Quick canicross question....

[{97702}]

Do you run with your dogs every day? My runs are slow and short - 5k yesterday, 4.5 miles today - and Millie has boundless energy being a lurcher! But I’m also conscious that she is just starting out & that running on roads/paths will put pressure on her joints with the concussion effect (she is 3 so fully mature)

 

[MotherOfChickens]

does she take a pull or not? Its more about the strain and muscle use when in harness than a slow run unless you're only running on roads? road running gets mixed discussions, personally I think its about the individual-if you get a strong puller who is running fast and far on tarmac then its maybe not great but I often run 3 out of 5ks on the road-I am so darn slow though that the dogs rarely get above a trot and I try and keep faster stuff for grass and we do a lot of woodland running which is slow but technical so the pace is mixed. I am not managing for various reasons to run more than twice a week which is rubbish but I'd probably not run them every day even if I could (but mostly because I don't want them to expect it every time we go out.)

Many do free running as well which I appreciate not everyone can do-the thinking is that free running enables them to rest and sprint as they want to an avoids the repetitiveness of keeping one pace which is not as natural for them. I used to run with my collie 6/7 days for up to 2 hours at the weekend but it was all free running or on a lead.Are her pads doing ok? thats the only issue I had with the collie when I started running with him.



some also do different types of cross training-balance exercises to work the core etc, swimming, tug, jumping.

 

[{97702}]

At the moment it is still early days so Millie varies between trotting at my side and going ahead - she doesn't pull at all, but she is learning to go out ahead and keep a steady, even tension on the lead which I find ideal. I am so slow that to be honest she barely raises a sweat - I tried a sprint on my way home tonight and I swear she laughed at me and just trotted a bit faster Also the friend I run with is even slower than me and has a cocker spaniel that refuses to keep a decent pace, so it is rather stop and start.

My evening runs are on roads/pavements/gravel-type paths and I could take her off road at the weekends, obviously that will change when the clocks change (hurray!) The idea of me running with her is that I just cannot trust her to have free running any more unless I pay for an enclosed exercise field, I love seeing her run but she is just too unpredictable and tends to disapear in seconds when my focus is elsewhere.

I will keep a close eye on her pads as that is something that had occurred to me too, we are only on day 2 at the moment so all is good - I'm debating whether to run with her tomorrow, or just take the whole lot out for a walk together (when Millie would have to stay on the lead)

 

[MotherOfChickens]

it is quite demoralising when you're giving it everything you've got and they don't break pace the setter was the worst, he had such long legs I never got him out of a trot lol.

I think-same as horses and people a bit of variation is the key-as long as she still gets regular opportunities to run off lead and the pace isn't too samey it should be fine as she's a young dog in her prime I never gave it much thought with the collie who was older when we started but then I did sort of do equivalent training as couch to 5K (except more times a week) to build up and he was free running. Quarrie gets more free running as I am just not a strong/fast enough runner for him and he takes too much of a pull for me-Fitz is just right though, gives me a little help up the slopes but am not in danger of wiping out downhill!

 

[{97702}]

Excellent thank you - I was in the mindset of treating her rather like I'd treat myself, so sounds like that will work OK. She doesn't know yet that my first half marathon is in May..... but we will build up to that

 

[pippixox]

Recently my husband has started to run with our dogs nearly every day (both 3, collie and lab). But the distance varies and he does some cross country and some on pavement. I always check their pads and they were already relatively fit from lots of running up and down a canal path and fields before we moved.

I do run 2-3 miles slowly occasionally and bless they do seem to know to run slower with me!!! I was proud of my 3 miles the other day. They trotted along with ease and then went out again with my husband!

 

[{97702}]

Millie had an ordinary walk with the other 3 today as I had to work late, but tomorrow we are going out a bit further! Not sure my friends cocker will cope, she still allows the dog to stop seemingly every 2 minutes, but I’m sure we will get home in the end 😄

 

[eatmyshorts]

I think doing varied things keeps them interested & hungry for it if you want them to pull, so we don't train in harness every day, normally around 4 times a week (but then we are doing fairly hard work for racing). If you're finding her head's not quite in the game yet (& you want her to pull - assisted running is much easier, especially if there are hills!) maybe try shorter distances, frequent rest/water stops, interesting little twisty woodland trails, running in a group (having a more experienced dog to chase can help), stuff like that. If you're just doing it for a bit of fun, & as away of exercising her without letting her off, with lower speeds & less intensity, i can't see that running with her every day will do her any harm so long as you are careful of her joints, temps/humidity etc - (a lot of people don't do much canicross during around May through to Sep as it's too warm/humid & there's a risk of dogs can overheating when pulling). Canicross is a great solution for dogs with sketchy recall.

 

[{97702}]

Thank you EMS that’s really helpful 😊