How To Run With Your Dog

Readers can thank Runner’s World for a special section on running with dogs, one that includes advice from experts on How to Turn Your Pooch Into an Endurance Machine. Robert Gillette, D.V.M., director of Auburn University’s Veterinary Sports Medicine program, recommends always keeping the dog on a leash, and keeping the dog within three feet of you. One goal, says Gillette, is to have the dog understand that this is not playtime– it’s exercise time, and that you are the leader. JT Clough,  coauthor of 5K Training Guide: Running with Dogs, advises hopeful pet owners to start slowly, three times a week for 15 or 20 minutes, and build up from there, adding five minutes each week—for the dog’s sake, not yours. Always keep a lookout for signs of fatigue—flattened ears, tail down, or heavy panting.. Read more at Runner’s World or from Men’s Fitness.