Does Anybody Here Run With Their Dog, Questions ++

[adudle00]

So I like to run and would like to be able to take my dog out more often to run with me, if I could 'train' him to do so. I think the biggest issue with him though is that he gets overheated SO quickly. Even going on a walk, after 10-15 mins of a brisk walk he's just over it; panting and not really into it anymore. (and this is walking in temps below 70, haven't walked him lately because it's been pretty hot over here). Since we've had him I've noticed that he overheats very quickly. Does anybody else have a dog that doesn't handle heat well? With this being said, is it possible for me to slowly work him up to jogging/running with me for 3-5 miles? I would go in the early morning or evening, but still, even on walks at these times, he doesn't like it after about 15 minutes. Is this something I could work on with him? Advice? TIA!

[3greytjoys]

Since Greys are sprinters they usually can't handle endurance exercise well when newly retired. Races usually happen only 1 or 2 x per week, and last only 30 seconds. Also, Greyhounds are heat and cold intolerant. Their warmest comfortable walking temperature is about 70 degrees. Some hounds can very slowly build enough pad toughness and endurance to jog distances, but it completely depends on the hound's physical condition. Each Greyhound was retired for a reason, possibly just too slow on the track, or they may have been injured and should not run during retirement. They were used to running on a soft (sand) track vs. hard pavement too.

 

It's often recommended that new adopters start with very short walks on cool sidewalk/pavement to build pad toughness and endurance, allowing a few weeks to build up to a 30-45 minute walk. Good to check temperature of cement/pavement with your hand, hot pavement burns paw pads raw and takes a long time to heal.

 

Here is a similar recent thread:

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/297173-normal-amount-of-panting-after-excercise/

 

You might try a GreyTalk search in "Forums" too. Others runners will chime in...

 

Edited for clarification.

Edited May 3, 2013 by 3greytjoys

[dante2zoe]

I have had 5 greys and 3 of them have jogged with me. That being said, I only take them 1.5 miles three times a week. Some runs are better than others - they have off days and don't want to run, so I take a shorter route or walk more or take more breaks depending on their cues. I am currently running with 2 at once. That's a treat! Anyway, I started off with little distances and work their way up to longer routes. I do give them a break half way through, though. They tend to need to relieve themselves. I will also run my route by myself first and then pick them up for the second loop.

 

I don't have the heat intolerance that you have described, though. I run them early in the morning - 5:30 - so it isn't really too hot at that time, even during most of the summer.

 

Good luck! You may just have one that isn't going to be interested in running with you. Two of mine have had no interest so they don't go.

[JohnF]

My Peggy is one of those who doesn't like exercize in the Summer months. I'd say her 'optimal operating temperature' range is 30-60F with a 'you leave me home!' limit of 80F. So an October through April dog here in the UK!

They don't enjoy steady runs like my Borzois who LOVED jogging along and even following my Mountain bike on trails.

[greytpups]

I agree with the comments about the heat but not about endurance. Brooke could easily run 5 miles the last few years with Ben without a lot of training for distance other than long walks, however, Ben is much too interested in smelling things so we stopped taking him, and Brooke won't run without Ben.

 

I believe endurance has more to do their general fitness, how fit you keep your greys, rather than the fact they were sprinters. At 11, Ben still walks the same distances as Brooke, our 6 year old.

 

I knew of someone who took her grey with her while marathon training, but we have about 6 months here where heat isn't a problem. I should also add that running with me is a slow little trot for them

[JAJ2010]

If you build up to it slowly it should be fine. You also might want to ask the vet about it at your next trip. I'm trying to start jogging and Rainy is now 9yrs old. I asked our vet about the safety of working up to maybe doing a 5k in December. She was thrilled and said as long as I listen to Rainy about what is too much and what is enough it would be great for her! Lets be serious, my jogging is them trotting or walking fast at the moment!

 

Rainy says no walking or jogging after the temp is in the lower 60s! Otherwise she is bouncing right along next to me happy as a clam. I'm considering trying to invest in one of those cooling coats to see if that helps her and maybe we can go out in the 60 degree weather. We live in a very humid place though, so I'm not sure it's worth the money.

