Running With Your Dog

After my 3 mile run today, I took Cobalt out for a quick walk. For those of you who don't know, Cobalt is my 4 1/2 year old Great Dane. I got him from a breeder when he was 4 months old, and 170 lbs later, he's still the biggest baby I know.

The picture on the left is Cobalt on the day I got him.

The picture on the right is Cobalt on his 4th birthday (the old man looks thrilled). 

I wish more than anything I could take Cobalt on my runs with me. But there's a few reasons why I can't: 

1. He tore his meniscus in his back leg when he was about a year and half. He had to have surgery and we were pretty scared we might lose him. Everything turned out alright, but he still has a bit of a limp and the doctor said any intense or long distance running is the worst thing for his leg. We ended up putting him on Glucosamine and Chondroitin, which you can read about in my post here in regards to joint pain in runners. 

2. He sleeps 20 hours a day. I'm dead serious when I say he weighs 170lbs. That is a lot of weight for a dog to carry around (he's by no means fat or overweight, just a very large breed dog). He's in really good shape for his age and stature, but he gets tired even after a one mile walk.

3. When Cobalt does run (which is usually off leash in our yard), you do NOT want to get in the way. Picture a horse galloping. It's basically a full on sprint, usually right at you. The past few times I've attempted running a bit with him, he ends up going full speed ahead! 

"Watch out, I'm coming thru!"

I took some videos today of our walk, so y'all could get an idea of how this usually goes:

This is how our walks start off - I'm usually dragging him because he'd rather be sleeping...

But once we turn around and head home, he's all for a light jog back...

...All because he wants a drink from the water hose...what other dogs do this? 

He refuses to drink out of a normal dog bowl...

Then he crashes and sleeps like this...

Or like this...

Or this...yes, he's smiling

I love Cobalt more than any dog I've ever had and would never want to replace him. However, the day will come when he won't be around, and being the animal lover I am, I will get another dog. I'm really going to have to consider what breed will work best for me and my active lifestyle. Great Danes are amazing pets and the best dogs I've been around. But if I want to be able to run with my dog, I'll need to research other breeds out there. 

Benefits of running with a dog:

1. Great motivators! If this doesn't get you out of bed, I don't know what will? 

"Mom, can we pleeeeassseee go for a walk?!"

2. Keeps your dog physically fit. As if staying fit yourself wasn't important enough, knowing that it's your responsibility to keep your pet in shape and improve their quality of life is another great reason to take them running with you when possible.

3. Stops a destructive dog. Dogs have a ton of energy. If they don't have a good release, they could turn into a devil dog and ruin your things.

4. Bonding time! I don't know of a dog that hates to go for walks with their owners. Dogs LOVE to run! They'll appreciate you, show you love, and be thankful for the time spent together. Plus, it'll help you reclaim a love of running yourself because you can see how much joy they get out of it. Just like bonding with other human runners, the same thing can happen with your furry companion.

5. Make new friends. Many people walk their dogs daily, and if you live in a populated area, it's an easy way to meet new people. Most of the time your dog will do the "ice-breaking" for you. 

What are some of the best breeds out there for running partners?

One of my favorite bloggers, Julie at PBFingers.com, has a Vizsla named Sadie. She seems like a great running breed, as Julie posts about running 6+ miles with her. 

02/27/2013: Miles run - 152.25 of 1000. Miles remaining - 847.75 of 1000