Tips for Running with your Dog

Denver and I have been running together for 5 years now. We've been on some wild adventures, eaten a lot of snacks, and laughed a LOT.

(Okay, I've laughed a lot. You've seen Denver's face. He's a pretty serious fella.)

But together we put some tips for all of you running with your furry pals. We'd also love to hear YOUR stories, tips, laughs and mishaps.

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🐶Don't trust the first mile. We reallly annoy each other the entire first mile. Denver wants to sniff and pee on everything and I'm trying to get my body moving. We've learned to just let the first mile, be what it is.

🐶Remember that running is supposed to be fun. Denver slows me down but running with him brings me SO MUCH JOY. And running is supposed to be fun. So we run.

🐶Check on each other. We check in with each other. Every so often Denver will look up at me and I'll ask him "you having fun" and we keep moving. Sometimes he looks up at me and says "I'm over it" and we stop. Sometimes I'm over it, and he gets me.

🐶Stop and smell the flowers. Denver reminds me every time he stops to sniff (eye roll!) that it's okay to pause and take time to enjoy the world around us. Not every run has to be for time.

🐶Pick a side. When Denver was a puppy I trained him to learn to walk on his leash on the lefthand side so that he'd also always run on my left. It's been really helpful and I trust he'll never cut me off when we are running. He's always on my left.

🐶Get a waist-leash. We've been running with the same waist leash for years! We love it. His harness also clips in the front which means he doesn't pull and I feel safe and in control. Being hands-free also helps me to feel more in control and stable while running.

🐶Cheer for each other. When I'm tired, or I think Denver is tired, I say out loud to him "great job, Denver" or "good boy, Denver!" and he literally gets a lil pep in his step. And that gives me a lil pep in mine. 🥰

🐶Eat snacks. Drink water. We pack snacks for both of us if we are going long. Denver has a little collapsed water bowl that I hook on his leash. 😋

🐶Build up your mileage TOGETHER. The longest run Denver has ever done with me is 15 miles. But we built up to that slowly. Dogs need to be a part of your training plan and build up their mileage slowly, just like you do.