Anyone jogging with their dog?

Admittedly, I need to exercise more. I’ve been thinking about starting a walking program and working it into a jogging program once I’m in a little better shape. I’d like to take our dog Nealie with me for company because she needs more exercise just as much as I do. So, what I’m wondering is how much is too much for a dog to jog? In the beginning I don’t think it will be much of a problem for Nealie because she can probably go longer than I can right now. But what happens if I make it up to a mile or maybe even two (wishful thinking, I know)? She’s a Jack Russell so she has energy to spare, but I still wonder what the limits would be.

Kelly,

I am not a vet, but I think that if you both start off out of shape, and you always take her with you on your walks/jogs, that your stamina will develop together. The only thing to keep in mind is that she is a lot shorter than you!

I used to walk and jog with my dogs. As they grew older, I noticed they couldn’t go as far and so we tapered back. If you go slow and careful, watch them for signs of being overexerted, plus pack lots of water… you should be okay.

Hi Kelly, I agree with Debbie, both of you should start off slow so that you can get used to it (the body needs time to adjust), but the good news is that that adjustment happens pretty quickly (usually in about a week you can either increase the distance and/or intensity).

Since your Jack Russell has a lot of energy, why not do sprints with him?  Walk for five minutes, run for one, go back to walking for three minutes, etc. You can do this for 15 minutes at first and then work all the way up to 45 minutes. It’ll be great for both you because it trains the heart to pump blood more efficiently and (as a great added benefit!) will take the pounds off a lot faster.

I used to run with my older one, but like Debbie said, once they get a bit older, it becomes harder.

Are you planning to run with a leash, or without one?  I ask because Pharrah and I used to get tangled up quite a bit until we both got the hang of it :-)

Yes, I’m planning to start out slow. My son is leaving for college in a few weeks, so that’s when I plan to begin walking Nealie myself. That’s great advice to just sprint for a minute or so; it will increase our heart rates without causing too much stress.

I will be using a leash, but Nealie is a great walker, and she doesn’t wrap around your legs the way some dogs will. Having been a handler, I’m no slouch with a leash myself, lol. 

That’s right Kelly, I forgot- I should get you to come over here and help me handle the leash when I run :-)

This is so great- you and Nealie are going to love it!  Plus, it’s still pretty warm, so at least you won’t have to worry about the weather too much in the beginning. Sprinting is a great way to go, and I love it. It makes the time feel like it’s going pretty fast, and while that shouldn’t be too much of an issue since you’ll be outside; it does make a world of difference when you are on the treadmill!

When I first started, I couldn’t run for very long at all (I’m talking like, not even for one minute here!), so I had to build up my lung strength. Now I can run, but I still stick to sprinting because it takes the pounds off faster (and it I think it’s helps the dogs catch their breath).

I know what you mean about running for a mile or two. Right now I can do 3 1/2, but my goal is to work up to 5.  Hey, I just got an idea, we can all train and then enter those marathons; I have so much respect for folks that can do that!