Running With Your Dog On-Leash

As the saying goes " a tired dog is a happy dog"!  A good way to help your dog exercise, keep fit, and stay happy  is to take your dog on a jog/run with you.  If your dog has never been on a run with you before, you should start with the same simple beginning running program that any human would use.  Just because a dog has four legs doesn't mean he can go out for a continuous run so mix in a little walking, sniffing and potty breaks.




Before starting an enjoyable, rewarding run, your dog should know basic commands like sit, stay, leave it, and lets go.

Many people run with their dogs off-leash, but we run with our dog Shadow on-leash for two reasons
1) It's the law in our area.
2) You can not control other dogs, so if there is a confrontation between dogs, the law is on the side of the leashed dog.  You would be surprised how many aggressive dogs are not on a leash.

Let's get started!
Your leadership should start at the door. First, have your dog sit and stay at the door.  Second, you exit first then have your dog come to you when called.
This one step sets the stage for a good outing.  You are letting your dog know you are in charge of the outing, not him.  This also keeps his energy level calm.

Next, keep your dog at your side and on a short  loose leash.  If the leash is long, and your dog pulls, the dog will have extra leverage to pull you with him.  Keep the leash short, and you have better control.  If your dog does pull, give a quick, gentle tug on the leash toward the side of the dog, not toward the back of the dog.  Pulling the leash toward his back encourages the dog to pull more.
Remember, dog at your side (not in front of you) and short loose leash.

Let your dog have his potty and sniff breaks, but when it's time to move on say "let's go".  If your dog sees something he wants to chase, use the "leave it" command.

Keep in mind that dogs are sensitive to the heat.  They are running with fur coats on, so be very careful in warm weather.  Always monitor how your dog is doing and don't  forget to  provide lots of fresh water.

In order to be successful and have fun running with your dog on-leash, it takes
1) patience and consistancy
2) patience and consistancy
3) patience and consistancy
4) a few doggie treats help also
5) never yell at your dog in anger

When Shadow first joined our family, he was the type of dog that would practically knock you down to get out the door.  When we started to train him to sit and stay at the door until called, it would take up to 20 minutes to get him calm enough not to just bolt outside.  We literally would keep returning him to the door until he got it right.  Being a husky mix, we also had major pulling issues.  Again it just takes patience and consistency.  Dogs are smart, and they want to please us.  Just keep trying and before you know it your dog will catch on!

A well deserved nap

Many happy doggie runs to you!

Bart and Eve