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Running with a dog that pulls… and everything else you want to know about running with dogs

I want to start with a disclaimer, lest anyone think I’m some super-serious runner: This morning, I ran for just shy of three miles without walking. That’s the longest I’ve ever run without walking at some point in the middle. My goal is to run a 5k this Sunday without walking (we’ve done a ton of 5k races, but I’ve always, always walked a few minutes in the middle). That said, I’ve set my sights on finishing a 10k and have downloaded the C210k training app for my phone. It actually starts with the C25k trainer, which marks my third time through that program.

My point: I’m no running pro. Nor am I a vet or a medical pro or a nutritionist or a trainer or anything other than a writer. This post is for informational purposes only and just chronicles my experience. The reason I’m writing this is because I have gotten SO MANY questions about running with Cooper that I thought I could assemble them into one monster “running with dogs” post.

If you’ve sent me Qs about running with your dog, I hope I addressed them here. If not, or if this sparks more questions, please do leave them in the comments so I can provide the best info possible!

OK, lace up those sneaks and let’s get going!

Running with a dog that pulls... and everything else you want to know about running with dogs
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How do I train my dog to run with me?

Just like you train your dog to do anything else: slow and steady! You have to start with your dog’s fitness level. Way back when I did my first round of C25k, I was in terrible shape and recovering from a year of chemo. I was in worse shape than my pups, probably, but we started ever so slowly. I highly recommend that app (thank you, Erin, for the initial recommendation) as a starting point.

Taking a big step back, though, I think it’s super important to train your dog to walk well with you first (see the next big point), so if your walking skills aren’t yet solid, go back to that basic foundation and start working on loose-leash walking. If you need to review some tips to achieve that, check out these two posts:

Loose Leash Walking from Victoria Stilwell

How to Teach Loose-Leash Walking from Karen Pryor

OK, so speaking of which…

Running with a Dog That Pulls

Without a doubt, the number-one question has been: How can I run with my dog that pulls?

Cooper keeps a loose leash. He’s usually slightly ahead, but he’s got his automatic check-in down pat. He is a great walker.

Except for when he isn’t.

When he isn’t = when we spot a dog, a bunny, a squirrel, some weird patch of wind, a person surprising him in any way (getting out of a vehicle, saying hi, etc.) OR when he anticipates those things happening. That last one is the real problem for us because he knows where every single electrically-fenced-in dog is in the three mile radius around our house.

That said, the rest of the time he really is great. He’s better, actually, when we’re running because he has a purpose. His ears are back. He finds his pace. He just goes, and he loves to run more than anything.

So, for us, our reality is this: We ensure our equipment works great. We run routes we know inside and out. We always have an escape plan. And when he starts to pull? We just “power through,” which is basically reeling him in tightly and sprinting past the perceived threat as quickly as we can.

That’s my best advice for reactive pulling. If your dog only pulls when threatened, well, you can and should keep desensitizing to those threats and then accept some degree of pulling when you’re out for a focused run.

If your dog is just a puller on leash, the best option is to go back to basics: Go back to those loose-leash walking tutorials and work on that like crazy because, for some dogs, running increases that desire to pull (“C’MON LET’S GO, HUMAN!!!!”) so you have to have it down pat.

Gear for Running with Your Dog

I mentioned ensuring our equipment works great. I honestly can’t stress this enough. If you’re running with your dog, your running gear is critical to your and your dog’s safety.

No matter the dog, no matter the distance or terrain, no matter the weather, I strongly recommend running with your dog on a harness rather than a collar. It’s safer. It alleviates pressure on your dog’s neck, and since he’ll be breathing hard, that’s extra important. The type of harness is up to you and your needs.

Cooper has a ton of different harnesses. He has one we use primarily for hiking and another that has saddlebags. The one with the saddlebags is his absolute best harness, and he walks and runs with purpose with that thing. It’s way too hot right now to use it, though. So, we’re currently running with this para-cord one because we’re going so early in the morning that I wanted something reflective, and it’s light without much body coverage to cause him to overheat. Some people prefer front-clip harnesses for runs. They’ve never worked for Coop because he pulls really freaking hard in the opposite direction to counter the drag. Choose what’s best for you and your pup.

As for the leash, you don’t need bells and whistles. I wish with all my heart Cooper could get accustomed to a waist leash so that I could be hands-free, but we’re not there yet. Right now he’s using just a thick, six-foot nylon lead. Nothing fancy. It works perfectly.

