I’m starting to train for my first marathon in December. My dog is a 3 year-old 28 lb. terrier/beagle mix and is very energetic and loves to run and play. The program calls for a gradual increase in milage and time each week (with a three week taper) until Dec. 9, which lets the body adjust and prevents injury. In a few weeks we’ll just be jogging 30 minutes a day, which I know she can do. However, by November, I’ll have worked my way up to running 36 miles a week, and my long run will be 18 miles. Is this too much for my dog, even if she has trained with me all along? Maybe I should take her for he shorter leave her home for the long runs? I would love advice from experienced runners who take their dogs. Thanks.

Comments

  1. hanksimo

    It’s going to depend on the specific dog. In cold weather, a well-adapted border collie or husky can run for hours and hours.
    With my Golden, I watched his tail. When his tongue was getting broad and starting to turn convex, then he was getting too hot. But when his tail drooped, it was time to stop, and let him have water and get cooler.
    Goldens are good for cold weather, but not for hot weather, so I couldn’t run him more than about an hour.
    A terrier that is running with you and not pulling, should be able to do an hour without a water break.
    The problem with dogs is not that they will get tired, but that they will get very overheated. So watch his tongue … it will droop, it will get wide, it will go from concave to flat, and it will fully relax to convex. You want to stop when it goes flat.
    Also, watch his tail. When he is happy, it should be up, but as he gets overheated it will droop. With my dog droop meant stop …
    Dogs WILL run themselves to death, so you have to watch out.
    One thing that you might try is to get a small backpack with water. Run 8-10 miles, stop for 10 minutes for shade and a drink, then run the the rest back… Try it with 5 mile and 5 miles and work up.
    It shouldn’t hurt your training, and may help your dog…
    But, to repeat, he won’t get tired, he will get overheated.. and won’t want to stop, so you have to stop for him…

  2. Reviews Best

    I would talk to your vet.
    We would take Beagles rabbit hunting all day when I was a kid with my Dad. They loved it, but were “dog tired” at the end of the day. I used to run with my dogs until my legs got too messed up and now I cycle. I’m kind of on the “bubble” with this idea.

  3. sniffydo

    I’d ask your vet fiirst to make sure she has no health issues and ask the v et. They would know our dog best. Maybe you could train with her, but don’t take her on the long run.

  4. Jackie

    Every dog is different so watch her
    she will tell you
    is she panting way too much
    how tired is she
    you have to watch some dogs because they will keep going and then will just drop.
    is her heart going too fast
    and remember she is going to need water just like you do and since she can not sweat she needs to cool down
    the best way is to put her feet in cool water
    I do not think she would be able to run the 18 miles but the shorter ones she should be OK
    and check her paws because she could ware out her pads and on pavement is it worse for her
    But since you are building out slowly if you pay att: to her you will see when she is at her limit.

  5. kay.ce

    Dont run with him is too bad for his healthy, maybe for you is good but for an animal the distance and the force is different…

  6. Ronald

    At one time I was running to keep me and my show dog in shape. A large male Rottweiler.
    We were running about 25 miles/week with the longest being about 6-7 miles.
    Given the size of your dog, my guess is that even that distance might be a stretch for him.
    I’d see how far he can take it, but be extremely sensitive to any type of balking on his part as a sign that you’re overdoing it.

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