 

Just be safe, go slow, and be extra paranoid about what your dog is trying to tell you

Edited May 3, 2013 by JAJ2010

[Batmom]

Please don't use a "cooling" coat where it's humid -- you'll boil your dog.

[JAJ2010]

Please don't use a "cooling" coat where it's humid -- you'll boil your dog.

 

 

That's what I was thinking... I might buy one of those frog towels and experiment with them first. They are made of the same material, but are much cheaper to test with.

[Batmom]

Better to just take a spray bottle with an ice cube in it -- you can spray belly and chest with cool water if need be.

 

In humid weather, "cooling" coats make your dog hotter -- nothing evaporates, so the dog isn't cooled but rather further heated.

 

 

 

 

ETA: I honestly don't understand how "cooling" coats got to be popular, or why they continue to be sold. If the dog genuinely starts to overheat, you need cool RUNNING water from a tap or hose, and a rapid move to the vet's office. If it's hot enough that your dog can't enjoy moderate exercise for @ 15-20 minutes and recover after 5-10 minutes of lying in the shade, probably a good day to leave the dog home.

Edited May 3, 2013 by Batmom

[Guest KsFrets]

I'm a marathon runner, and can get about 2 miles out of Magnus below 70 degrees. The girls aren't interested in anything over 1/4 mile no matter the temperature. Truth be told, our Shihtzu is a better distance runner and is still going strong, long after the greyhounds are pooped.

[JAJ2010]

Better to just take a spray bottle with an ice cube in it -- you can spray belly and chest with cool water if need be.

 

In humid weather, "cooling" coats make your dog hotter -- nothing evaporates, so the dog isn't cooled but rather further heated.

 

 

 

 

ETA: I honestly don't understand how "cooling" coats got to be popular, or why they continue to be sold. If the dog genuinely starts to overheat, you need cool RUNNING water from a tap or hose, and a rapid move to the vet's office. If it's hot enough that your dog can't enjoy moderate exercise for @ 15-20 minutes and recover after 5-10 minutes of lying in the shade, probably a good day to leave the dog home.

 

Honestly I don't know why you're assuming that cooling coats are to be used in emergency situations where the dog already needs to be cooled down quickly. If it's something that will increase the comfort of my dog while on a walk in the summer, then I have the option to explore this. Zero evaporation would only happen during 100% humidity (rain storm) so the towels will dry out eventually even in high humidity. I seruously doubt putting a cold wet towel on my dog is going to cause them to spontaneously combust into flames.

 

The towels I'm talking about are cold when wet. I'm not sure how they work since I haven't purchased them and researched yet http://www.tgw.com/customer/category/product.jsp/SUBCATEGORY_ID/9250

[Guest zombrie]

I believe endurance has more to do their general fitness, how fit you keep your greys, rather than the fact they were sprinters.

 

Exactly. At the track they are obviously in fantastic shape... but are only conditioned for those 30 second sprints. That, and they are also running full speed. Jogging/running with a human is just a leisurely trot to them. If they are conditioned slowly to jog 5 miles, they will do it. I jog 2 miles with mine and they could easily go longer. It's all about conditioning. Just like people they can't get up off the couch with no conditioning and be expected to jog long distances, but if you slowly work them up to it, they will be able to. That said, some dogs will love it doing it, but maybe some others are not a good choice. Minerva absolutely loves jogging, and Doolin likes it to a certain point and then just tolerates it.

 

ETA I would not run with the dog if it's hot, they do get hot very quickly

Edited May 3, 2013 by zombrie

[Batmom]

 

Honestly I don't know why you're assuming that cooling coats are to be used in emergency situations where the dog already needs to be cooled down quickly. If it's something that will increase the comfort of my dog while on a walk in the summer, then I have the option to explore this. Zero evaporation would only happen during 100% humidity (rain storm) so the towels will dry out eventually even in high humidity. I seruously doubt putting a cold wet towel on my dog is going to cause them to spontaneously combust into flames.