All that said, I prefer and recommend metal hardware instead of plastic. Plastic snaps, the end.

There’s a ton of other running gear for dogs out there. If it’s too hot or too cold, you might want to look into boots. Coop has a set we use when the roads are salted. Sunscreen is another great product to consider. Beyond that? If you’re a distance or trail runner, think about water on the go, and everything else is sort of extra that you may or may not need–just use common sense!

And poop bags. Everyone needs poop bags.

Best Dog Breeds for Running

“Can I train my fill-in-breed-here to be my running buddy?”

Probably, but maybe not. Some dog breeds are predisposed to running (just like some are predisposed to water or herding), but not every individual of those predisposed breeds will like/can do the activity. And, I honestly don’t think this is the right question to ask with a few exceptions: Like, your basset probably isn’t going to complete a 10k with you, and it’s really unsafe to run with brachycephalic dogs like pugs and bull mastiffs.

In my opinion, the right question to ask is: “Can I train my dog to be my running buddy?” And you should ask that question of your vet.

Here’s why: Focusing only on your dog’s breed ignores individual variations. You want to make sure your dog’s hips and joints are healthy and his heart is good, and those aren’t breed-specific health checks. Thinking at the individual level, Emmett was a pit mix and wouldn’t run unless it was to a cupcake. Cooper is a pit mix and wouldn’t stop running if we didn’t make him.

You’ll see all sorts of advice on the internet–get a Weimaraner for trails and a Vizsla for long runs, etc.–that may or may not be good advice for you and your dog. That said, if you’re looking to adopt a new dog, be sure to tell the shelter staff that you want a running partner! They can point you to the dogs in their care who will be the right fit, regardless of breed!

When is it too hot to run with your dog? Or, when is it too cold to run with your dog?

General, often-touted rule of thumb: Hold your bare palm to the cement for 15 seconds. Too hot or too cold to do that? It’s too hot or too cold to run with your pup. That said, use common sense. If you have the right gear, you can run in the heat or the cold. Heat requires extra precautions against overheating, so shorter, less-intense runs during the coolest part of the day, or purposefully choosing courses that are shaded can help.

Honestly, though? This is a common-sense issue. If you’re not sure if the temps are too extreme, just assume they are. Better to be cautious than sorry.

How long can I run with my dog?

Sort of like the question above, this depends so much on the weather conditions and your dog’s fitness level. Start slow, like with the C25k program, so that your dog slowly builds endurance, then be cognizant of your running conditions.

Cooper, for example, started the C25k program with me several years ago. We completed it, then lost our momentum. When we started back up, he was in better shape than I was, and then he started to train with John. One of John’s big bucket list goals was to run a marathon, so he first did the C25k program with me years ago, and he downloaded that same app but in the marathon version. It started incrementally and gradually built distance and duration. He took Coop along from the beginning, though at some point in the training Cooper topped out at eight miles. And that’s the key: John recognized that 8 miles was as far as Cooper could safely go. Would Cooper go longer? Yep. If John let him, Coop would run until he dropped, but… We monitored his recovery after each run, and that was the point we identified as far enough for him. I do believe he could probably complete a half marathon with John, and he definitely would if given the chance, but we’re also cognizant of the fact that he’s turning eight this year and we need to protect his joints. Will he run more? Maybe. We’re going to start him with chiropractic care soon and may do a sports medicine consult, but we’re happy with him at eight miles (unless it’s too hot, obvi).

The Bottom Line: Running with your dog is an awesome way to bond!

I don’t particularly like to run. Sometimes I hate it. Most of the time I don’t even want to go. Then I harness up Coop, and his tail starts to wag. His ears go back. And he is happy–genuinely, joyfully happy–which makes it worthwhile.

The only thing you need to do to start is to lace up your shoes, leash up your dog, and head outside. No fancy gear required.

If you need a little more inspo, here are a couple posts I’ve written about running with Coop:

Healthy Dog, Healthy(ish) Me: Will Run for Tacos

Lean, mean running bean

Otherwise, get out there and have fun! And if you still have questions about running with your dog, leave ’em in the comments below! Or, if you think I’ve missed anything here, please add your tips!

BTW, I’m thinking about trying some trail running with Coop, so if anyone has any suggestions there, I’m all ears!!! 🙂

Why I’ve come around to the phrase pet parenting

File this one under: “You do you, boo.” (Kind of like this one.)

