Canicross - running with dog

[S100HP]

Do many of you run with your dog?

Chewie and I have run about 200 miles together this year. He doesn't pull as he is small and I am not, so I'm not sure we're officially canicross people, but he keeps a good pace with me but there is a but. He doesn't seem to get excited about going out lately. Once he is out he runs next to me and shows no sign of discomfort, but he just stays in his bed whilst I put the harness on him when getting ready. He wears the same harness for walks in the morning and is bouncing around ready to go out.

Should I knock running with him on the head?

[MYOB]

I used to run with mine but only across farm land off lead. I wouldn't dream of making him run on the lead as they like to run off and do their own thing. There's no enjoyment in running on a lead for the dog.

[ehonda]

MYOB said:

I used to run with mine but only across farm land off lead. I wouldn't dream of making him run on the lead as they like to run off and do their own thing. There's no enjoyment in running on a lead for the dog.

Bit of a sweeping statement there. One of mine absolutely loves running on the lead, the other seems to think it's all a bit weird.

[Jim on the hill]

Everyday is different for sure, ours love running but not on the lead. They will quite happily run along side me but on the lead I think it's quite noisy for them with the feet pounding down next to them.

Most dogs I see on the mountains running are off the lead but I'm sure some dogs if trained will happily run on the lead.

The only other thought I have is dogs love sniffing and socialising, if they are running are they getting those two bits?

[S100HP]

I tend to run in the evenings, which tend to be dark at this time of year. Consequently we run round the roads. As I say, once we are out he enjoys it but I'm slightly challenged by his demeanour whilst getting ready. As for running off the lead, clearly can't do this when running on the roads. We do venture into the forest in daylight, but even then I keep him on lead as he has a habit of chasing stuff, which is why he wears a tracker when we go out for walks (off lead).

[Jim on the hill]

S100HP said:

I tend to run in the evenings, which tend to be dark at this time of year. Consequently we run round the roads. As I say, once we are out he enjoys it but I'm slightly challenged by his demeanour whilst getting ready. As for running off the lead, clearly can't do this when running on the roads. We do venture into the forest in daylight, but even then I keep him on lead as he has a habit of chasing stuff, which is why he wears a tracker when we go out for walks (off lead).

How does the tracker work? We have just rescued a ex hunting hound and he has disappeared on a few occasions. Would definitely be something I'd be interested in.

[Pesty]

MYOB said:

I used to run with mine but only across farm land off lead. I wouldn't dream of making him run on the lead as they like to run off and do their own thing. There's no enjoyment in running on a lead for the dog.

That couldn’t be a more wrong statement lots of dogs enjoy running on lead or not

[redback911]

Pesty said:

MYOB said:

I used to run with mine but only across farm land off lead. I wouldn't dream of making him run on the lead as they like to run off and do their own thing. There's no enjoyment in running on a lead for the dog.

That couldn’t be a more wrong statement lots of dogs enjoy running on lead or not

Agree with Pesty here. A nice long stretchy lead works great tethered to the human a dog is walking. I run, hike and MTB with a tether, takes a little practice but works great for dog and human.

[anonymous-user]

redback911 said:

Agree with Pesty here. A nice long stretchy lead works great tethered to the human a dog is walking. I run, hike and MTB with a tether, takes a little practice but works great for dog and human.

Neither me nor my dog are capable of running , but we walk in the woods quite a lot and stretchy leads do seem very popular with runners.

[chrisga]

I bikejor very occasionally and my wife does both bikejor races and did her first canicross race this weekend with our dogs. There is a bit of a difference between pukka canicrossing and running with a dog on a lead. Our dogs love to run off lead (being spaniels and collies) but they go mad when their pulling harnesses are brought out. They all have excellent heel and lead work but the different harnesses mean only one thing. Pull your person as fast as you can..... While running with your dog in front of you could be classed as canicross, the idea is that the dog pulls you along so you need to train them to pull consistently in harness, which judging by the number of dogs that pull on a lead sounds easy, but as some said often a dog prefers to run beside you.

To say no dog likes running on a lead is a bit unfair. They might not like running on a normal head collar with a solid lead on say a pavement or road walk but with a full pulling harness and a bungee lead cross country they love it. At this weekends race there was everything from a small terrier up to a doberman running in harness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z_RJ1kw1qk This is the first video that came up on a youtube search for me. Apologies its foreign but you get the idea about specialist long pulling harnesses from it.

We started because one of our rescues isn't allowed off the lead but loves running so it gives her an outlet to just run and run without thinking or worrying about her getting lost.

There are various Canicross groups all over the place that organise social runs or depending how far you want to go, races that include novice and juniors right up to elite level athletes running two massive eurohounds at a time. Basically I think their legs are just windmilling to keep up with the dogs.

For the OP does he get rewarded for running when he's in his harness? I guess it has to be fun and worthwhile for him. Ours have very different harnesses (long full body) for when they are allowed to pull so they know when its ok and when it isn't.

Edited by chrisga on Monday 3rd December 11:01

[S100HP]

Well he seems to be over it now. He's much happier about going out, maybe he just wasn't feeling it when I wrote the original post. I've been sure to reward him when we get back and I've been out over the forest in daylight for the last couple of runs and this seems to have done the trick. He's not keen on pounding the pavement in the dark it seems!

203 miles for us this year

Edited by S100HP on Saturday 29th December 17:58