Here are some things you should keep in mind when considering whether your dog is ready to run its first race:

Ask the organisers if it’s ok

You might not really care what other runners think about you bringing your dog to a race, but it’s important to check with whoever is organising the run not only out of respect, but to make sure that you don’t get asked to remove your dog from the race on the day. Personally, I think that asking the organisers of the race if it’s ok for you to participate with your dog is the responsible thing to do. They are holding the event and they should be able to decide whether or not they want a dog there.

I emailed the Western Australian Marathon Club (WAMC) this morning asking them to allow us to participate in their upcoming 4km New Years Eve Run. I’m patiently waiting for their reply and really hope that they say yes, but if they don’t agree I’m not going to push it and will respect their decision.

Don’t bring a troublemaking dog to a race

If you know you dog is going to be overly boisterous and cause trouble or inconvenience the other runners at the event, teach it to run politely next to you before entering it in a race.

Keep your dog on a leash during the race

You must have control of your dog throughout the entire race. Keep your dog on a leash and make sure that it doesn’t venture out too far and poses a risk to the other runners. You don’t want someone to trip over the leash and hurt either themselves or your co-runner.

Monitor your dog

You and your dog may run the same distances as the race every day, but if your dog is running in a crowd of people with new smells, sights, and sounds it can become excited and tire out faster or just become overwhelmed. Keep an eye on your dog throughout the race to make sure that it’s not looking unwell. If your dog starts to look fatigued, too nervous, or overwhelmed – pull out of the race.

Start toward the back

When I run Fun Runs by myself I normally start somewhere in the middle. If WAMC allows me to run with Keeda in the event I mentioned earlier, I will start toward the back – closer to the prams and slower runners to make sure that the faster runners aren’t inconvenienced by having to run around me and my dog. Once you’re a bit farther away from the crowded starting line and the crowd thins out if you’re finding yourself wanting to pick up the pace you can always overtake and work your way up anyway.

If you already have a dog and are considering jogging with him/her

In my opinion, no breed is completely “un-joggable”. However, I am not a vet and every dog is different. If you’re worried, get your dog checked out by a veterenary professional before starting to take him/her out for jogs. I’d definitely recommend that any owners of breeds like Dachshunds or Pugs do see a vet before starting an exercise routine that involves more than walking.

Remember that if you have an overweight or overall unfit dog, you shouldn’t take it for a long jog straight away. If yours is a smaller breed (or is in a very unfit condition), jog down the street. Then take it around the blog. As your dog becomes more conditioned and healthy it will be able to run faster and farther.

If you’re buying a dog and want it to be a jogging partner

Some breeds are certainly more suited to jogging and running with you than others. The first thing you need to figure out is how often, how far, and how fast you want to jog. Fit Border Collies and other working breeds will probably outlast you when running any day. If you do long distance runs, look into breeds known for their endurance – such as herding breeds. If you only take jogs around the block, you can consider something with a bit less stamina and energy.

If you’re just starting out jogging and specifically want your dog to jog with you, I’d suggest jogging on your own first and seeing how you feel about it. Doing it yourself will give you a good idea of how dedicated you are to sticking with the program and keeping up that distance. You don’t want to get a Border Collie thinking that it’ll get plenty of exercise on your daily runs, only to realize that you don’t really like running all that much, or can’t maintain the distance you set.

Dog jogging equipment

If you’re just starting out with jogging with your dog, see how you go on your first few runs. If it’s something you feel you want to continue to puruse you could consider investing in some dog jogging equipment to make jogging with your dog more pleasant. Keeda and I use a hands free dog leash on our jogs.

Remember, though – no piece of equipment will substitute training your dog how to jog beside you on a loose lead. Your experience will be much more positive and pleasurable for both of you if you teach your dog to behave on your jogs.

The c25k has a couple of pretty decent increments in running time and because dogs can’t tell us how they’re feeling, we’ve broken those steps down to make it easier for them, based on my veterinary experience and Francis’s running experience. It will take 12 weeks instead of 9 weeks. It’s a safe and effective program that we have proven does work well with dogs. We’ve got a forum set up with topics for people to ask questions about health, behaviour and any other aspect of their dog’s wellbeing.

