My Dog's Faster Than Your Dog: Races and Walks for You and Your Dog

As you spend time running with your dog gaining stamina and confidence you may find yourself wanting to take things to a new level. Maybe you want a motivating goal to work towards. Or maybe you just want to show off all the hard work you and your dog have put in. A dog human partnered race could be a great option. Below is a list of races I have found (currently all in Colorado because that's where I live) that allow and encourage you to bring your dog along. I know there are many more races out there than I have listed. If you have any you would like to share, I'd be happy to post them here.

April
Fast and the Furriest 5k, Ft. Collins, CO
Canine Classic 5k, Boulder, CO

May
Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue 5k, Louisville, CO
Wyoming Marathon Races, 10 miles east of Laramie, WY (Not specifically a dog race, but insured dogs are allowed if you want to try something longer than a 5k)

June
Rocky Dog Trail Run 5k, Vail, CO
Fire Hydrant 5k, Ft. Collins, CO

July
Canine 4k Feline No Way, Frisco, CO

August
None Found Yet!

September
Cause For Paws Doggie Dash 4k, Boulder, CO

October
Phantom 4 Miler, Loveland, CO

An added bonus to participating in these races is that they are all for a good cause. You can go out and run with a nice warm fuzzy feeling. Before attempting any of these events, its important to consider the current temperament of your dog. If they do not do well around new dogs and people or if they get scared in loud busy places, it would be best to leave your dog at home or to do some training to desensitize your dog. I've experienced first hand how embarrassing it can be to have the dog screaming at every stroller that passes by.

 I'm currently reading When Pigs Fly!: Training Success with Impossible Dogs! by Jane Killion. This book does a great job at teaching you positive reinforcement methods and clicker training to work with all sorts of dogs whether they live to please or could care less. She has done a great job molding independent dogs into successful agility competitors.

When you are comfortable, come try a race or two. Maybe you'll see me and Nix (hopefully with quiet intensity) waiting at the starting line for you.




Catch us if you can!

 

Are You Walking the Dog or is it Walking You?: Canicross and Running With Your Dog

I don't think of myself as a masochistic person, but over the last 4 years I have decided to accumulate three of the most athletic small dogs I have ever met. Don't get me wrong, they love a good lap when they get the chance, but they have decided they need to earn it. I get lots of comments and stares running down the street with under 40 lbs of furry intensity leading the way.  I enjoy and am motivated by their intensity and enthusiasm and now prefer to exercise with their company. Running without a dog now is like drinking flat soda. The flavor is there, but its lifeless. To accommodate this I have picked up some tricks, tools, and training for running with my four legged running partners.


"Just 3 more miles Mom. Lupe's getting love handles."


One of the first things I learned is running with a leash in your hand is awkward. It throws off my running form and causes my to tense my whole arm from my hand up. Instead I started clipping their leashes into my hydration vest I used to hold water, poop bags, phone, keys or any other supplies I felt I needed to carry with me. When I added a third 20lb dog into the mix the vest clasp system was no longer strong enough so I tried out a convertible waist leash by Ruff Wear instead. To run with three dogs I will clip the leashes of the smaller two onto the waist loop with caribiner clips. For more padding I have also used a running belt with a pouch and water bottle holder. These were not originally designed to be pulled on so I secured the straps with safety pins, or if you wanted a more permanent option some extra stitching.

Here is my 3 dog running belt setup. If you want to spend $50 you can find specially designed canicross or skijor belts. I am cheap.

I have seen lots of advice saying to run with your dog you should teach in to heel beside you before you consider running with it. When running on the sidewalk a dog running beside me or behind me just got in the way or kicked. I have instead trained my dogs to run directly in front of me. To keep them from getting out of control I have taught them commands for stop, go, and turns. I did not learn until much later that running with a dog pulling in front of you is a sport called canicross. Sometimes I think all the cool stuff is in Europe. In canicross you put your dog in a comfortable harness and attach them to your waist with a bungee leash. You can run much faster with a dog helping you along. Cec came through the door flushed and excited after her first time running canicross with the dogs, "I feel like I'm cheating. Running isn't supposed to be this fun."

