Running with your dog

You can run with your dog beside you on a leash, hooked up to a pulling setup, or in recreational versions adapted to the dog. Whichever you pick, running takes more out of a dog than walking and repeats the same movement thousands of times, so build it up slowly. Before it becomes a regular thing, get a health check. That goes double for growing dogs and seniors, overweight dogs, breeds whose build makes breathing harder and dogs with a history of orthopaedic problems.

If your dog wants to slow down, heads for the shade, drops behind or changes its gait, stop holding it to your pace. Surface and temperature make a huge difference. Asphalt gets scorching in summer, and hard ground piles on the repetitive load. Stick to cool hours and safe routes.

Gear has to let the dog move without rubbing or pressing in the wrong places. For pulling, use a system built for the job; a collar tied to your belt is a makeshift fix that can hurt the dog. Before you tackle tricky routes, teach cues for starting, slowing down, stopping and turning.

Each run has three parts: a warm-up at walking pace, the run itself, and a gradual cool-down back to a walk. Rest days and other activities in between break up the routine. Nobody cares about a distance record. You're after something you can both do safely and enjoy, year after year.

Running suits adult dogs that a vet has cleared for exercise, people who can match their pace to the dog, and teams that have nailed controlled walking before they start running.

Your dog's enthusiasm proves nothing about its joints, muscles or heart. It can go wild at the sight of the leash and still not be ready for the distance you've picked.

If there are risk factors, talk to your vet first. Early on, mix walking with short bursts of running.

Increase the volume gradually. Leave recovery days between runs and look your dog over after each one.

Watch the stride. If it changes, if the dog drops behind, pants far harder than the effort calls for or is stiff afterwards, your dog is telling you how the run went.

You'll need a harness made for running or pulling. Take water, pick a safe route, and protect your dog from heat or cold. Above all, have a progression plan written down in advance, so you don't add distance based on how you happen to feel that day.

If you run with a group or a coach, look for a few things. Surface and pace suit the dog. There's a warm-up, followed by gradual progression. The coach checks the dog's level before starting and stops at the first sign of discomfort.

Training helps you change pace, stop the dog and keep it on the right side. It won't build fitness, though: a dog that nails every cue can still lack the conditioning for the distance you've chosen.

Puppies aren't built for sustained effort, and fixed distances, the same for every dog, have no place in a good programme. Risks to talk through beforehand: repetitive strain injuries and burnt pads, overheating, plus pulling or poor balance between you and the dog.

Say no when your dog doesn't fit the format. The same running programme won't work for every dog, so make the call based on the dog you've got.