Everybody knows that having a running or workout buddy is better than not having one. They hold you accountable, motivate you to push your boundaries, and share in the struggle with you.
Imagine having a workout buddy who is ALWAYS stoked to get out there, and cheers you up no matter how exhausted you feel after a workout. That’s what it’s like having a dog as your running partner. And my dog Olive is the best of the best. She does all of the above and she loves it just as much as I do.
Here’s why dogs make the best running partners
I’ve been a runner for years, but my first year of college athletics took the fun out of it for me. In order to rediscover the joy I had for the sport, I needed a great running partner. I’ve had lots of friends join me for workouts, but something about growing up, graduating college, and getting jobs has made it very hard for us to find time to run, let alone together, during our busy schedules. So I knew when I got a dog she would have to love running. The best part? She’s never busy!
I did my research: I looked into the best dog breeds for running, browsed running gear, and joined a canicross Facebook group (canine cross country – who would’ve thought!). And after all this research, I ended up with a mutt, a $10 running belt, and bungee leash.
After adopting Olive, I found out that she’s a mix of German Shepherd, Malamute, Black Lab, and Golden, all four of which are on Runner’s World’s list of best running breeds. Plus, being a mixed-breed works in her favor when it comes to avoiding the dreaded joint issues big dogs are known for (I don’t want her to get injured training).
My dog motivates me like no one else
Olive has been the best running partner to get me through long months of training. She reminds me it’s time to run by nudging her leash hanging on the door and does a happy dance every time I put on my running shoes and grab her harness, which helps me get pumped up for the workout to come.
She paces me on all my tempo runs, reminds me to *literally* stop and smell the flowers on my easy days, and motivates me to push through all my hill workouts (sometimes pulling me up the hill behind her). She makes me feel safe on my late night summer runs, and when I think the run is too long for her, she’s always waiting at the door tail wagging to tell me she’s happy I made it home.
Be patient with your dog as they learn how to run with you
Olive has turned out to not only be a super fun running buddy but an intelligent training partner, too; She picked up her left and right commands in just weeks; she understands the difference between the sidewalk and bike lane, when it’s time to cross the road, and when to wait for me. She’s not great at the “slow down” command, but that might just be willful ignorance :).
Obviously every day isn’t going to be easy. Just last week, she decided she’d rather say hi to a stranger than keep running, and in doing so, went around the opposite side of a tree from me and broke the brand new running belt I bought for us. But for every little challenge there are ten more amazing victories. This week she was at the top of her game: focused on the run, not saying hi to every dog that barks at her, listening to my cues, and even reading my body language. We’ve made tremendous progress from day one, and I’m always impressed by her excitement to run and eagerness to learn.
Any running partner is better than none, but having your dog as a running buddy takes the cake. No matter what time of day, Olive is always ready to go, getting me off my butt and excited to run. Even if I have the hardest, most disheartening run, she will end the workout with a smile on her face and give me kisses until I’m smiling too. She reintroduced the joy of running into my life and I feel so lucky to get the chance to train with her every day.
Do you workout with your pup too? Tell us your favourite thing about your furry workout buddy at whatthepup@spotandtango.com.