– Audrey

The Pooch to 5K website has a blog with lots of great information about running with your dog and other dog related research which can prove to be interesting to any dog owner.

By perhaps working with other running dog owners, and establishing a code of conduct and a doggie presence in the running world, dogs may be welcome at more runs [in Australia].

– Audrey

The Pooch to 5K training program is available for download at www.poochto5k.com now (yes, it’s free), and there are three different versions – formatted by metric distance, imperial distance, and time. You can also check out the Pooch to 5K Facebook page for updates.

If you’re going to run with your dog, you’ll need to invest in a pair of good running shoes. In fact, running shoes will likely be your biggest expense when you’re starting to run. You can seriously mess up your feet, ankles, and/or knees if you run in shoes that are too old or don’t suit you. Just as it’s important to watch over your dog and make sure it’s handling the running, it’s important to watch over your own health as well.

When buying running shoes it’s really recommended that you see a podiatrist or a specialist running shop and get them to recommend a type of running shoe for you. No, Athelete’s Foot is not a specialist running shop. In my area, for example, we have Runner’s World – check out running forums and such for a good store in your area (I’ve put together some resources and good communities to check out when getting into running at the end of this post).

Anyway, personal stories aside, here are some general tips about running shoes:

• Running shoes last approximately 400-600km. This does not apply to all running shoes, some may last hundreds of kilometres more and others may last less. When you start getting up in the km in your shoes pay attention to any new joint pain you may have, whether your shoes start or feel “flat”, new muscle soreness or tension, or anything else of the sort. If you pay attention to your body you should be able to feel when it’s time to get a new pair of running shoes. Don’t go just by the look of your shoes – your shoes may still look great, but the cushioning on the inside could be completely worn away. How quickly your shoes wear out will also depend on your weight and how hard you are on your shoes.
• Just because a pair of shoes feels good to walk in does not mean it will be good to run in. Some shoes may feel great to run in, but absolutely horrible to walk in. This is why so many runners have dedicated running shoes and never use them for anything except running.
• Start off slow when breaking in a new pair of running shoes. You don’t want to risk injury by launching into a super long run in shoes you haven’t run in before.
• When you find a great type of shoe to run in, stick to that shoe. You don’t have to try a new model each time you buy a new pair of shoes – keep using what works.

Some useful online resources for the beginner runner (or any runner, for that matter):
CoolRunning
The Runners Guide
Runner’s World Forums

Do you have any tips or experiences to share about running on your own or with your dog? Please leave a comment below!

Personally, I could not handle Keeda pulling me along during our runs. Not only is it just plain uncomfortable, but it also displays a lack of control over my dog. When she sees another dog, or cat, or whatever else grabs her interest she will bolt straight at it because when she’s pulling me along she isn’t doing a job – she’s just going nuts on a leash. When she runs along beside be on a loose leash, Keeda is doing a job. Her job is staying next to me, watching and responding to my movements. When she sees something interesting she will look toward it, maybe even start moving toward it because we’re not perfectly trained yet , but she knows that she is not to go for it.

These are some reasons why I would always suggest teaching a dog to heel before running with it. But for people who are happy with their dog pulling ahead during their runs, I say keep doing what works for you. It’s better to run with a puller than to not run at all (assuming you can keep control of the dog and make sure everyone is safe).

What do you think? Is teaching a dog to run on a loose lead as important to you as it is to me?

So I decided to create my own home-made solution to the problem when I run with my dog. The “solution” would consist of a belt to go around my waist and a leash with a clip on either side to clip one side onto the belt and the other onto my dog’s collar. I went to Bunnings on Saturday morning and bought the following:

• A pack of two nylon tie-down straps, 2.5m each. I’m not sure the technical name for these, but they were straps around 3cm wide and 2.5m long with a metal buckle that resembled a belt-buckle. You pass one end of the strap through the buckle and it holds the “belt”. This was originally meant for holding things down on top of cars or trailers by tightening the nylon straps around the object.
  
• A pack of four metal rings, 2.5cm in diameter. You can use as many as you want for your hands-free dog leash. I used two.
  
• Two metal clips for the leash. One leash clip was like a regular clip you’d see on a leash you buy from the store. The other, however, opened in a way that instantly releases whatever it’s holding as the two “pincers” part in the middle, not on the side like the regular clip does.
  

