5 Lessons from My Four-Legged Training Buddy
Hi! Meet Toula. An eight year old, highly independent, active, and joyful soft-coated Wheaten Terrier.
Toula has been running long distance with me since she was about 14 months old. She’s run off leash, on leash, tethered, not-tethered, and wild and free through big pastures and open fields. There have been times where she’s been so muddy from a run that I worried if I would be able to get the mud out of her long, thick, fluffy hair.
One time after running in snow that was so clumpy (you know the kind you make snowballs and snowmen out of) her legs looked like the Michelin Man’s arms. This particular adventure ended with me carrying her home from the woods. Her legs were so heavy with all the snow packed in her hair, that she kept falling over when she was running. Toula is my adventure buddy, my companion on long outings in the woods, and someone who reminds me that running is supposed to be fun and joyful.
Read on for the top things I’ve learned from running with Toula. There are a lot of articles out there that cover the basic steps to train your dog. I’ll leave that to the dog trainers. This is just my experience.
Lesson #1 – Sweat is a human superpower. Dogs do not cool down like humans.
To be totally honest, I’ve had many battles with Toula while running. It usually starts when I tell my wife and daughter something like: “I’ll meet you guys there and run with Toula. That way she’s exercised and I get my training in!”. Sounds like a great idea until you realize you’re on a time schedule. “Okay, I’ve got 25 minutes to move this dog along this 5 km run to meet my wife and daughter at the lake.” And it’s also July in Maryland.
One mile in, Toula decides she’s done running. With Toula lying on the trail, I decide (regretfully) I’m going to dig my heels in and battle this defiant terrier. I try reminding Toula that we have a family to meet. It’s only 3 miles, Toula, you’ve got this, and so have I! We’re not running that fast. What’s the problem?
Well, it took me some time to realize that, unlike humans, dogs cannot sweat through their skin to cool themselves. Sweating is the human superpower. Dogs rely on panting to regulate their body temperatures. Put simply, they just cannot keep on powering through in the hot temperatures. They need to stop and cool down. So when you’re running with your dog, know you’re in for a stop-start adventure.
Since this revelation, I’ve spent many runs apologizing to Toula for my ignorance and respecting that she’s more of a three season endurance runner. So, like most of us, she also doesn’t enjoy running in the swamp that is Maryland summers. Summer is her off-season, and she spends it laying under shaded trees in the backyard.
Lesson #2 – Learn your dog’s limits and respect their cues.
Toula’s longest run to date is 12 miles. It was a few Februarys ago and she was wiped afterwards. Since then, she’s still been running with me pretty consistently, averaging about 10-20 miles most weeks.
Well, she’s eight now. As I’ve been evolving as a dog owner and runner, I’m learning to listen to my body as well as hers. Each run, I pay attention to her non-verbal communication and recognize when it’s just too much for her. She’s more of a 5-6 mile doggie nowadays. Similarly, I’ve also had to rethink my own running: how can I get my training in but still keep some miles with my training buddy?
I’ve realized that if I want Toula to run with me, I have to adjust my expectations, routes, paces, and work within her comfort area. Short, easy runs close to home are my “Toula-time”. If she’s feeling spunky, she’ll even join me for a 30-40 minute tempo run.
It’s also worth mentioning that younger dogs, especially those under 1 year, are not supposed to run very far. Always check with your vet for what they recommend. For Toula, my vet has affirmed me as a good observer of her limits. Thanks Dr. Jones, you’ve made me feel like a quality coach for humans and animals!
Lesson 3 – Have a variety of leash options.
Maybe it’s just living with an independently-minded terrier, but every month I have some new leash I’m using for Toula. I have a leather leash, a lighter pink leash, one that’s extendable, and, at one point, had another tethered leash. (Side note, the tethered leash proved a miserable experience for both Toula and me) Not that I ever talk about it with bike friends, but I liken my smorgasbord of leashes to a cycle enthusiast’s garage; they have a bike for touring, a bike for climbing, one for gravel, technical singletrack, flowing singletrack, etc. You get the picture!
For no obvious rhyme or reason, Toula takes well to the leather leash for running on the road. I can’t complain either: it’s durable, snaps tight, not too heavy, and, most importantly, I know the hook isn’t going to break.
The pink leash is my everyday leash that’s also really great if I’m going to let Toula off-leash in the woods. It’s super lightweight and easily carried in my vest or belt when she’s roaming free.
Lastly, the extendable leash. While it’s ideal for running on trails where I think I’ll encounter other people frequently, it’s slightly less ideal when it’s constantly getting caught on trees. Toula has a particular knack for darting to the left of the tree after I’ve gone to the right, and vice versa. Hopefully your life will be simple and you’ll only need the one for running with your dog. If you have a terrier, probably not.
Lesson 4 – Be wary of off-leash and always carry treats.
If Toula is going to go off-leash I always use a whistle/clicker combo. I’ve trained her extensively with this, and it shows. She responds to it like a border collie at a herding competition.
Not to give my dog training ability too much credit, Toula’s acutely aware that I’m running with rotisserie chicken in my vest and, if she comes back, a piece is hers. But, it took me a long time to train this. We practiced for hours at local high school baseball fields we knew were enclosed areas. I’m now confident Toula will respond and return 99.9999% of the time, again, mainly because of the chicken.
If you aren’t confident in your training, or your dog’s ability to recall, definitely avoid letting your dog off-leash. Sure, it sounds glamorous and romantic to have your dog running wild and free, but if they don’t recall, you’re in for a stressful, scary run that can put you and your dog in some dangerous situations. Also, make sure you check your local laws for restrictions on off-leash dogs.
Lesson 5 – Dogs need to fuel and hydrate too!
Just like we need to fuel our efforts, so do our canine pals. Let them join in the fueling fun and bring along their favorite treat–unless it is peanut butter because that is going to get messy, especially if your dog has a beard. You like pierogies at an ultra aid station? I’m sure your four-legged friend would be happy to indulge too! so extend the same joy to your doggie. I roll with the chicken or beef sticks and, especially in summer, always have water. With so many excellent collapsible bowl options that can easily fit into a vest or dog harness, it’s not hard to set them up for hydration success.
Lesson 5 – Set your expectations and have fun running with your dog!
Running with your dog is an amazing bonding experience. If it’s something you’re drawn to as well, here’s a reminder to just enjoy being in that space. Don’t set yourself up for stress or disappointment if you’re not hitting your paces or distances. Go out and have fun knowing that you are giving your dog some amazing exercise and a truly exciting adventure. Toula doesn’t join me for speed workout days, and I drop her off at home before I do strides. I mean, what dog wants to do 6X45 seconds hill strides? I can hear her now: “Why are we running up and down this inclined neighborhood road? There are smelly woods over there to explore. Or, better yet, an air conditioned room, comfy sofa and another episode on Animal Planet!”
Ryan Williams is a parent, proud dog dad, athlete and coach who believes running is a metaphor for life. He specializes in forming positive bonds with runners of all ages, distances, and abilities from couch-to-5k to ultramarathon.