Hazel is a 7-month old shepherd mix. We were told when we picked her up from the shelter that she was a mix of German and Australian Shepherd, but as she grows people have been telling me she has Collie in her. They say she whines like a Collie (so do all of my kids, but I don't think they have any Collie in them). She's a good dog with a ton of energy, and I have been slowly introducing her to running.
We started with short walks on the trails across the street from my house. She was nervous at first and dug her feet in, not wanting to venture too far out into the world of strange animal smells, but she slowly became accustomed to the sights, smells and sounds of the trails. About a month ago I began letting her off leash when I was sure that she wasn't going to dart away. We would walk and run and she would get distracted by something inedible that she would try to eat and I ended up digging a lot of crap out of her mouth, but recently she is getting the hang of it.
I have found that running with my dog has been an excellent way for me to mix up my training. Hazel runs in short, fast, bursts, and then she takes it easy and recovers, so it has become a natural fartlek run. She also reminds me to stay hydrated; dogs can easily overheat, so I am constantly concerned about her hydration, and as a result, mine.
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| The day we brought her home |
When she is on-leash, she likes to run in front and I am constantly pulling her back to my side, but when she is off-leash, she hangs back, taking some time to sniff around the trails, then she runs to catch up with me. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite running partners.
I walk the neighborhood kids to school on Wednesday mornings, and even though I'm not 100% with this whole chest/sinus thing, I felt I would be committing some kind of sin if I didn't get out and enjoy some of this beautiful weather, especially after seeing some of these pictures from fellow runners. So, I grabbed the leash and the camera and took Hazel out on the trails. Check out the video below for some hot doggy action (the search engines are going to love that one).
Do you run with your dog? Any tips for a couple of novices?
I started running with my female German Shepherd, Zoey. She is the best partner! I bought her a special reflection vest for hunting dogs. It bright orange and green to help with visibility in our wooded area. When I run I always keep two bottles so I can make sure we both have water. I've also found bowls that collaspe into a small size for running. That way I don't waste water and she can drink easier.
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Keep up the running!
Rae