How many of you run with a dog? My doberman joins me on ever mile I run that isn’t a race. It’s his favorite thing to do with me and he’s gotten to be very good on or off leash. He’s only ever off leash on the most unpopulated trail systems (like the Cumberland trail segments in the Chattanooga area) where I’m usually surprised to come across one set of hikers in 10-20 miles of trail. If there’s the likelyhood of more people, he’s on leash at heel. I see runners all the time without dogs, and know a lot of folk that have dogs and don’t run with them. I just wondered what percentile I’m in on that score. I prefer my canine companion to people as a running buddy any day of the week.
Unfortunately my pooches are too old but when I do run on a local trail I see dogs with at least 50% of the runners. There is one guy I see every single time. He doesn’t run but he has the sweetest pair of black labs that stay right next to him. They will wag and say hi but never really deviate from moving forward.
Our next dog will be a youngster so I can have a companion. I run on my own almost exclusively so I’d feel safer with company.
BTW - pics or it didn’t happen. 
I always run with my dog. She prefers trail running, as do I, but most of our running is in the urban jungle. She has run up to 18 miles with me at one time and, as long as I keep her cool, she never seems to tire. Wish I could say the same for me!
Funny you should ask - we just got back from running with our two dogs. Well, in truth it was my husand who took them out as I’m still not healed up enough to run. We actually plan our runs during the week to make sure that we can always run with the dogs but also so that we make sure to build in a rest day or two for them. It actually makes life with two high-strung dogs (they’re german shorthaired pointers) MUCH easier if they can get some of that craziness out of their system. We have them both running with dogsled harnesses that then attaches around our waist. The beauty is that we can use this same system for skijoring when we go xcountry skiing in the winter.
Honestly one of my favorite things in the world is running with my hubby and the dogs. I’m really antsy to get back out there and be able to run with them.
I run and x-country ski with my dog(s) all the time. He stays near and runs off leash. Fortunately I live in a rural area and have many miles of trail system to run on.
I didn’t take up running like this till my 14yr old dog died. This guy… I can’t imagine NOT running with him.
I’m glad to see it’s more common in some areas. I just never seem to see anyone around here running with their dog in the urban jungle of Hot-Lanta. I know a few folk in Chattanooga that take their dogs, but most of the dog owners I know have a ton of reasons they don’t run their dogs, from “he doesn’t like it” to “I’d have to stop too often to let him sniff.”
Oh, and is this pic enough? 
Any trail run, Daisy gets to go with me and run off leash. On leash she is a pain in the ass. Too much back and forth, stop and start, smelling every stinking smell, me picking up poop and carrying it. I just cannot handle a run in town with her on a leash. I wish I could, she loves to run.
Too bad you can’t take her to the pool with you!
– Cat
she would LOVE that!
There was a thread about this in the LR recently. I posted a pic of my dog there, but no one replied about how cute she is!
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=2208835
She runs with me everywhere (up to 20 miles). She loves it. If she sees my bike shoes/helmet, she gets sad and her little tail goes between her legs. But if she sees my running shoes and visor, she’s amped and ready to go!
Aw, what a little cutie!
The REASON I run IS to take my Lab out. I run EXCLUSIVELY on trails (not hard when Boise has over 100 miles within 1 mile of downtown / my house) with only the first 1/4 mile of the lower trails on leash. This morning, I ran 10 miles, with my Lab, all off leash. I bet he ran 12-13 miles with all his meandering and checking. He (and I) are pooped. I’d say 75% of runners here run with hounds.
Time to watch the dresses on the Red Carpet and drink some wine.
I do most of my running with my dogs. I run more with the one (an English pointer) because he can handle more and a faster pace than the other (a lab whippet mix). The lab mix is more of a swimmer
Slightly off topic but i LOVE english pointers. In fact my younger pup’s ‘boyfriend’ at daycare is an english pointer who just follows her everywhere she goes.
I don’t/can’t run but I ride with my dogs off road. There’s a local park where most people are cool with dogs being off leash and there are people with their dogs out no matter what the weather. (although being out during the Steeler’s game is punishable by death). You are definitely not alone but I suspect in the minority of dog owners. But it’s definitely normal for anyone I know who rides/runs and owns a dog.
http://www.dirtragmag.com/print/article.php?ID=669&category=features
My english pointer Frito is a real sweetie. He is small, maybe 45 lbs. He came from a rescue. I wasn’t looking to get an english pointer(hadn’t heard of it before Frito) but they are very sweet and beautiful. When he gets excited, especially about running, he jumps off the ground all 4 legs at the same time and wiggles his butt. People always stop me out running or walking to tell me how beautiful he is and to ask his breed. He is a great running buddy.
I get a lot of comments about my boy like that too. Actually, at the end of our 12 (or so) mile run yesterday there was a tri-dood on a Scott that pulled into the parking lot I think purely to comment on my running partner.
(he was pretty cute himself, from what I could tell)
Heh, yeah. That 4 feet jumping thing? “Happy feet”, evidently it’s genetic. My vizsla does it. And his father was renowned for doing it.
I admit, my boy is a little skittish about running with me, but on quiet trails and around the dog park, he’s a champ.
I think I waited too long to introduce running to him. Maybe because I wasn’t a runner when I got him.
So so cute. Looks like a tough little bugger.
Thanks – she is cute! My dog HATES other dogs – regardless of the size of the other dog (she’s about 15 lbs) she’ll go straight for the face and chomp down. So, it makes running in the park where there are likely to be off-leash dogs a little tough. We do it, but she winds up chomping a few noses along the way. 