Hey guys.
I was wondering if any of you have experience running with a dog.
We are getting a Alaskan Malamute puppy this weekend and I want to train it to run with me. I know this can be bad for some dogs, but I would like to take it out for 5-10km to exercise it.
Any advice/tips/experience?
THanks
Ran and x-country skied with my golden retreiver and black lab all the time on conservation trails and old abandoned railway tracks near where I lived. Hardly ever any other people around so they were always off leash. There are advantages of rural areas.
To be perfectly honest, Malamutes are NOT an running breed. They are not a “running sled dog” they are a draft dog bred to pull heavy loads. That is not to say you can’t run with it, just that it will not have good endurance. They are also very, very susceptible to overheating in temperatures higher than the 60s. Shaving them will NOT make them any cooler!
If you are definitely getting this dog and want to run with it, don’t run* distance* until it is mature. In a large boned breed, this is 18 months of age. Just remember, your dog will run itself into trouble working on instinct. YOU need to control it, don’t rely on the dog to tell you before it is too late!
I hope your breeder certifed the parents for hip displasia, its called an OFA rating. Malamutes have a high incidence of bad hips. Running a dog wth bad hips can cripple it.
I’ve been training with an adult dog for a couple of years. She’s great up to about 8 miles. (Less when its over 70 degrees) Recently I got a puppy and figured she would be game to run between 4-6 months.
At the first visit to the vet they strongly suggested waiting till the dog makes it to a year old before any serious running. While the dogs still growing & developing the beating of running (especially on hard surfaces) can cause problems later in life.
Good luck with the puppy!
Travis
Cool. THanks. We are planning on training it to pull us on XC skii’s. I was just wondering if I could run with it. I know taking dogs long distances can be tough on them. Usually however, I find that my run is their fast walk.
Your right about the age thing, I was concerned when to start training it to run with me, I guess that would be an extension of walking training.
Thanks
I have a 5yr old Alaskan Malamute that is my chief running partner. She does well for long runs but…I did not start running with her for any lenght until she was a little over a year old. But short run/walks should be Ok. Also you didn’t say how old your pup was so I am thinking it is 3 to 6 months. Just make sure the baby has plenty of hydration and like yourself don’t do too much too soon. And check with your vet to be sure pup is sound and healthy ( I know you prob. have done all of this ) Malies are wonderful for running and I couldn’t imagine running with out Freya. Much luck to you.
A Mal is an excellent dog for skjorning (sp?). They love cold weather and are built to pull. You still want to take it easy when young.
Support Crew
I agree with Mrs. Bonness about not really running the dog until it is a year and a half old. Lot sof play and fun time at the dog parks is fine, but you dont wanna RUN the thing into the ground too early. Dogs, like people can be broken if they get too much, too soon.
Where I disagree with her is the stamina/ endurance of the Malamute. They will go forever at a easy to moderate pace. Dont expect it too be too eager to do intervals with you. You shouldnt have too many problems with the weather in your climate. Just dont work it too hard on the warmer days, if at all. Dont forget, most sled dogs get plenty of rest in the summer, as it their off season.
I know people in our sport tend to be the educated type who do tons of research, as you probably did before making the decision to purchase this breed, but I am gonna do a little soapbox rant here. As the owner of one (soon to be two) rescue border collies, I implore you to learn to deal with the breed’s quirks. Take training classes and read all the books you can. Learn to use a clicker. It will make training easier, and provide mental stimulation for the pup, which will make the dog it will grow into easier to deal with. Working dogs tend to be pack oriented, so learn to exert your alpha-ness without violence. Thsi goes for the rest of your family. The dog knowing its place will make life more enjoyable. Be tolerant when the dog gets hyper and wants to play. Better yet, play with it. The energy is bred into him/ her, cant control it. The dog needs an outlet for that energy. If it doesnt get it, it will be destructive towards property and maybe even people. The rescue groups and shelters have tons of working dogs whos people didnt understand that they actually need to work. Please dont add to that and love this dog and everything that entails.
Enjoy the potty training! Thats why I adopted older dogs 
Puppys sure are cute, tho!
I agree with Mrs. Bonness about not really running the dog until it is a year and a half old. Lot sof play and fun time at the dog parks is fine, but you dont wanna RUN the thing into the ground too early. Dogs, like people can be broken if they get too much, too soon.
Where I disagree with her is the stamina/ endurance of the Malamute. They will go forever at a easy to moderate pace. Dont expect it too be too eager to do intervals with you. You shouldnt have too many problems with the weather in your climate. Just dont work it too hard on the warmer days, if at all. Dont forget, most sled dogs get plenty of rest in the summer, as it their off season.
I know people in our sport tend to be the educated type who do tons of research, as you probably did before making the decision to purchase this breed, but I am gonna do a little soapbox rant here. As the owner of one (soon to be two) rescue border collies, I implore you to learn to deal with the breed’s quirks. Take training classes and read all the books you can. Learn to use a clicker. It will make training easier, and provide mental stimulation for the pup, which will make the dog it will grow into easier to deal with. Working dogs tend to be pack oriented, so learn to exert your alpha-ness without violence. Thsi goes for the rest of your family. The dog knowing its place will make life more enjoyable. Be tolerant when the dog gets hyper and wants to play. Better yet, play with it. The energy is bred into him/ her, cant control it. The dog needs an outlet for that energy. If it doesnt get it, it will be destructive towards property and maybe even people. The rescue groups and shelters have tons of working dogs whos people didnt understand that they actually need to work. Please dont add to that and love this dog and everything that entails.
