Dog Running

Why Run Your Dog Instead of Walking?

Dogs were bred from wolves, who are persistence hunters. That means wolves don’t use speed to catch large animals so much as they rely on endurance, chasing their food until their prey is too tired to run away anymore. They have large lungs and big hearts and are generally designed by nature to be long distance runners. This is something wolves and humans have in common. When traveling to find new territory, wolves can often travel more than a thousand miles in a relatively short time, and are among the top mammals on the planet for long distance running and jogging.

When we bred dogs from wolves, we often bred them to work, and we prized that endurance as a valuable attribute, purposefully keeping the trait alive in most breeds. Herding dogs like collies, heelers, and shepherds; hunting dogs like pointers, retrievers, terriers, and hounds; sledding dogs like huskies, malamutes, and samoyeds— they were all bred to be incredibly active. In fact, for a team of sled dogs, a race 100 miles long is often referred to as a “sprint”. Even poodles, energetic hunting dogs that they are, have been known to compete in the famous 900+ mile Iditarod.

Dogs that do not have an opportunity to test their limits physically will often seek to test other limits, whether that’s attempting to dig under the fence, obsessing over how many things they can find to chew up or eat, or just plain testing the limits of your patience. But a dog that has spent their energy on a fun physical activity is a dog that is ready to relax and behave and just generally be an easy dog to have around the house.

But most of all, taking the dogs out on the bike allows the dogs to go whatever speed they want to go, whether that’s a sprint or a light jog, and that gives them a more fulfilling experience.

A TIRED DOG IS A HAPPY DOG

This is a perfect option for any dog that has more energy than can be satisfied with a simple walk, and great for most dogs in general. Dog runs are between 5 and 6 miles, which takes about an hour and is about half most dogs top speed - they are basically jogging. Runs happen each weekday earlier in the morning so the dogs aren't running in the hottest part of the day.

Runs are $45 per dog

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Is My Dog Right For Running?

Dogs are not ready for the joint impact of distance running until they are between 18 months and 2 years old. After that age, almost any dog that has a normal snout and normal legs is a good fit for running. Some dogs with very short snouts and/or bowed legs like bulldogs, are not a good fit, but even small dogs like terriers are ready to run. Some breeds, like labradors, have larger, softer foot pads, and require some footwear (which we provide) but most breeds of dog do great on runs for the distance we go. New dogs typically go on a few training runs to build up stamina, and all dogs are watched carefully for overexertion and foot condition. If your dog is carrying a lot of excess weight, they may require dieting and extra time on pack walks until they are ready to do solo training runs. Upper age limit depends on the dog — Badger is ten years old and still loves to run, but is only comfortable running about half the distance he used to.

What is a run with Kie’s Canines like?

Typically we run very close to 5 miles, with a water break as needed. The dogs usually like to go at a higher speed about the first half mile and then drop down to a jog most of the rest of the time. To minimize contact with ticks, foxtails, and other hazards, and because most local trails are not suitable for running dogs on a rig, we run the same routes we use for pack walks — on the edge of town in quiet neighborhoods with wide, empty streets. Dogs are not allowed off leash at any point for safety reasons. The dogs always have access to water, and are watched for signs of fatigue. We always use a bike or rig that is pedal assisted. This means they do not have to pull against the harness, the rig is moved by human pedaling to keep up with the dogs, which means the run is easier on their feet, and does not involve straining against a weight. The dogs’ feet are checked for wear, and we provide dog booties as needed.

Equipment & Gear

Kie’s Canines prefers to provide all gear needed for walks and runs so that we can control for safety, quality, and practical application.

Because collars are not safe to use for running while attached to a bike or rig, all running dogs must be in a harness, which we have in all sizes. Currently we use EZ Dog harnesses, but this may change once the new rig is done.

Some dogs require foot protection for running on pavement, which we keep on hand for use as needed. We use both Ruffwear and Muttluks brands.

Please watch the video to the left (or above on mobile) for a detailed walk-through of the bike attachment we currently use for running dogs.

Recently we began working on a rig to allow 4-6 dogs to be run simultaneously, but for the time being we are still using the attachment with the normal bike, which can accommodate a maximum of two dogs at once.