And they're off!

You may have concerns that teaching your dog to pull while running could teach your dog bad habits if you don't want them to pull while walking. You can solve this by teaching your dog a command for when it is ok to pull. You can also teach your dog that is it ok to pull while in a harness, but never put on the harness if you just want your dog to go for walk. Just like a dog learns that opening the cupboard means food, and grabbing your keys means you are going out, they can learn that putting on a harness means running time.

There are a large number of dog harnesses out there and it can be hard to choose. I have gone through a number of them trying to find on that would not rub my dog raw while pulling. For larger dogs there are x-back sled dog harnesses, but these are not considered good for running with people because the leash attaches too low. Another problem with these is a dog can easily back out of them. An important feature I look for is padding in the chest where pressure is applied while pulling. I have seen a good one you can order in a custom size from Alpine Outfitters.


Nix happy in his harness, but unenthusiastic about the boots.


I am currently using the Ruff Wear Web Master Harness on Nix and really like it. It is very adjustable, has a padded chest plate, and reflective piping to help make us more visible at night. It is also good if you have a dog that ever tries to back up out of a harness.

After buying a new harness inspect your dog carefully after runs or walks to insure that it is fitting properly. Before I found the right harness, Nix would finish a run with chaffing or missing hair. I consider the dog's harness to be the same as my running clothes or shoes. If I expect them to wear it for ever run, it is very important that it is comfortable.

I have not tried them, but you can find complete canicross (you can also search for skijoring) kits that come with a human hip belt, bungee line, and harness. This allows for less personalization, but can be a simpler option if you want to just click a button and have everything you need. I'm cheap so instead built my own set up through trial and error using the before mentioned waist packs, a combination of leashes, clips, dog harnesses, and collars to get me by. What really matters if it works well for you and your dogs.

Your dog can not tell you if he is tired, hot, or in pain so it is very important that you pay attention to their appearance and behaviors during and after a run. Here is a list of things I constantly scan for while running the dogs.

Is my dog...
-Limping
-Changing their form
-Panting excessively or foaming at the mouth
-Slowing or lagging behind
-Stopping and refusing to continue

If any of these thing occur I stop and closely check my dog for possible injuries. It may just be a thorn stuck in a paw, but it can also be an indication that your dog is overheating or has had a more serious injury. In wet conditions Nix will sometimes rub raw spots on his pads. I don't want to continue running him for miles on bloody paws even though he will push through the pain until we get home.

I also check my dogs after each run to see problems I may have missed.

How are my dog's...
-Pads and toenails
-Skin and hair where collars or harnesses may rub

Is my dog...
-Foaming at the mouth or panting excessively
-Limping or favoring paws
-Shivering or avoiding you

It is important to see if your dog has received any injuries or if they have gotten too hot or cold (more often hot) during the run. Dogs are built for running, but in hot weather are not as good at cooling themselves as we are. Nix will sometimes get to hot at temperatures as low as 60 degrees.

I make sure to carry water with me on runs even if I myself do not want any. Since they are cooling themselves by panting, my dogs often want water much more often than I do. I also try to carry along poop bags so I don't leave messes for others.

If you are following a specific training plan understand that your dogs do not know you are supposed to run 3 miles at an 8 minute mile pace that day. Some days they just won't want to run as fast or consistently as you do. I think the enjoyment I get from running with my dogs well makes up for this and can help me take things less seriously. Running should be fun or you won't want to continue doing it. Dogs are a great reminder of this.

Enjoy your post run endorphin high!

Taming the Active Dog: the Saga of Nixolas

I've recently learned the truth in the saying "be careful what you wish for." I dreamed of having an active dog, a true running partner who would push me to new distances, and never turn me down when asked to run on a snowy day. What I didn't anticipate was Nix.


Look at my cute bandanna! How could I ever cause any trouble?



