The dog

[Dandy9876]

Hi everyone I just did my first jog (ouch). I feel so good about it now. I took my basset hound with me so we could get in shape together. Big mistake. She kept stopping like she really didn’t want to be there. She made it to the halfway bell though so well done to her for that but I had to finish the last bit on my own. Does anyone else take their dog with them and how did it go for you??

[Myrar Graduate]

Hi yes I take my cavalier with me ..He's actually getting better at first ge stopped a good few times to sniff as they do ! But now he's a lot better ...The first 10 min is rough but after that he settles down ...The big thing for me is taking him just on pavement runs ...Not at the park ..He just won't go round when there all grass about sniff sniff every blade !! Good luck ☺️

[Dandy9876 in reply to Myrar]

She wasn’t stopping to have a sniff or a wee. She really wanted to go home and lay down. I guess she just needs to build up a bit. She’s used to walking with my now very old Great Dane who can’t walk fast or far so she’s got a bit lazy. I’ll have to get a pick on my next run with her so you can see 🤪

[Myrar Graduate in reply to Dandy9876]

Aww she sound a wee sweetheart ...Best of luck with your runs ..c25k is a great app ...The support and encouragement is amazing ..That's what keeps us going ..

[SuperMouse Graduate]

Ah what a lovely dog!

If I go to the park I take mine with me but he has to be off lead as if on the lead he thinks it is a sprint competition between him and me and as he is big i'm worried he'll pull me over. He normally goes off ahead and then 'peeps' round a corner or a bush to see whats taking me so long with that expression that all dog owners will know!

Well done for starting this programme!

[Dandy9876]

Thank you. I wish she would run ahead of me. It’s like she is the far girl part of my brain saying we really don’t wanna be doing this. Let’s go home and eat cake 🍰

[SuperMouse Graduate in reply to Dandy9876]

Ha ha Don't listen to those gremlins!

You can do it!

[GoogleMe Graduate]

The only time I *haven't* run with my Welsh Springer Sp (the 'Google' of my screen name) is when she was very ill. We run off road but a wide variety of places: woods, fields, trails and some seriously boggy places.

If we're going somewhere she needs to be on the lead, then I use a hands free lead on a waistbelt (I like the Trixie one) ... and she does get the message about what we're about pretty quickly. The 5 minute warm up walk is very useful for 'attending to business'. I have an across the body bag which has treats, whistle and my phone and keys go in it, and then have a Dicky Bag clipped to it for poo bags, fresh and filled.

One of my sons went to a school where they had school dogs and one of them was a Basset. Few sights more glorious than a Basset in full flight across the playground with a small child flying behind on the other end of the lead! That is a gorgeous dog you have there.

[Dandy9876 in reply to GoogleMe]

Thank you for the advice and the compliment on the the dog. I doubt anything shop bought will get her moving though. I think I’m just gonna be stuck on week one for a bit until she learns to love our time together, running haha

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Dandy9876]

Week 1 especially is a bit of a confusing one for dogs, not least because most of us will tend to be running faster than we later learn is going to be sustainable but for very short bursts.

I can imagine that a basset that does not wish to move cannot be moved! I used to have a rescue Schipperke. She was a very old lady and my mother was looking after her and suddenly realised she was walking an invisible dog, just the collar, with Nellie sitting resolutely some way back... It takes a few minutes for Google to understand that this particular walk is not a 'sniffage' walk. When Google was ill she had an 'episode' in the woods and I ran round and round her for a while until it became clear she wasn't going to be over it. I can just about pick her up but she's too heavy for me to carry more than a few steps (that's about my limitations as well as her weight)

I found it unspeakably sad running without her and I'm so glad she has defied her X rays since then!

[Wizziewood]

Ah bless! ... but she looks comfy now ... perhaps there should be a doggy C25k!

I used to have Flat Coated Retrievers and there's no way I'd have run with them, they would have pulled me over at the start!

Well done for getting started with the program. Keep up the good work ... happy running!

[bally187 Graduate]

I take both dogs with me (a German Shepherd and a hybrid wolf/Shepherd/who knows what else) but I also take hubby who looks after them so I can concentrate on running! Shepherd is old and arthritic so can’t run fast!!

[Hidden]

Bless her! What a cutie.

[misswobble Graduate]

I started C25k to learn to run so I could do justice to the dog I borrowed. A French Basset! 😃🏃‍♀️ He can run like hell but only when he wants to. I don’t take him on my runs now but I still run when he wants to. his normal walking speed is fast and he fairly drags me along. I’ve got fitter and slimmer though 👍

We’re still big pals still and I care for him twice a week and for his holidays, which his owners call “boot camp” 😁

[LaMeri Graduate]

I started C25K so I could do canicross with my dog, a Tibetan terrier. It's a sport of cross country running with dogs, the runner wears a hip belt, the dog a harness, and the two are joined by a bungee cord and the dog runs is supposed to run in front, 'pulling' the runner. At first it was really hard due to my poor fitness level and the dog was confused by all the stopping and starting and she would just try and stop and sniff stuff all the time. However, I persevered and she now trots happily in front of me for 30 minute runs, no problem. The moment I get her running harness out she starts jumping excitedly! I don't think I would have finished C25K without her, running is still a bit of a struggle but seeing her enjoying herself so much makes me very happy.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.

The guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

It is inadvisable for some dogs to exercise at the level that C25K will take you to. Maybe check out the canicross website.

Enjoy your journey.

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

I think it is puppies, isn't it, where there's an issue?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to GoogleMe]

I have heard that some dogs may well not be up to running and that it may not be appropriate for certain breeds.

[Rignold]

Some breeds are not up to 30 minutes sustained running, certainly. My labrador easily takes it in her stride, but my Frenchie would not do at all well with it. He’s a stop/start sprinter and not designed for endurance. I always feel a bit uncomfortable when I see people running with short legged dog breeds tbh.

[Ang33333 Graduate]

My terrier stops and sniffs or wees too often to run with me! It would be very stop and start! He can run but not always where I want him too!

[Debsy2008 Graduate]

I did start this with my dog (Cavachon) but she only managed the first couple of weeks, she was good bless her but kept getting on the way or stopping to sniff, wee or poop lol

It’s too distracting really, there’s enough to concentrate on just completing the sessions, I don’t even always listen to music.