In your opinion, when is it okay to start running with a dog?

Brego_mellon_nin

I was wondering, when it's a big dog, like the AA, when do you think it's okay to start running/canicrossing with it? What about the smaller breeds, like kai?

I have had a german shepherd and I was adviced to keep it to short walks and whatever the pup did by itself in the yard/house for the first year. And then up the distance of the walks slowly...

I have no experience with nihon ken though, is it about the same?

Any advice is appreciated greatly!

dlroberts

As far as walking goes, I've gotten mixed advice on that. My opinion has been around 5-6 months you can start walking them as far as they are willing to go.

Running is a lot harder on dogs just like it is for humans so the advice I've heard on that has consistently been to wait for much more muscular and skeletal development. Generally the consensus seems to be about 18 months for large breeds, possibly a bit less for medium and small breeds.

sunyata

I agree with Dave. Usually between 15-18 months for medium breeds is when I would start training on running.

However, taking a quick jaunt (for just a minute or two at a time) is usually okay starting at about a year.

The biggest thing to remember is that a dog needs to work up to running just like a human would. So start slow and gradually work up distance and pace.

tjbart17

I started running with my Rott when he was around 16-18 mos. old. I was a big runner back then, and it was important for me to keep him pretty thin the first 3 years to alleviate pressure from his hips.

I would normally say around 14 mos. old for medium breeds. However, I don't know, I think Koda could've handled this a lot younger. He sure could hike at 5 mos. old going 10 miles with ease. He has this ability to pace himself which a lot of puppies do not. Most puppies start out a walk pulling, jumping, and generally being overly excited. Koda never did this. He would start out at one pace and finish at the same level. He would have been a good long distance runner.

For large breeds though like an AA stay with the 18 month old rule. You don't know what their hip/joint condition is.

MirkaM

I'm not keen runner but I started to do long walks with Ife when she was about year old. She has always been very muscular. And it has been a little problem for us. Her back movents are a bit inwards and one judge mentioned about it to me. Well, I took Ife to masseur and movements are now "normal". Poor girl had so tight femur muscles. But since the day we first visited the masseur I have been stretching Ife's hind legs once in the week (or after our biking) and once in the month she gets full body massage. She loves the massages .

TheWalrus

I'm not sure if it's the best, but I start my dogs off on short walks in the mountains at around 4 months. Just going at their pace sniffing things and the like.

At around 6 months I start increasing distance a little bit, and by 8-9 months I'm hunting in the mountains with them for a few hours. By 1 year they're going full on with other adult dogs.

The important thing for me is I try to always watch my dogs and ease them slowly into things. Larger breeds I would definitely wait a lot longer before starting them out, and every dog is different anyway, so best to keep an eye on them and never push a pup.

tjbart17

Without the hunting, that's pretty much how Koda and I did with hiking. He could really go at 4 mos. old.

Brego_mellon_nin

Sounds like it's a lot about just watching your pup and matching the pace to that individual pup.

(ofcourse there are general guidelines, and you ofcourse ALWAYS have to watch the pup!)