Rant not really horse related but any dog lovers on?

We have a lab and he refuses to go running with my husband as he runs to fast for our dog, so he doesn't get a chance to have a sniff about and it's just at the wrong pace for our dog to follow him easily but my friends dog always comes out with us on the horses and loves it.
 
I am also a bit on the fence. A dog wouldn't choose to run for miles without stopping sniffing, peeing etc. I personally would not take a dog running with me.
 
I've been running with my GSD loads of times. I'm not very fast, he tried to pull me a lot of the time and it was good encouragement for not stopping.

We'd go to the field and go off lead for a pee and sniff (him, not me) at the end.

This never tired him out and he loved it, he could go twice as far with no bother. I'd imagine a collie would easily outpace him too, being lighter and smaller. So I think you have nothing to worry about.

Also - if that man had grabbed my arm I'd have screamed blue murder and had the cops there in moments. He had no right to lay a finger on you. I know this is probably a bit controversial, but I feel that 'accept it, he's an old man and is harmless' is wrong. There's a dangerous precedent in expecting people to accept behaviour they don't like or that makes them feel uncomfortable just because the person has stature, whether that be due to age or power. As a young person, I nearly got into trouble due to deference of this sort and I find it insidious and harmful.
 
I would have thought a collie would just lock on to the pace and keep going. Silly thing for the old guy to do.

I take my dog out with me mountain biking. She is a lab x rotti so energetic but not crazy, I treat her much like a would a horse - never push her on out of her natural pace and no cantering on hard ground. She likes walks with me on foot but on a bike she just settles herself into her own pace and off we go. There are lots of diversions though, she usually meets a friend or two, has a roll in something vile, eats something that died weeks ago, that sort of thing. As long as your dog is fit enough I can't see the problem. I do see the odd dog out that is lagging behind someone on a bike (usually a bloke) and think the dog is knackered.
 
Have had border collies for 20 years or so and have taken them running and cycling many times but have had this happen to me. We used to cycle on a no-through lane with no traffic and occasionally I'd race the dogs - as in "come on then, let's see who's fastest" for no more than 100 yards. I once got a mouthful from someone who had obviously only seen the end of our "race" and thought we always went at that speed!
My two oldies both lived to be nearly 17 and my current oldie is nearly 15. She is arthritic so we don't do anything at speed any more but she will walk for miles (although tired afterwards). My younger dog would happily run for ever and did the Race for Life with me last year, complete with pink lead.
I think it's pretty easy to tell if a dog is distressed and would far rather see fit, lean collies than the alternative.
 
YasandCrystal said:
I am also a bit on the fence. A dog wouldn't choose to run for miles without stopping sniffing, peeing etc. I personally would not take a dog running with me.
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I quite agree with you, I especially don't like seeing the person on a bike with dog running behind. It's got no choice but to keep running if it wants to keep up with its owner.
 
Having said I wouldn't take a dog running with me I would also never grab someone by the arm and stop them to give my opinion - that is definately way over the top. I have challenged someone I caught beating a dog by whipping it repeatedly with a lead years ago.
 
YasandCrystal said:
I am also a bit on the fence. A dog wouldn't choose to run for miles without stopping sniffing, peeing etc. I personally would not take a dog running with me.
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surely it depends on the breed and individual dogs? lurcher we had wasn't interested in sniffing, he wanted to run.... and run.... and run a bit more!!:D old rotty on the other hand didn't really 'do' running, she prefered sniffing and nosying about. if i could have kept up with the lanky lurcher he'd have loved to have a running partner, i prefer the pace of the rotty!
 
Well today I went to mums (where I keep my ponies) and the dog got up greeted me as usual and the headed for the gate to the road - looked miffed when I didn't follow him as I was going for a lesson not for a run. I have to say I'm still of the belief that the guy was a nutter!
 
While I don't think for one minute that you will have harmed the dog in any way and that he probably enjoyed his run, I also think that a walk/run should be about more than thrashing around at speed. To walk the dog should, in my opinion, allow him to sniff about and generally be a dog and enjoy the things that dogs enjoy. I do think though that the person who grabbed you was a bit ott. Wouldn't worry too much though.
 
Pamfyson said:
While I don't think for one minute that you will have harmed the dog in any way and that he probably enjoyed his run, I also think that a walk/run should be about more than thrashing around at speed. To walk the dog should, in my opinion, allow him to sniff about and generally be a dog and enjoy the things that dogs enjoy. I do think though that the person who grabbed you was a bit ott. Wouldn't worry too much though.
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You obviously think I'm *a lot* fitter than I am ;)
 
You'll know if he can't cope.

I've just stopped taking my dog for runs (5k max) as she's started to slow me down. She's not struggling as such, but it was obvious she didn't want to go that fast. I'm a bit fitter and getting round a bit quicker than I used to and she's getting on a bit (at least 8, we don't know exaclty how old as a rescue) so is slowing down. She would do a good stretch of our runs off the lead and could still stop to sniff and explore and then catch up so running doesn't necessarily stop them doing that. Even on the lead I'd stop to let her sniff or wee if she wanted while I gasp for air! If I put my trainers on now she doesn't react, but if I put my walking boots on she's at the door before me.
 
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