Enjoy the potty training! Thats why I adopted older dogs Puppys sure are cute, tho!
THanks. Done and done. My wife has probably visited every Mal site out there. We are getting a 9 week old rescue from QUebec. Apparently the people who got didn’t realize that puppies didn’t come house trained! Dumbasses. Well, we get a pure Mal for rescue fees. We have been looking for one for about 6mths now, so we are real excited!
I run with my dog, but she’s a lab mix. The only downfall is the 5 pee and 1-2 poop stops every run. Other than that, she’s wonderful. I have taught her a couple commands that help a lot- faster, cross (the street), and wait. We’ve been running together sporadically since she was about 1. Now that I’m in Dev’s challenge she gets a lot more running in- and she is loving the exercise! I don’t take her if I’m going >5 miles though, and hot days are bad because she’s black.
Jodi
Nothing to add other than congrats on your rescue. It’s really sad how stupid people are when getting dogs, but the plus side is now you have a wonderful new companion.
Michelle
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...sername=PB%26amp%3BJ;
here is what I posted about a year ago. I am a small animal veterinarian.
I have not read thru this entire thread; am cooking dinner and peaking in on ST
Ya know young wild canids (e.g., wolves and coyotes) do a hell of a lot of running and playing and romping, but it is introduced gradually into their lifestyles as they grow up, explore, interact w/ the littermates, go further and further with the litter and mom, etc. So I would just slowly increase the amount of running in the yard, not on a leash. You can start basic stuff appropriate to pup’s age as far as sit, stay, etc. Not a lot of attention span at 9 weeks tho.
I use clicker training method.
Books I like: Culture Clash, which is a commentary on human-dog bond and is also a training manual. Author is pretty hard hitting but funny and no-nonsense. Good stuff. She has a hilarious Top Ten list of dogs and why we like them…
The only “good” pup is a tired pup. Aerobic exercise is great for dogs of most ages, assuming they’re healthy and sound.
(FKA Tri-DVM)
I have a 11 month old Brittany Spaniel that runs with me every run usually 5 days a week in winter. I started at about 5-6 months old running 1-3 miles and worked up from there as the vet said it was ok. I don’t take her longer than 5-6 miles on the road, but she will go 1.5 hours plus on trails with zero difficulty. I can’t put my running shoes on without her going bonkers. As you said our running pace is just a fast walk/slow trot for them. I have a huge grass school playground down the street that she gets to run off the leash on during part of runs or on my off days from running. Then she runs! Brittany’s are definately running breeds though. She is ridiculously athletic and light on her feet. For those that think that is too much too soon I invite you to my house and see what it is like if she does not get her runs. Bittany’s are a wee bit energetic and potentially destructive without a daily dose of steady 30 minutes to 1 hour of exercise. She is the best running partner I have ever had. I hate running without her. My wife says she stands by the door and wines the whole time i’m gone if I drop her off and finish my run.
Just make sure to give daily checks to their foot pads if you will be running on roads.
Yay! on the rescue! I love Skye and wouldnt trade her for anything (most of the time Shes very high energy, even as Border Collies go, and I can see how some people would get frustrated with her (my step dad doesnt like her.) We’re looking forward to adding a 10 month old boy to the family. He’s deaf and been through 2 different families. This will be his last stop.
I wish more people had the heart to adopt rescues vs jumping for that 8 week old over priced puppy from a puppy mill.
I wish more people had the heart to adopt rescues vs jumping for that 8 week old over priced puppy from a puppy mill.
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AGREED!
I’ve got a a Brittany too…he ran with me for several years…and loved it like you had mentioned. About a year ago, he started limping after runs…so after much heartache and debate, he retired from running and is now a walker…he was a stud though…ran through several marathon trainings with me…I miss him dearly on runs.
How old is your Brittany? I hate hearing stories like that. It’s hard to imagine her without this energy. She’s a stud! I guess I should just enjoy it for the years it lasts. It’s hard to explain to people what a bond is developed through running with your dog.
My dog – 15 lbs of pure mutt fury… maybe some pitt mixed with some crazy small breed. We don’t know what she is. We even paid for one of those stupid DNA tests and they didn’t know, either. Anyway, she is small but built like a brick house. Nothing “toy” about her. She runs and runs and runs (up to 18 miles). I bring water for her (and me) on long runs. But I either go long and slow. S-L-O-W (10:30 min/mi) or short and “faster”. When she runs with my husband, who is easily three-four minutes faster than me at any distance, the dog is fatigued. So speed may be an issue. It may be that she is trained to go at my pace, and if she trained more with the husband she could handle it. ?
Too bad I can’t teach her to ride a bike. She is my fav training partner by far.
Apparently the people who got didn’t realize that puppies didn’t come house trained!
I keep hoping that our soceity is getting smarter as we go along, but then I read stuff like this and I realize that may not be the case. Shocking, but not surprising all at the same time.
Apparently the people who got didn’t realize that puppies didn’t come house trained!
I keep hoping that our soceity is getting smarter as we go along, but then I read stuff like this and I realize that may not be the case. Shocking, but not surprising all at the same time.
These are the same people who pay $1000 or more for one of these new fad “designer dogs”. Which are no different than your average mixed breed you can get for a donation to a rescue. They believe that if you mix two dogs the puppies will magically be better than the parents and only get the “good” genes of each. Tragically, when these people looking for “the perfect dog” find out their dog DOES shed and isn’t so perfect, they often dump it at the nearest shelter.