more than a few hundred feet".
Veterinary
profession advice
Veterinary
professions around the world seem to sit on the fence in regard to any welfare
issues involved in running dogs, neither condemning or promoting it. Many
veterinarians consider 8 months to 18 months as the best time to start a dog
running and of course an expensive full health examination to make sure it is
capable. Dogs with arthritis, heart and respiratory disease and breeds with
snub noses are thankfully ruled out but owners are warned about injuries,
damage to paws on hot tarmac or by salt in cold weather. No consideration is
given to possible mental health implications in regard to restricting them from
enjoying their natural behaviours.
The pet trade, as always, is not one to miss out on a new trend that has potential profits by supporting and provides dog running bootees, special running leads for
one or more dogs, drinking canteens, sweat bands and who knows what. None of
which would be necessary if we didn’t insist on having a canine running buddy
instead of a human one
One of the
most infuriating things for some dog lovers is to see a person jogging with their dog, headphones on or
looking down at their Fitbit or phone without checking on their dog at all.
They are often oblivious that their dog may be in discomfort or needing a water
break. Dogs will naturally slow down or stop just like us humans when they get
tired, but for some runners this is not allowed. Many will soldier on because
they want to please and are eager to remain at our sides or preferably in front
which only makes them strive even more.
I
am all for spending as much time as possible with your dog, but for me the
increasing trend to utilise dogs in extreme sports and as part of personal
training is a step to far. It is an unnecessary, unnatural and arguably harmful
pastime which perhaps should be discouraged. It is strange that in this era where we
