You’ve been running for a while or just started a running program and now you’d like some company. Who better than your dog? He won’t be ashamed of your clothes, we won’t let you talk, and he’ll be fine with whatever route you choose. Running with your dog is great exercise and great company for both of you. Here are some tips to get you started on the right foot. When you make your experience and Rover’s great, running with your dog is a routine you’ll both want to stick with.

Before your dog starts running, see your vet and make sure your furry friend is in good health.

Does he lean? running on a leash Your running experience will be much better if your dog isn’t ripping your arm off every time he sees a squirrel or smells something fascinating.

If your dog normally pulls or tries to walk away when you walk him on a leash, you really want to invest the time in training your dog to walk on leash and on his heels. You want him or her to run with you and not for him to “run” you.

What do you need

This is simple: all you need is a collar and leash. If you run longer distances, longer than 25 minutes, bring water and a retractable water bowl or plan your route so your dog can drink water along the way.

Starting

You need to start your dog running program slowly. Don’t just go 4 miles in 30 minutes the first time your dog goes outside! Actually, you should start by walking, even if your dog is energetic. Start by taking your dog for long walks of at least half a mile every other day.

After a week or so, sprinkle running periods in during walks. You will need to increase the distance of your walk/run to keep your exercise time to 30 minutes. Add the distance by 10 percent each week. If your dog starts to lag behind, slow down. Continue to decrease the amount of walking for a week or two until your routine works.

And for every day you run, you should give Rover a day off.

where to run

If you can, run on soft surfaces like grass and dirt trails. Concrete, hot asphalt, icy roads, ice and salt can all be harmful to paws.

If you must run on highways, avoid traffic. Rover’s head and nose are at the same height as a car’s exhaust pipe.

After the race

Check the paws before and after each run for cuts or abrasions.

Offer sips of water, at first, to cool down instead of free access to water.

And watch out for the heat!

Dogs don’t dissipate heat like we do. Sweat cools our skin, but dogs don’t sweat. They release heat through their paws and mouths. Because of this, they also release heat more slowly than we do, so you want to make sure they don’t overheat.

• On warm days, plan your running route to allow for drink stops.
• Let the dog run through puddles and sprinklers.
• Dogs with longer hair and shorter muzzles may have more trouble running on warm days.

and more important

Make running fun. Talk to your dog and praise him, and don’t beat him to exhaustion.