I say,

Screw Form...Have fun with the dog!

My two cents.

he will for sure effect your form, and one side of your body will work to stabilize. not the best thing. and worse is the strain he is putting on his throat if he is pulling hard on the lead. i recommend a prong collar to keep him from pulling. some people don't like them, but they work well and keeps the dog from bruising their throat.

Well, I'm ashamed to admit it publicly because I know how some feel about them but he has a prong collar. It doesn't choke. Honestly, I don't think it fazes him. In fact, yesterday I was going to start his run without his leash on and he wouldn't leave without it.

He's just so proud to be out their showing his mom the way. Don't worry Fooshee my boy's happiness is the #1 priority.

Pat

prong collars are good for sporty dogs, we have 2 weims and it makes a huge difference with them.

When I got my lab, she was 1 year old, and full of energy. I ran with her on leash all the time, her dragging me along - I tried my best to teach her to walk better on a leash, but we just never got there. it was great when I took her to the trails and she could run off leash. Anyways after months of the leash running, I developed so many nagging injuries, and I'm positive they were related to trying to hang onto her. Once I stopped doing the leash runs, and took some time off from running, I was remarkable better. I don't do leash runs anymore. Too much potential for injuries. ANd she loves the off leash trail runs so much, as do I. We try to go twice a week. Everyone is happy.

good luck, be careful.

Screw the prong collar, get a head halter. Takes all pressure off the throat and they HATE pulling with the head halter. I can keep a Border Collie under control with it... even when there's cats around. Combine the collar with a retractable leash (but dont let the dog extend it out too far) and you should have little impact on your form.
Change the side you are holding the leash with every couple minutes to balance it out.

Hmm, thanks for the answer.

Not what I wanted to hear. I am able to run him off lead for about half the run, so, of course, I do. I just don't think not running him is an option. We have a 2 acre fenced in yard but he just doesn't settle down without his run. How does your lab behave when he hasn't gotten in a run? I'm running with Goose about 5x/week and the other two days we go for off lead walks. Those will become threatened soon because they are in corn fields and once the seedlings are up he won't be allowed there.

Pat

Thanks, I'll get one today.

Pat

Definitely go with a prong collar.

Learn to put it on correctly. It needs to be tight (it should not move after being put on) and high on the neck (near the ears). You also need to find out how hard you need to snap the lead for your dog. Some "soft" dogs don't need much, but some "hard" dogs (like my GSDs) need a very good yank.

Start out using the "live ring" (lead hooked on outside ring) until he understands that while on lead you expect a certain level of obedience (you need to be consistent on this one). Personally, I think the dogs should have to run at your pace. Remember that you are the leader, not him. After some time you can go to the "dead ring" (lead hooked to both rings) of the prong collar.

Personally, I believe in prong collars. My dogs run with me and they always are wearing theirs on the dead ring. And, yes I have put one around my leg and given the lead a snap. It really is not as bad as it looks. Think of the prong collar as power steering for dogs.

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Twitter @achtervolger

Well, I have two big dogs. I walk them first thing every morning on leash, for 45-60 minutes. Its my warmup for my runs. Then I run (not every day) ,leaving them both at home to rest. Then when the weather is nice, they spend the day in our fenced in back yard - about .75 acres. SO they get exercise then too - since I have two they play with each other. The one dog hates the car and will not ride to the trails, so only one dogs goes. And she loves it. She thinks she would like to run every day, but I just can't do it -won't spend the extra time/ fuel to drive to the trails every day. And when we go there, she totally over does it. SHe must run 2-3 times as far as I do, chasing every sound, and thing that moves. I think she appreciates those, and the long morning walks help pacify her between runs. They also get play time in the yard with us, throwing things to retrieve, and another shorter walk in the evenings. Its a lot of time, but we've worked it out between me and my hubby so everyone seems to get the exercise they need. I always wish I had more time for my training, but I know if I had it, I'd overdo it, and end up injured. So they are good governors for me, and everyone is happy.

I do wish I could run with them on leash, but its just as well. I prefer to keep them on soft ground as much as possible, so leash runs would be more pavement. I think they have a pretty good life.

I used to have the same problem when I first got my irish setters. You can get a belt leash that wraps around your waist and has a leach that attaches to the dog. dogjogger.com has this product. I used this along with the prong collars, and to be honest, I think it actually improved my running as I was getting pulled from the core.

Wow, you sound like a great dog mommy.

We actually have 5 other dogs-two GWP's, 1 English Springer Spaniel and 2 JR terriers. The Spaniel and terriers are old and Goosey just plays too rough with the GWP girls. They're older and calmer. I wish your pups could come over and play with Goose-that might help him out.

Thanks for the advice.

Pat

Interesting thought. I used to use my race belt with my other dogs, before they got too old and tired. I'd attach the leash to the race belt. I think I'll pull that out and see how it goes with G.

