Running with a dog

Exercising with a dog can be fun, but can also be difficult from my own personal experience with my dog, Dexter, along with my friend's dog.

 I enjoy running 5k's every month with my friend Jennifer, who owns a golden retriever named Ozzy that has ran over three 5k's with us. Val Mallinson a dog lover and author quotes, " dogs are a natural fit into the...outdoor lifestyle...met [Val Mallinson and her two dogs] dogs who hike, bike, kayak...and ride motorcycles with their humans" (Val Mallinson 2). This quote surprised me because of how Val Mallinson has met dog owners who take their dogs nearly everywhere they go and let their canine friends experience such great adven mtures.

In the book, The Dog Lover's Companion to the Pacific Northwest, Val Mallinson mentioned 5k's that allow dogs to participate in. That brought me back to the time Jennifer and I ran with Ozzy during a 5k and 12k. The 12k and 5k's that Jennifer and I participated in with her dog were the "Dawg Dash 5k", " Candy Cane Dash ", "Purple Stride " and " 12ks of Christmas ".

The difficult part that I mentioned earlier before is that dogs need to go to the bathroom frequently (my personal experience) which slows you down when running. Dogs also need to hydrate just as humans need to so during runs, I stop to take a rest and allow my dog to drink plenty of water. My overall experience with running with Dexter and my friends’ dog together is that it can be very fun and I highly recommend any pet owners to try taking their pet to any available events that allow you to take your pet.


My question to any pet owner is: Do you think older pets have the same ability in running as a younger pet?

Citation:

Mallinson, Val. The Dog Lover's Campanion to the Pacific Northwest. Emeryville: Avalon Travel, 2005. Print.