Guest Post: Friday Five – 5 ways to run with your dogs

Hi y’all! I hope you’ve been enjoying Guest Post week — I know I’ve learned a lot from the awesome group of bloggers that have visited Eat Pray Run DC. We’re closing out Friday with a post that is close to my heart. Jeremy at Confessions of an Amateur Athlete has written about running with your dog! I’m adapting the normal Friday Five for Jeremy’s post and so it’s a Friday Four today! Please still link up your posts — I’ll check them out after the end of my conference 🙂

I’m a big fan of running with friends.  They hold you accountable every morning whether it’s a super early run to beat the heat, or a heavy mileage day on sore muscles.  But sometimes there isn’t anyone around, or no one willing to hit the road with you. So I say, grab your pooch!

Now, keep in mind, not every dog is fit to run.  But on those days when you’re lacking some motivation, and have a pup that can handle it…strap on a leash and go! Or if you’re on the fence about getting a dog… this is a great excuse to go to a local shelter and rescue your new running buddy!

Dogs need the exercise, and so do you, so why not enjoy it together?  Before you do, there are a few things you should know about running with dogs.

Here are just a few:

• They need water just like you.  If not more.  They don’t sweat like us and so it’s tougher to stay cool.  So if even on a 30 minute run, it’s best to carry enough water for both you and your pet.  I take my camelback bottle or fuel belt and a small collapsible cup from REI.
• They need to train just like you.  Most dogs can’t just go out and run 8 miles if they’ve never been running with you before.  So make sure you start off small.  They need to work up to longer miles just like you do.
• They will stop frequently.  Besides all the smells, they will need to poop and pee and investigate EVERYTHING.  So don’t expect to go run a PR.  Just enjoy the company of your furry companion.
• They WILL frustrate you.  That’s right.  They will see a bird… another dog… a stick…and want to go play.  It’s going to take time to teach them to run alongside you so you’ve got to be patient.  Eventually they will learn to leave those things behind. And the payoff for your patience will be worth it!

My Janie loves to run.  She seems me grabbing my running gear and can’t wait to get out the door! If I have a long run I run the first 3-4 miles with her for a “warm up” and then go the rest solo.  Or if I just need a little recovery run I grab the leash and get some one on one time with my pup!  We BOTH end up loving every minute of it.

Hopefully these tips can help you build a similar running relationship with your pooch.  I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic, so stop by my blog, find me on Twitter and let me know what you think!  Happy Trails and Happy Tails!