P

That is a really good idea. I do have a friend who walks/runs with her dog on a leash attached to a belt she wears. SHe doesn't have problems. I had never tried that when I was doing the leash runs, I always had the leash in hand, my body being pulled in every conceivable direction. I hope you can find a good solution!

Buy a haltee or gentle leader for them to wear when you run. It teaches them not to pull.

if that doesn't work, buy a Sporn for them to wear when you run, it reinforces for them not to pull.

I run with my dogs all the time, one wears a haltee and the other a sporn (after a while he figured out how to pull in the haltee).

Makes running with them sooo much more enjoyable. And they don't wear out as fast, since they don't go all out for the first 2 miles.

Get yourself a climbing harness and tie the leash to the belay loop. That will give you a nice, "hips forward" position to set up great form!

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This will take a bit of patience but its worked for me. Break up a bunch of treats and store them somehow. I've got a little carrier that's just enough to put a gel or two in and so it will hold plenty of doggy treats. Shorten the lead to just a foot or so. I'll have 3-4 treats in the other hand that I can give while on the fly. Start off with a walk and talk to him, keep his attention, and when he slacks the lead or he's looking directly at you, give him a treat. Repeat frequently. He'll get the idea soon enough. As soon as he lunges or tugs stop, get his attention, and then start-off again. My young Lab-Beagle mix figured it out by the third run.

Chappy has the right idea. You must teach your dog to heal while walking before you can run (with him at your side).


Once he has walking heal down pat, start running in a heal. If he lurches forward, stop. if you are running and he wants to sniff every tree, keep running and drag him. 2 - 3 times doing this will teach the pup.

I don't think you need anything more than a choke chain. You just must teach him what to expect walking before you can run.

RuffWear The Roamer leash works great. It allows the dog to either run alongside you, or lead/trail on single track. The elastic isn't too much for the neck either. I have used mine with my lab for the last 3 years. I tried a slastix with a biner to a belt, but the resistance was too much- dog stretched it out, and then came back to me in a U-turn, and didn't know what was going on.

teach him to heal; problem solved.

Thanks for all the great thoughts.

Goose actually is really good @ healing when walking, well he walks right next to me and in fact kind of leans on me. I don't think I really want him to run right next to me. It's ok with me if he runs a little ahead, I'd just like him to slow.

Anyway I got the head lead thing-we walk tomorrow so I'll work with him with it then.

Pat

Got the head halter, he is not impressed, lol.

Do you leave it on most of the time, or only for walks?

Thanks,

Pat

I tried that for 4 months. Maddie HATED it. Rubbed her face into the ground for the entirety of all our walks. I gave up, got a prong collar, and we have both been happy walkers and runners ever since. She doesn't mind it. She sits nicely when I put it on. With the Halti collar, she would run away from me and do evasive maneuvers until I could tackle her and get that damn thing on. I also had to buy 4 of them, because she would sniff out where I put it after her walks, and if she could get ahold of it, she would tear it apart.

Good luck with that. It works for some dogs, but I tried my hardest and couldn't get her to take to it.

Jodi

We have the prong collar but based on the previous description G's might be too big.

So if the halti doesn't do the trick I'll try a smaller prong collar, get out my climbing harness and fly along with my friend.

Or if I'm not careful he'll end up with so much neck and head hardware no one will know he's a dog, LOL.

Thanks,
P

We had the same problem with our Weim, she hated the head halter. Instead of the Gentle Leader head gear, they also make a harness. She is much better with this set up, and it doesn't look like a muzzle. The concept is the same, it just straps around their shoulders.

If you keep working with your GWP, he will get better.

-David

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind too.

He really has improved in the 2 months we've had him/ Even if he never improves I wouldn't trade him for the world.

I do think that he'll be happier as he settles down. Even though I love him other folks don't allows appreciate his enthusiasm.

Thanks,

Pat

Only for runs. She will paw at it a little at the beginning of the run, but then leaves it alone. It was worse at first, she would stop 4+ times a run. She got used to it. Also make sure it fits right, it should not ride up too close to their eyes. I actualy had to go down a size from the recommended weight range sizes, cause her head is small.

The instructions that came with it are pretty good for getting them started. Dont give up on it too quick. I actually just ignore the fact that Skye stopped when she paws at it and keep running, rather than stop and reinforce the behavior at all.

Used the Halti-halter today on a 50 minute run.

The first 1/2 mile he was very fidgety, kept trying to scratch it off, I just gently corrected him and bopped along. After that it worked like a dream. He lead me with only gentle pressure on the lead-only needed two fingers to hold it. We got to his run free part and I took the lead off. After we were done with that he wasn't happy but allowed the halter back on. On the very first part back he was able to get it off, but allowed me to tighten it and then things went great.

Thankyou very much,

Pat

Awesome! Good to hear it went well. It might get to the point where your dog will willingly shover his face into the halter like mine does. She goes nuts when she sees it cause she associated it with the run. Have fun!