I fell in love with Nix after seeing a playful little video of him on the Humane Society of Boulder Valley website. For such a young dog Nix came with a big history including three previous owners, a desire to chase animals straight up trees, poor leash skills, and an anvil scar branded into his side

Nix turned out to be a screaming Hell demon with as much drive as a sled dog three times his size. He needed an outlet and a game a fetch after a 30 minute walk wasn't going to cut it



Give me dog treats or I'll steal your soul.



My first goal was to teach him to heel. Bribery, distraction, "no pull" harnesses, head halters, and finally even a prong collars did little to stop his endless pulling. He would strain until his tongue turned blue and had to sprawl out in the grass until he could catch his breath and regain his color. The harness and halter were resisted until fur and skin were rubbed off.



Failures



I decided if he wanted to pull so bad then we might as well learn to do it right.

Some internet searching led me to the "dryland mushing" sports of canicross and bikejoring. In canicross you attach yourself to your dog with a bungee and harness and allow your dog to pull you along as you run helping you maintain greater speeds than you could on your own. Nix caught on immediately and kept an excellent line ahead of me mile after mile. To keep us both from getting hit by cars, horses, or whatever else turns up in small town Colorado, I taught Nix some basic commands including let's go, over (left), out (right), slow and stop. After a month of practice we ran a very fun race called the Phantom 4 Miler and Nix triumphantly crossed the finish as the 1st place dog! His success made all the screaming everyone endured before hand almost bearable.



I wish that could be my outfit for every race.



Even with all our running, Nix still had an excess of energy that was hard to deal with. I decided it was time to take things up a notch and try bikjoring. Bikejoring is similar to canicross except the dog in attached to your bicycle. Since Nix would be moving on a long lead in front of a fast moving bike, it was crucial that I had spent time training Nix through canicross first.

I learned this the hard way months before when I tried taking Nix for a short bike while holding a shorter leash in my hand. Nix got startled by the bike, stopped inches in front of my tire and caused me to flip into the air and over my handlebars to avoid hitting him. On the bright side Nix waited politely for me to pull myself off the ground instead of running away. Please learn from my stupidity.



Note the leash attached below the handlebars so Nix can't spin me into a semitruck or bird filled bush.



Bikejoring was amazing. After getting used to the bike Nix took the opportunity to run 6 miles at around a 5 minute mile pace. Since I am not an Olympic level athlete, I would never be able to run that pace with him. Afterwards I was left with a calm, happy, cuddly dog I didn't know I had. Bikejoring was like doggie pot. Nix loves bikejoring and the cooperation required to make it all work has increased the bond between us. I'm so glad I found this fun activity for us to do together. I hope someone reads this and decides instead of punishing or getting rid of their dog, maybe they should find ways to exercise their pet first. Dogs were not meant to sit around the house all day and neither were you.

Is My Dog Up to the Challenge?

When searching for information about running my dogs, one of the most common questions I see is what breed of dog is good for running. I do agree that not all dogs are equal when it comes to running prowess, but I do not think enough credit is given to some of our smaller breeds. I have gone for many successful runs with a pair of dogs that together weigh less than 15 lbs while wet.

The Mighty Pack

These small dogs can easily handle a 3 mile run or a long hike with me because they have gone through the same physical training that I have. I've lost count of the number of times people have asked if I'm walking these tiny dogs or if they are walking me.

Never run with your dog before? Start out easy and get an idea if your pet's current limits. Commit to going for some long walks and pay attention to your dogs behavior. Is it panting and dragging behind? This is probably a sign you should progress slowly until your dog gains more fitness. Is your dog enthusiastically lunging ahead mile after mile? Then chances are your dog is in better shape than you. If both you and your pet are new to running you can find a good beginner running program to train with together.

If you are consistent and dog can improve its level of fitness. Their behavior can also drastically improve. After a 6 mile bike run my terrier goes from a screeching ball of pure furry energy to a relaxed cuddly lap dog. The majority of complaints I have about my dogs cease to be an issue if they have had their run time. Even chihuahuas. I challenge anyone to go 3 miles with my miniature pinscher.

Now go take your dog for a walk!