You will also need a sewing machine (unless you plan on doing this by hand) and some strong thread that isn’t pure cotton, such as nylon.

First, the belt. The nylon straps I bought were 2.5 metres each, which should be plenty for just about anybody. Wrap the strap around you to decide what length your belt will need in order to fit you comfortable. I suggest leaving some excess length to the strap just in case. Cut off the length you don’t need and seal the nylon edges by running a burning match over the fraying ends quickly (you might need a few tries to get the hang of it, which is where that excess length comes in useful).

Once you’ve sewed on all of the rings you need, your belt is complete. Keep in mind that this version of the belt doesn’t have any padding on the back, which is fine for dogs that don’t pull or smaller breeds. If you have a large pulled, however, or if you’re building the hands-free dog leash for a child, you might want to be careful that the belt doesn’t put too much pressure on the back.

Moving on to the hands-free dog leash itself. Judge how long your leash should be by your dog’s size and how much slack you want to give it when you run. Keeda stands just below my knee and I want her to be in a Heel when we run, so I cut off just enough of the second nylon strap to form a loose “L” when the leash is clipped at my hip and to her collar. I made sure to leave about 10cm of excess strap for the purpose of attaching the clips. Loop about 5cm of the end of the nylon strap through your clip and sew it in place. Sew around all of the borders and sew a V or X pattern into the middle to make sure the stitching is strong and sturdy. Do the same for the second clip. I cannot reiterate this enough – make sure that everything is being held together properly! Don’t do a shoddy job on the stitching or you could wind up in trouble later.

You’re done! Use the clip with two pincers that open equally on both sides and release whatever they’re holding instantly to attach the leash to your belt. This way should you need to urgently release your dog, you can undo the clip quickly and easily.

Test out your new hands-free dog leash and tell me how you go! Check out our results:

It just goes to show that no matter what breed you have – you can always exercise with your dog. Just remember that each breed has different needs and keep a closer eye on your dog for signs of overheating, dehydration, fatigue, or other issues you know might be more prominent for its type. Now get your dog, put those running shoes on, and start pounding those streets.

Sure, there might be the initial frustration of having to teach your dog how to run beside you calmly and not jerk on the lead. But once you get that down pat, running becomes so much more fun. It’s great fun to have a companion on your run.

It’s More Motivating to Run With Your Dog

Seeing your dog’s eyes light up when you reach for the lead before your run, being able to see the fitness benefits your dog gets from running, and knowing that you’re keeping your dog healthy and happy can be very motivating to keep going.

Kill Two Birds With One Stone

Not only do you get in shape, but you also take care of your dog’s exercise needs at the same time!

It’s More Safe to Run With Your Dog

You often feel much safer when you know there’s a dog running with you. Potential attackers would think twice before messing with a runner who has a dog at their side. Your dog can also often help you to detect potential danger by sensing trouble before you do.

You Look Cooler

Let’s face it – you look much cooler when running with your dog. Runners are a dime a dozen, you see one in the neighborhood and don’t bat an eyelash. But when people see you jogging along in your hardcore running gear with a fit dog by your side, they’ll take note and probably think “Wow, that runner is so hardcore! I should go running with my dog.”

That last one’s a joke. But really, everyone will love you .

Running is a fairly low cost sport. All you really have to buy is a pair of nice running shoes. Don’t run in low quality shoes – it isn’t worth an injury. Get fitted at a specialist running store like Runner’s World.

Take it slow – start by running 10 minutes every other day, or taking walking breaks between your running sessions, and gradually build up speed and distance.

Make sure to drink lots of water each day – it’s important, trust me. I hate drinking water, but if I don’t drink enough during the day I get horrible cramps during my run. Just ensuring that I drink at least 2 liters of water per day helps alleviate cramping during my run.

Find other dog owners to run with. Do you have friends or neighbors who own dogs? Consider running together, it can motivate you to keep going.

Look at your dog. Think of how much better your dog’s life could be if it was in shape and if you didn’t have to worry about your dog getting ill for some sort of weight and fitness-related reason. We all love our dogs, if you didn’t you probably wouldn’t be reading this right now. You can improve both your dog’s and your own way of life just by going for a daily run.