Jogging With Dogs: A Healthy Way to Stay Fit

Jogging with dogs is an excellent way to get both you and your pet outdoors for lots of fresh air and great exercise. What better companion to take for a jog than your dog? He/she won't complain. They're happy, excited to spend time with you and they always want to please which can motivate you to get outdoors, too.

Before you begin though, there are few things to keep in mind.

Health of your dog. How old is your canine friend? If he's an older dog an activity such as jogging may be too much for him particularly if your dog has health or bone issues (e.g., hip dysplasia).

Visit your vet. At your next vet visit if not earlier, talk to your vet about your plans to bring Fido along on your jogging excursions. Your vet can make suggestions about what's appropriate for the breed you have based on your dog's health and overall fitness.

Get a good leash. This is a very important tool to have whenever you're out jogging. Jogging with dogs requires a good leash that's long enough to prevent you from tripping on your dog, but also short enough to keep him under control. It's not safe to let your dog off its leash while your out exercising since he could run after a cat or squirrel and possibly dart into traffic. A great leash to consider buying is the Buddy System which is hands free and great for jogging with your dog.

Muzzle. If you're jogging with a Pit Bull you may want to use a fabric muzzle. Pit Bulls have received a lot of negative press and they make people uncomfortable even if the owner appears to have his dog under control. Yes, big dogs, even the sweet looking ones can make other people uncomfortable. Use your judgment as to whether or not a muzzle is appropriate for your situation.

Refresher training. Brush up on obedience training so that you're both able to enjoy jogging together. Jogging with dogs requires that they know how to heel so that they aren't dragging you behind them and your not pulling them behind you. Your dog's ability to heel will keep him right up alongside you making your jog more comfortable.

Take your time. If you and your dog haven't exercised together for a long time or at all, its probably unwise to plan a five mile jog. It's best to start slowly and give you pet a chance to build up his endurance as you build yours. You'll also want to keep an eye out for how your dog handles his exercise. Because dogs want to please their owners they may push on without complaining of pain. Pay attention to any problems with the pads of their paws (rawness or bleeding) if they've been indoors mostly and haven't toughen the skin up. Also, heavy panting or limping means its time to stop, slow down or quit for the day.

Be safe. Always jog facing traffic keeping your buddy to the left of you away from oncoming cars. Have lots of water available for both of you and drink it frequently. Look for signs of panting, heavy breathing or possible overheating. Stop right away and refresh your pet with cool water allowing him to recover slowly.

Jogging With Dogs Back to Jogging101