 

The towels I'm talking about are cold when wet. I'm not sure how they work since I haven't purchased them and researched yet http://www.tgw.com/customer/category/product.jsp/SUBCATEGORY_ID/9250

 

 

I'm not assuming cooling coats are to be used in emergency situations. They do, however, have the potential to CAUSE emergency situations in hot weather. The towel you're looking at is evaporative. If conditions are such that evaporative cooling could occur (reasonably dry and breezy), wet your DOG, not something on the dog. Dogs -- even greyhounds -- have an insulating haircoat that makes it very difficult for an added object like a wet towel to provide any benefit, and remarkably easy for it to make the dog less comfortable.

[Guest WhiteWave]

 

Exactly. At the track they are obviously in fantastic shape... but are only conditioned for those 30 second sprints. That, and they are also running full speed. Jogging/running with a human is just a leisurely trot to them. If they are conditioned slowly to jog 5 miles, they will do it. I jog 2 miles with mine and they could easily go longer. It's all about conditioning. Just like people they can't get up off the couch with no conditioning and be expected to jog long distances, but if you slowly work them up to it, they will be able to. That said, some dogs will love it doing it, but maybe some others are not a good choice. Minerva absolutely loves jogging, and Doolin likes it to a certain point and then just tolerates it.

 

ETA I would not run with the dog if it's hot, they do get hot very quickly

 

 

I have taken several dogs from the track and most even in the excellent condition they were in were laying down and dragging butt when the went hiking with my dogs. Couldn't take the distance! Took a while to build up to it. Some did better than others. Most of the track dogs wanted to run full speed and then they were done, didn't realize we had just gotten started. Ronon rarely runs, but he could trot along beside me for hours. They had to learn to conserve their energy and I actually find their muscles change to work better for the distance than just short burst of speed. All my dogs can hike 5-6 miles at a decent pace ( I don't run!!!) right down to the stubby legged Frenchie b/c I have built them up to it. Then the can take a nap and do it again same day!

[Guest Doggone]

Better to just take a spray bottle with an ice cube in it -- you can spray belly and chest with cool water if need be.

 

In humid weather, "cooling" coats make your dog hotter -- nothing evaporates, so the dog isn't cooled but rather further heated.

I love the idea of the spray bottle with an ice cube!

Autumn seems to start having problems when the temperatures creep up to the 70s, and carrying that small bottle is perfect for a quick "relief fix". It's only going to get hotter here, and even though we'll avoid the hotter times of days, I'll feel better having a remedy along if she seems too uncomfortable.

She's a fairly indolent 7 year old, and not interested in any form of exercise. This is one gal who takes her retirement seriously!

[Guest Giselle]

I used to run races, but now I do 3-4 miles a day for maintenance. I think a good rule of thumb is: Pretend your dog is completely out of shape, and slowly train him just as you first did. All creatures need to build up the right musculature and breathing rhythm to withstand endurance running, and dogs are no different. To give you some perspective, I once invited a friend to run with me. She started gasping at a 1/2 mile. I imagine that all new dogs are on this same level and build up from there.

 

I'd say I spent ~1 month going no more than 1 mile with my dog. If your dog can't go 1 mile, I'd say .5 miles or 5 minutes of running is a really good start. Then, I'd let the dog recover for 10 minutes and walk home. Eventually, I'd increase the length of time running and decrease the recovery+walk time.

- The next two weeks, I'd push it to 1.5 miles.

- The next two weeks, we'd go up to 2 miles.

- The next month, we'd push for 3 miles, etc.

If at any time your dog shows slowing down, STOP. Also, try running on dirt/grass, not pavement, and think about swimming as a good co-exercise routine. I also recommend giving your dog the chance to sprint once a week to build up helpful muscles and taking a 1-2 day break every week. (My dog has a better exercise routine than me!)

 

Edit to add: I don't know about the others, but, when I was running long distances, I got frequent routine injuries. Knee pain, hip pain, shin splints, black toenails. A lot of this was because of my running on concrete. So, I *urge* you to not run your dog on concrete or pavement. But, if you do, please take it very slow and I would not push 2 miles/day on concrete.