Anyways, some pet blogger friends and I had this conversation a while ago, and I’ve been meaning to write about it but kept putting it off. Part of me was like, Well, who really cares what you think about this topic. And part of me was like, Let’s not wade into that pond.

But, honestly? I’m kinda tired of seeing people picked on for how they choose to label themselves.

And, you guys, the comments that show up out there are just plain mean.

Why I've come around to the phrase pet parenting

“Pet parenting” felt slightly too anthropomorphic for my taste. There are real risks to our pets’ well-being if we treat them like and expect them to be wired like and to behave like tiny humans. On the other side of that coin, “owner” implies Cooper is like my bike or my kitchen table.

Plus, I never felt like my animals were my children, but rather my friends. My partners.

Not that any of that matters to how you think of yourself with your pets.

Of course, now I do have a tiny human, and she’s just the greatest thing around. But she’s also made me realize just how similar caring for animals is to caring for tiny humans in a handful of key ways:

  • As the parent, you spend an inordinate amount of time dealing with effluvia. Dogs with midnight diarrhea and babies with midnight diaper blowouts share a lot in common. Puke becomes a way of life (Newt.) and you deal with it and move on.
  • My entire budget goes toward feeding my brood. I’m constantly almost out of milk or cat food.
  • I mentioned earlier that dogs aren’t tiny humans. However, they have to live in a human world and therefore have to behave appropriately. It’s on me to teach my crew how to behave. While Violet is a tiny human, she didn’t come programmed with things like… not snatching a library book out of another kid’s hands or not throwing food during breakfast, among others. It’s on me to teach them all what is (and isn’t’) appropriate.
  • They get bored easily. All of them. Toys (everyone), activities (Violet and Cooper), laser chase (cats and Violet), outside stuff (everyone), and Mama’s fifteenth consecutive performance of Itsy Bitsy Spider (Violet) can usually get us to lunchtime… but they all need enrichment and stimulation.
  • Grooming–hair, nails, and teeth–is an attempt to clean something that’s actively trying to run away from you.

Last week, we were at Target picking up more wipes and milk and whatever else leads you to spend $100 when you only went in to buy two things…

Violet decided that she was going to clip the two pieces of the seat belt in the cart’s child seat. She had one piece of the buckle in each hand and was bashing them together because, you see, Violet doesn’t yet have the fine motor skills to actually accomplish that feat. So, I waited a minute while she bashed, and then I so-very-innocently said, “Would you like some help?” As I reached forward to snap the buckle together for her, Violet. lost. it.

Toddlers are an interesting breed.

She wanted the buckle clicked, but she couldn’t do it herself, but she didn’t want help, but she wanted the buckle clicked, but she couldn’t do it herself, so…. vicious cycle and meltdown.

In that moment, you know what I thought?

This is a lot like Coopsie seeing a dog across the street out on a walk!

He loves to play with other dogs. He can’t figure out how to behave when he sees one though. So he goes bananas, but then he doesn’t get to meet the other dog because he’s going bananas and so he gets frustrated and escalates the bananas until he’s on his back legs barking and crying his face off…

Violet doesn’t get the seatbelt clicked; Cooper doesn’t get to play with other dogs.

And then there’s me, standing there, waiting out their fit so we can move on with our shopping/walk.

So, yeah.

Ultimately, parenting pets is pretty darn similar to parenting tiny humans. I now consider myself a pet parent. I’m a proud dog mom, cat mom, and Violet mom.

If you consider yourself a pet owner, that’s cool, too. In the end, it doesn’t matter. And not that you guys are any of the ones leaving the nasty, judgey comments, but when you’re navigating the internet and see someone label themselves as something different from you, remember that that’s totally fine. You’re not that person, right? So it’s not up to you to judge how they label themselves!

Discussions are cool–feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, or your own labels in the comments below–but mean, judgmental snark is uncool. Just do you, boo, and let others do them, too!

So, let’s hear it: Why do YOU call yourself with your pets? Are you a pet parent? A pet owner? Do you have a special name (like, Emmett and Lucas always “called” us Lady and Man)? 

Glacial progress adds up when training reactive dogs: Coop’s big win!

Last week, as we walked laps around our favorite park, one of the social workers from our adoption agency called John. They had a professional photographer lined up for Saturday to snap some photos to decorate their offices. Were we interested… oh, and bring your dog!

We said yes! Of course!

And then we started to think through the logistics of taking Cooper.

