Active dog owners can easily find some cool activities to exercise themselves and their pets. After a quick research, you will understand that running with your dog can be very good for you and your pooch!
Before starting this physical activity safely, there are several things to know. When I started running with my Lab, this quickly became a regular activity. Then, I started wondering if my dog could run every day? Here’s what I found with my personal experience and my research!
Yes, you can run every day with your dog if he or she is very healthy and active. Daily running with your companion isn’t for everybody. Only a unique minority of dogs and humans can do this kind of intense training. If you want to run with your buddy every day, 5 miles maximum is recommended. For most dogs, daily runs can be bad or dangerous!
Let me share with you all the information that you need to know about how often you can run with your pooch!
Is running every day good or bad for dogs?
Jogging with your dog is great for his physical well-being and mental health. Every dog owner should try this fun sport to provide their buddy exercising and quality time. Personally, my dog and I just love to spend a good time running together. Here’s an article to understand how running can be good, bad or OK for your buddy. However, daily runs could be way too much for your dog!
Running every day can be good for some extremely active and healthy dogs. Most dogs will be entirely satisfied with 2 or 3 jogs a week. Every dog needs different kinds of exercise. I really hope this article will help you enjoy running safely!
Your companion needs to stay active to enjoy a healthier and happier life. Taking regular jobs or runs is a great way to entertain your dog and exercise him. It’s not only your pet that can improve their lifestyle because of running, but you also can! Here are the benefits of running regularly with your companion.
Benefits of Running With Your Dog! (Regularly or Daily)
For the Runner (You):
Physical Benefits. The first cool thing about running is to stay in good shape. If you want to lose weight or build more muscle, jogging on a regular basis can be very good for your shape. You can also build more solid bones and muscles to have lower risks of physical issues. (Like osteoarthritis) Running is a great way to get fit for anyone. These benefits can make an amazing difference in your life to enjoy it more!
Mental Advantages. Running is very good to let go of your thoughts. I really like to use this opportunity just to organize what is going on in my life. It looks very similar to meditation, and it can help to think and solve problems. That is also an awesome way to reduce stress in your life. Running isn’t only good for your body it’s a game-changer for your psychology and your mental health!
Good for Your Health. This activity is very good for your heart. I found that regular runs can drastically reduce your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. This sport is amazing for your health in general. If you start running, you will notice how good it is for your happiness and well-being!
Spend Time with Your Dog. Most dog owners don’t give enough energy to their pets. Starting a dog sport like jogging is perfect to have regular quality time with your companion. Don’t neglect your dog and go run with him!
For your dog:
Enjoying the Outdoors. My lab enjoys it when we play outside. Many other dogs don’t have the opportunity to play outdoors. If you run every day with your dog, he will have enough time outside the house!
Exercise More. We all know that our dog loves to spend his energy. Exercise is an underestimated need that you should take care of. Any dogs need around 30-60 minutes of physical activity every day. Running daily can be an awesome idea to give your dog the time of exercising he wants!
Mental Simulation Needed. Like humans, dogs need some mental entertainment. Running is a very interesting way to reduce anxiety or stress for your dog. This type of activity is a good way to stimulate mentally your companion!
Does your Dog Have any Behavioral Issues? So many people don’t understand why their dog is destructive or bored. There’s a lot of possibilities for this problem. Running can be a great solution for your dog’s behavioral issues. Don’t miss this chance to improve your dog life and yours at the same time!
Now you know what advantages you can enjoy while running. It’s time to help you analyze if your dog is able to run every day. I will also present to you some alternatives for lower energy dogs. You will learn how to know the best running frequency for your dog!
Can you run with your dog every day?
You probably already see a runner pull their dog even when they don’t want it. That’s not just disgusting, this can be very dangerous. That’s why you don’t want to push your dog running if he doesn’t want to!
Important advice! Running is good and innate for dogs, assuming you respect his limits. Not every dog can be suitable for daily runs. Here is the principal reason why you need to know your companion well. Please don’t put your dog in danger by over-exercising him!
What does your dog need to be suitable to run every day?
Desire.
First of all, your dog needs to enjoy this activity. Unfortunately, not every dog owner takes this component into consideration. It’s your duty to make sure you don’t push your dog to run with you against his desire. If your dog loves to run, this can be an amazing activity to enjoy together!
Suitable Breed for Running.
It’s not every dog breeds that are suitable for jogging. Therefore, you will understand that many breeds won’t be able to handle daily runs. Less active dogs like Bulldogs, Pugs or many other breeds can’t run safely. Here are some dogs I found to be most likely for daily runs!
- Border collies
- Weimaraners
- Rhodesian Ridgebacks
- German Shepherds
- Vizslas
- Dalmatians
- Border Collies
- Labrador or Golden Retrievers
- Etc
High-Energy Dog.
Your buddy needs to be full of energy to run every single day. Not a lot of dogs can handle that much physical activity. Does your running partner always want to play and rarely need rest? If yes, he probably has enough energy for daily runs. Even if your dog is a ball of energy, he will need some days off!
Healthy Companion.
Dogs with health problems shouldn’t run often like that. Some respiratory, heart, muscle, bone and many other health issues are restricting your dog from simply running. These issues could cause more serious injuries and be very bad for your buddy. Make sure your dog is in perfect health to run daily!