Edited May 3, 2013 by Giselle

[RedHead]

How new is your pup? They have a VERY low endurance level when they come off the track. I remember working up to a 1 mile hike, now we do 5-6 miles every day. Some greys seem to enjoy jogging others not. Basically, if they start lagging behind I consider that to be enough, I wouldn't push it...you want the dog to enjoy it.

 

Heat plays a HUGE role, bigger than almost anything else from my experience. I grew up with double coated, northern breeds, and I can say that Teague's heat tolerance is actually worse. I initially thought greys would be great in the heat due to their thin coat, lack of fat, but it works out to be the opposite. We do most of our jogging in the early Spring and Fall, and I find temps in the 30-40 degree range the best. As soon as the heat hits (like today) he turns into a sloth, it's a dramatic difference. We stick to mostly early morning and evening walks/jogs or else we go to lake trails where he can have a cool soak every mile or so.

[Brandiandwe]

Re: cooling coats. I live in Sydney. I've played around with the idea of getting a cooling coat, but gave up on it. The only things I am still considering is a light coloured, light weight reflective coat for Paige because she is black and she heats up very quickly in the sun. Her fur will be hot to touch, where Brandi's is barely different from being inside in the airconditioning.

[dmdsmoxie]

I think everyone needs to remember that greyhounds are sprinters at full speed. The run with no sense of pace.

 

What you are doing going for a run is not a sprint to them. It is like a fast walk.

 

As long as they are in shape they can go a long distance at your pace. The question is do they want to.

 

As far as panting, you sweat, they pant. It doesn't mean they are in trouble of overheating. You get water and so should they and common sense as to what time of day to run.

 

Most farms are in Kansas, Ok, TX,NC, Florida,Iowa and WV. So they have grown up in the heat.

 

I would say the pavement would be more of a concern.

 

Some dogs are truck run to get them in shape and it is just what you think it is. They are run along side a truck for a distance at a very slow pace.

 

I would say if your dogs doesn't enjoy it then I wouldn't do it, but as far as them being able to do it, they can if they want to.

[Guest DragonflyDM]

OK… you CAN run with your dog. I go to the dog park fenced in area. Three times around the fence is about a mile. Boomer will sprint up and keep for a bit and then drop off to sniff something. It works out great for me. But if you are seriously running with a Greyhound, I think you would be unhappy. Most greys I know do that “dart in front of you” thing way to often to be safe.

Re: cooling coats. I live in Sydney. I've played around with the idea of getting a cooling coat, but gave up on it. The only things I am still considering is a light coloured, light weight reflective coat for Paige because she is black and she heats up very quickly in the sun. Her fur will be hot to touch, where Brandi's is barely different from being inside in the airconditioning.

 

I had thought about a very very light mesh white coat. The white would reflect the sun and the mesh would let in the wind and dissipate heat. It would take a bit of the edge off I think-- but nothing I have found does better than nature intended so far.----- frequent dowsing of water

[Guest Krizzy]

We have had our grey since last year October so this is the first kind of warm weather he has had with us. It has got up to 80 and yes, I have noticed he can't do very long walks in the warmer weather. When it was snowing or just cooler weather, he did great. He is a perfect jogging partner and jogged a few miles with me when it was cool out, but in warmer weather, I only walk him for about 20 min. I don't want to work him too hard. I can tell because he pants heavily and will start to walk behind me.

[Guest maidmarcia]

The longest run I've taken my greyhound on was 45 minutes. I'm by no means a fast runner though. It was more like a light jog. I think you can build up their endurance, but I try to run only in the morning or at night. It's too hot and humid in my city to do otherwise.

[Guest KatyC]

I've been jogging with Peggy, about 2 miles. And she is fine, but she wouldn't be able to do it in the heat. Maybe wait for a cooler time of day, early or late.

[Guest KsFrets]

On really hot days, we will stop at the garden hose, and soak the dogs down before leaving. Two miles later, they are dry, and not overheated.

[Guest BuckeyeAmy]

On really hot days, we will stop at the garden hose, and soak the dogs down before leaving. Two miles later, they are dry, and not overheated.

 

That is a great idea! I think that I will try that with my boys. We don't run, but we power walk close to 2 miles at a stretch. The heat of summer is too much for them but if they started out wet I bet it wouldn't be so bad.