Pooch to 5k – Page 17 – Running with dogs

Pick Up That Poo!

by Audrey

I remember when I finished The Lakes College Fun Run last year, a gentleman came up to me and congratulated me for picking up Guinness’s poo during the race. I thought that was really nice of him. I have a major issue with people who leave dog poo around, and I’m a dog owner. It must be even less popular with those who aren’t into dogs.

There is nothing worse than scrubbing dog poo from between the ridges on the soles of your running shoes! But that’s the least of your worries. Dog poo can be a source of illness. It can be a source of tapeworm infection in people, which can cause blindness and brain damage. It may also harbour hookworm larvae which are also not very pleasant if we should become infected. Dog poo may also spread infections such as Giardia.

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A Drink for Your Dog

by Francis

We keep cool when we’re running by sweating (perspiring if you’re a lady) which, by the process of evaporation, uses heat from the surface of our body to turn liquid water into water vapour. We have a surface area of between 1.5m² and 2m² depending on various factors such as height, weight, gender and body composition. When we sweat to cool down, we can easily lose a large amount of heat if we have a large surface area.

Dogs cool themselves by panting, and because they have a hair coat they tend not to lose as much body heat through the skin as we do. Most of the heat they lose is because of evaporation of water from their saliva. Because they are almost incapable of losing heat by convection, conduction, and radiation, it is vital to their well-being that their evaporative cooling system works as well as possible, and is fully replenished with water.

But when and how should you get your dog to drink?

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Get That Vet Check!

by Audrey

You don’t need a vet check for your dog before you start running with him. Do you?

In most cases, you know when your dog is well. He eats normally, isn’t limping and has plenty of enthusiasm and energy.

Even so, it’s a good idea to pop into your vet clinic and have him examined before you start an exercise program with him. This was brought home to me recently on a busy Saturday morning in the vet clinic where I work.

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Warming Up and Cooling Down Before and After Your Run

by Admin

This is a guest post from Liza, of 1 Fit Mutt. She runs with her Beagle x Australian Cattle Dog x Kelpie. Make sure you check out her site.

It’s very important to warm up before exercise and cool down after, for both dogs and humans. Warming up and cooling down can be as simple as jogging at a slower than usual pace with your dog before starting your main run. When going for a run with your dog, go at a slower, lighter jog or even just a brisk walk before picking up the pace. You will feel your muscles warming up and getting ready to work and the same will be happening to your dog.

How long your warm-up should be really depends on you and your dog’s individual requirements, but usually 5-10 minutes should be enough to get your dog’s body ready for more strenuous exercise (depending on how long and intense your running session will be).

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The Genetics of Running Dogs

by Audrey

Are some breeds of dogs better runners than others? That is definitely the case, and it all comes down to genetics.

Compare greyhounds with foxhounds. Greyhounds are fast, but after one lap of the track, they are spent. Foxhounds, on the other hand, can run after a fox for a very long time without getting tired. What is the difference?

This is a very basic anatomy lesson, but it is enough to help you understand more about your dog’s body.

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Feeding Your Dog For Endurance

by Audrey

If you’re going to run with your dog, you need to provide enough energy to meet his increased demands.

Have a look at your bag of dog food, and find the nutrition analysis. It will give you a figure for metabolisable energy, expressed in kilojoules or calories. Some ingredients, such as fiber, do add to the energy content of the food, but it’s not easy for your dog to digest. This means that it’s not readily available for your dog. Metabolisable energy is the amount of energy in your dog’s food that he can actually use. Dogs who run need more metabolisable energy than a sedentary dog.

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