He gets nervous going to new places. His tail tucks, and he quakes like a little leaf in a windstorm whenever we take him to a different park.

He can be hit or miss when meeting strangers out in public. Interestingly, he’s totally fine with anyone who we have over to the house. It’s the out-and-about that causes him anxiety.

He listens almost perfectly at home, but when he’s scared (see: new place, new people), he can dissolve into a neurotic, bouncing, barking mess who can’t focus.

So, in light of those quirks, we started to plan: We had tiers of treats ranging from low value (freeze-dried salmon) to his most valued (squeeze cheese). We decided to get to the park early to walk him around and let him get his wiggles out, go to the bathroom, and start to run some quick cues like sit and down so that he had time to get in the right mindset. Ultimately, we decided to park close to the spot so that, worst-case scenario, we could put him in the car and leave it running with the AC on, music playing, a water dish, and his bed.

The punchline, which you probably guessed from the headline, is that he behaved perfectly. (The pic below is a candid snap I got on my phone during the official shoot!)

Glacial progress adds up when training reactive dogs_ Coop's big win!

Like, if you didn’t know him at all–which the social worker and photographer didn’t–you’d think he was just a wonderful, happy, well-behaved, normal pup–which is what they thought!

He growled at two people; both startled him as they emerged from places in his blind-spots.

Otherwise, he was legit perfect.

He posed. He stayed. He sat. He looked at the camera. He wagged and accepted tons of pets from both women and even allowed the social worker to hold his leash while the photographer snapped a few pics of humans only.

Truthfully?

I really needed this reminder. (Again.)

We work with Cooper in some capacity–whether it’s attentiveness training in the park or impulse control at home, trick training in the living room, or long stays in the backyard, and so on–every single day. Sometimes it’s a few minutes here and there; sometimes it’s concerted, focused training sessions.

I know you guys know, but working with reactive dogs can be so frustrating. It feels like one step forward, two steps back so much of the time. Random new things crop up unexpectedly that leave you wondering if your work is making a difference.

This whole photoshoot experience proved to me that all that work pays off. That sometimes we’ll get off track, or we’ll experience a setback, but ultimately we’re moving forward. Sure, it’s at a glacial pace, but it’s forward progress regardless.

We’ll have the opportunity to purchase these and the rest of the session once they’re all ready, but for now, here are a couple embeds from Facebook showing Coop’s hard work:

With all that in mind, and the reminder that I sometimes need this reminder, how about you? What progress, no matter how slow, have you and your pup made lately? Have you ever had an experience like this that showed you just how far your dog has come? 

Gratitude

Sometimes when I see someone walking their dog down the sidewalk, I watch the dog’s tail swish around happily, head bobbing, taking in all the sniffs. I see dogs stop to greet other people and other dogs out on their walks, or–even better–I see dogs walk past and ignore other people and other dogs out on their walks, and I feel jealous.

Oh, to love a dog who can walk down the street in a calm (even happy!) manner. To stroll the neighborhood without my head on a swivel, spotting and assessing who or what’s ahead and rerouting as necessary. To go to the park and not have to wait in the car until the coast is clear to unload the pup.

None of those things are Cooper, though. They’re just not. And that’s really, truly OK. We love him so thoroughly, quirks and all, that we’re more than willing to adjust our habits and our walks and our routines to make sure he’s happy. Of course we are.

Even though he makes me nuts sometimes, I’m so grateful for Cooper and everything that makes him him.

I found myself frustrated with him the other day because I feel like we’ve plateaued in his training and maybe even back-slid a bit. For a long while, he was OK with people out and about as long as they didn’t have dogs with them and as long as there wasn’t something startling (like getting out of a car right in front of him or, you know, sneezing). Recently, though, he’s started to react to people who talk to us when we’re out, even from afar.

For example, there’s this lady at the end of our block who’s going through chemo, and she’s started this big flower garden in the front of her yard along the sidewalk. Clearly it’s therapeutic for her because she’s often out there working in the dirt, or I’ll go by after a couple days and there’s a whole new patch of flowers planted. Last week, we happened to be out for our walk when she was happily working in her garden. I commented to her how beautiful it was, and she replied–I have no idea what she said though because as soon as she started talking, Coop barked his face off at her. Cue embarrassed wave, mumbled “sorry,” jog away…

I steamed for the rest of our walk. Why can’t he keep his shit together?

Then we got home. He sipped some water. He let the baby climb into his bed. He kissed her cheek.

