Product Review – PolyBrite Lighted Collar
I’ve been putting a bicycle-style tail lamp on his collar. Well, not any more!
Pooch to 5k
Running with dogs
At What Age Should You Run With Your Dog?
This is something I’m asked often. There is no cut and dried answer to that question. It depends on so many variables.
Some breeds of dog are bred to run. A fine example is my Australian Working Kelpie, Guinness. He was raised on a sheep station, and those dogs are mustering sheep in the paddock from quite a young age. I started running with Guinness when he was just under 12 months old.
Some breeds have inherent orthopaedic problems, and in those breeds, I’d hold off a while until their body is more physically mature.
Girl – Running Buddy of the Month for July 2010
Girl is a gorgeous Australian Cattle Dog, who runs with her owner Jen, of Narangba, QLD, Australia. I’ve had the pleasure of Girl’s company on a foreshore run, and she likes nothing better than to have a dip in the ocean when she gets a bit hot. Even Guinness doesn’t mind her coming along with …
Three Legged Sled Dog Continues To Race
Abner is a Siberian Husky from Alaska who lost his leg two years ago after an accident severed his femoral artery. He recovered well but wasn’t happy with the sedentary lifestyle of an invalid. He still wanted to run, and he started destroying furniture because he was bored and frustrated . Lynn, his owner, was wise and hooked him up to a sled at the front of the pack, so he wouldn’t get dragged if he couldn’t keep up. Abner has never looked back!
What Breed of Dog to Run With?
What sort of dog should you get if you’re looking for a canine running buddy? That depends on so many things, and I’d encourage you to consider not only the running that you want to do, but your whole lifestyle.
Do you have time to groom a dog with a long coat? What about money? Big dogs cost more than smaller dogs. Also, some dogs are smarter than others and need much more mental stimulation. You’ll need to take these dogs to obedience training and give them plenty to do so they don’t get bored. In many ways, these are more important questions than just how far a dog can run.
You need to be able to live with your dog even when you’re not out running.
Toenails.
I took Guinness for a 6km run last night, and while he was running, I could hear the tap, tap, tap of his toenails hitting the footpath.
Although it’s not likely to cause a dog a great deal of pain, it may be uncomfortable for him to run with longish nails. Repeated pressure on the toenail as it hits the ground could easily take the pleasure out of a run for your dog.
Fortunately, Guinness is very easy to handle when it comes to giving him a manicure.