Athletic Characteristics for Running.
If you look at the best dog breeds for runners, these are similar traits between these. One of the characteristics to look at is the size. Dogs like Huskies or Weimaraners are medium-sized, and it’s perfect for daily runs. There are many other aspects like the structure, the energy, the musculature, etc. Your dog needs specific conditions to be a good partner for regular runs!
Vet Authorization.
Like every intense sport, a complete verification of your dog is great for his safety. An expert eye is the only real solution to know if your dog is in good health and shape for this activity. The veterinarian is always the best option to get an official authorization to run daily!
Experimented Runner.
The worst thing you can do is to start directly running every day with your none-experimented dog. Preparation is the key to enjoying this sport safely. Start with walking first, after you can upgrade with jogging and finally introduce your dog to running. This process should take a few months to let your dog adapt to this sport. Only dogs with a lot of running experience should run every day!
Every one of these attributes is very important to enjoy an intense running frequency. You need to be very careful because they are different for every dog. Don’t assume your dog is a good runner, analyze it!
Are you still sure your dog is suitable for daily runs?
If yes, you can get started as soon as you can. Please pay attention to your dog while running. He will make a sign if something is wrong or if he needs anything. I really hope you will appreciate this dog sport as much as me! I highly suggest you continue your reading to don’t put your dog in danger. Now you know if your dog is suitable or not for daily jogs, there’s so much more you need to know before running regularly with your buddy!
How often should you run with your dog?
Your ideal running frequency will vary depending on many personal things. Your goals will be the first variable of your training. The level of your dog is probably the most important thing to consider. Think as a team, don’t be selfish!
Many other elements such as your experiences, the energy of your dog, your time and much more will influence your ideal running frequency. Here are pieces of general advice for runners that don’t have any idea of how often they should train with their dog!
For beginners, one time a week could be enough to learn with your dog how it works. If you are not a very active person, you could continue with 2 or 3 runs a week. That’s a great frequency for busy or intermediate runners!
After that, a normal frequency could be running around 3 to 5 times every week. If you can keep this frequency for the long term, you could benefit from all the advantages of this activity. That’s also enough to see the progression and interesting results!
For more active or experienced athletes, 4 to 7 runs a week should be perfect to keep you healthy and in excellent shape. Not every dog or runner can run that much, I personally don’t and that’s totally fine!
I tried to give you some general standard, but you should find your perfect running frequency. That’s not a competition, and you need to respect your limits and the conditions of your dog. After finding your ideal pace and frequency, you will be able to fully enjoy this dog sport!
What Should You Consider for Running with your Dog Safely?
Your Doggie’s Age.
Puppies and senior dogs shouldn’t run with you. If you got a puppy, his bones would still grow until 1 year or more. Running before puppies are fully grown can be bad and dangerous for them!
Your buddy can also be too old for intense activity. At their golden age, dogs will have more difficulty doing physical activity. It’s a good idea to find lower activities than running for your senior dog!
The Temperature Matters.
Don’t run when it’s too hot, dogs can overheat faster than humans. You could cause pain to your dog by running on especially high-temperature days. Dehydration, heatstroke and paws injuries (because of the burning pavement) are risks your dog is faced during hot weather!
When it’s too cold, there are other risks like hypothermia, antifreeze poisoning, frostbite and hurting paws (from salt). Just make sure you run when the temperature is the best for your dog’s well-being!
Special Gear.
There’s equipment that could be useful for running with your dog. A harness could be more comfortable and supportive than a simple collar for your pet. Other special collars can be more suitable for running!
There are also some harnesses with bags to let your dog carry his own stuff. Notice that all this equipment is optional, you can run safely without any special gear!
Water and food.
Don’t forget to bring extra water and food for your dog. It’s very important that your dog is hydrated before, during and after running. Some snacks for your buddy could be interesting especially for longer runs!
Choose your trails wisely.
To start, an isolated trail could be the best option to restrict the distractions for your dog. After that, you can find a place where you can run and enjoy the view!
My dog « Marshmallow » and I really enjoy green spaces like the forest. Be careful, some places don’t allow dogs in their park. Normally dirt trails are recommended to be easier on your buddy’s paws!
Enjoy every run with your dog!
My last piece of advice is to simply have fun during this activity. Beginning to run with your dog isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. Here’s some more advice to train your running buddy from AKC.org! Even at the learning steps, you can have a lot of fun with your pup. Do you a favor by enjoying every jog with your companion!
Here Are Some Alternatives to Running for Lower Energy Dogs:
- Walking.
- To Fetch.
- Dog Training.
- Tag.
- Hide and Seek.
- Dog Toys.
- Brain Puzzles.
- Play in Water (or a Sprinkler), Leaves or Snow!
- Etc.
Last Thoughts About Running Every Day with Your Dog!
As you notice in this blog post, there are many things to know before running with your dog. If you want to run every day, it’s possible. You just need to make sure your dog is suitable for such intense training!
Daily runs may not be for you, but with your dog’s personality, energy and health, you can find the perfect running frequency! Every animal has different needs and desires, but you can find your pace as a team. Paying attention to your dog is the number one rule to run safely. I wish you a lot of fun and good exercise with your buddy!