At the time of writing this, Boris Johnson has just announced the UK will be tightening restrictions on the day-to-day lives of its citizens in an attempt to reduce the impact of Covid-19 (Coronavirus).
We can talk about National Parks, beaches and other natural beauty spots further down the line.
For the time being, getting outside and going for a solo run with your dog on the pavements is great for your physical and mental well-being.
If you've never tried it before I can assure you it’s more way fun than running on your own.
It’s also a brilliant way to keep reactive dogs, or dogs without the best recall, fit and healthy!
The Basics.
First off, and most importantly, you need to make sure you and your dog are going to be safe, secure and comfortable when you’re road running.
Below is a list of really basic kit you'll require for your dog to have an enjoyable run in the fresh air.
Leash.
The most popular type of running with your dog is usually cross country (Canicross) which is a huge exciting project we’ll dive deeper into in a few articles time. For this you use longer bungee leashes, however for road running you will need a regular length lead.
You want one that isn’t so short you trip up over your own dog, but one that you can keep control over your dog whilst running next to the road.
My go-to leashes are climbing rope style leashes. If they’re strong enough to hold a person they're strong enough to control my dog in all circumstances.
But for the sake of just going for it, a normal strong lead with a comfortable grip will do!
Harness for Dog.
Thia is probably the most important piece of kit.
There are an incredible amount of outdoors/running harnesses for your dogs once you start looking in the right places.
You need to ensure the harness isn’t restricting your dogs shoulders allowing them to run. Please note, they are completely different to harnesses designed to help your dog walk easier on the lead. In fact the complete opposite.
Do not try to run with one of these harnesses, they can be quite dangerous and damaging on your dog joints.
Take a look at these two websites here which are popular brands, and ones I have bought harnesses from previously.
www.ruffwear.co.uk
www.nonstopdogwear.com
Harness for Human.
Depending on your preference you can run with your dog just on a leash or buy a proper harness for yourself too. These are great not just for running but if you’re wanting to walk your dog and still have use of both hands.
Remember your dog should be running alongside or just in front, if they start yanking stop, and start off slowly again until they get the hang of it.
Glow-Up.
Make your dog as bright and reflective as possible along with yourself. You can buy loads of little lights and gadgets to attach to your dogs collar and harness. Even in this sort of late afternoon haze sometimes it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Poo bags.
No more explanation needed. And yes, running with a full poo bag is an art.
Technicalities of Running with your Dog.
Route.
Always have a route in mind when setting off, it helps keep you motivated knowing you’re at checkpoints along the way, and start off at a shorter distance if you’re not used to running.
You can plan a route on Strava, or if you’re running around your local area, maybe walk it first to make sure there is path along the whole route and it’s easy enough for the both of you to run side-by-side.
Also make sure you give someone an idea of the route you’re planning on taking should you manage to get lost around your local roads. (Never happens to me….ever….nope.)
Give a Wide-Berth.
If you have a dog like Pacha, who wants to greet every living moving object, it’s a good idea to make sure you are keeping out of peoples way.
It not only keeps your rhythm, you also have to be mindful of people being slightly wary having a dog galloping towards them. Same rule goes to help reactive dogs.
Dog Sniffers.
Pacha loves a good sniff of everything whilst we are out walking but as soon as we are in running mode that has to stop. If you start off jogging slightly and get used to giving her a sharp and short tug to grab her attention back, you can start building up your speed.
Final tip, it’s always useful to just keep an eye out for the crouching or or hind leg lift to allow your Social Distancing Buddy a moment to relieve themselves.
Most Importantly…Have Fun!
As mentioned, these are just the basics from first hand experience, but it’s so much more fun than bumbling around the streets.
Dont forget to tag #pawstoroam and show us how you’re getting and about in these strange times!!
Any questions please feel free to get in touch sarah@hundenergy.com
Sarah Pugh
Founder
HundEnergy.