Gratitude

He followed me up to my office, swishing his tail. He settled behind my desk, and every time I looked at him or talked to him, he’d lift his head. Wag. Scootch closer to me.

He’s my guy, through and through. He’s a family guy. He adores the kitties. He adores friends and family who come over and pet him. He adores the baby. He loves being home. He just is a homebody. He loves laying in the yard and watching the birds. He listens so well and behaves so well at home. He comes when he’s called.

Sure, I wish he could relax and enjoy life outside the house a little more. I feel like he’d get to go so many more places with us and do so many more things, but that’s just not him. And, I’m so grateful for all the things that make him him.

My best friend lost her dog recently. It was an unexpected, sudden, fluke tragedy. My heart is broken for her family, and I miss his easy smile. He was a good boy.

Their lives are too short already. Being cut even shorter is astronomically unfair.

I think about Cooper and all the things that make him Cooper, and I think about him turning eight this summer (EIGHT!), and I’m just so grateful for having him grace my life. I’ve learned more from Cooper than I realized possible–another post for another day, perhaps–and he’s changed my perspective on everything from health and wellness to perseverance.

Yes, we still see other dogs walking nicely on leash in public places, and we turn to each other and say, “Wouldn’t it be nice…”

But then it wouldn’t be Cooper, and Cooper isn’t perfect, but he’s perfectly ours.

Gratitude _ OhMyDogBlog.com

What are you grateful for about your dog? Despite or because of his quirks?

The Animal Lover’s Guide to Changing the World: Book review + giveaway!

When I was a kid, we lived in the last house at the top of a big hill in the woods of Pennsylvania. In addition to our pets–our dog Sparky, a tankful of fish in my bedroom, frogs in a terrarium in my sister’s room, a birdcage with parakeets Blueberry and Snowflake in my brother’s room–we were surrounded by wildlife outside, too. Right in our backyard we encountered snakes, rabbits, bats, bugs, once a bear, and more salamanders than you could possibly imagine. In fact, the salamanders were so plentiful that my brother and I would take turns flipping over a rock and snatching them up as they fled. We had a small plastic terrarium that we’d put them in to watch what they did. I even took some into school because my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Dean, said it would be a good project to observe them. What I didn’t realize then was just how much we were disturbing everything about those poor little salamanders’ lives–their habitat, yes, and also their life cycle (they almost always died in our care if we didn’t let them go soon enough).

To paraphrase Maya Angelou, when you know better, you do better.

Enter: The Animal Lover’s Guide to Changing the World. 

This book breaks down the myriad ways we can all help animals in need, from the ones in our homes to the ones in our backyards to the ones on the other side of the world. It’s easy, digestible, and–most importantly–nonjudgmental.

The accessibility of the writing turns complex themes, like the interconnectedness of people, pets, and the environment, into succinct, actionable steps. In fact, one of the strengths of this guide is the “Comment and Share” section at the end of every chapter that distills the main point into bite-sized chunks with clear steps to take to make a difference.

AnimalLoversGuidetoSavingtheWorld_DietQuote

OhMyDogBlog.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. 

A simple reference for helping animals

One of the great things about this book is that you can dip in and out of individual chapters to learn about the topic you’re most interested in, or quickly refer back to a topic without losing anything in the mix. It’s set up like a reference guide, though it’s written like a narrative.

My two fave chapters focused on the power of words–how we speak about things matters–and the impact our actions have on the environment. The latter of those two united the importance of environmentalism and the lives of the animals around us and inspired me and John to put hummingbird feeders around our yard!

The ultimate lesson I took from The Animal Lover’s Guide to Changing the World is one we talk a lot about around here: Do your best.

No one is perfect. No one should strive to be perfect. But we should all strive to do better when and where we can.

Align your actions with your values

Who is this book for? Honestly, I think because it’s written in such an accessible way, it’s perfect for a YA audience on up. It would be a great conversation starter or project inspo in a classroom setting, but it’s also a succinct reference to keep on your shelf to pull down for ideas and motivation.

I was lucky enough to receive a proof of the book to review since it doesn’t come out until June 5. However, you can pre-order a copy on Amazon!

YIPPEEE! I have a copy to give away to one lucky reader!

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Sometimes the widget takes a minute to load, but if you’re reading this via email or through a feed reader, you might have to click the link to get it to open.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big, huge THANK YOU to Stephanie for reaching out to share her book with me so that I could share it with you guys! And an even bigger thank you for her publishers providing this giveaway copy!