I would love to get some feedback from the people here about running with Cali. Let me start by saying that, as of yet, I have not.

Cali is a 6-month old lab. Lot of drive, typical puppy energy. I know lots of info out there says not to run with with your dog until 12+ months old. However...

1. When I have broken into my warm-up pace for a short stretch (like 2') with her, she is at barely a trot. I'm jogging, she is still walking, only a little faster. She looks at me like "that all you got?"

2. Three different vets (mine and two I met at social events) told me that running her at that pace, on a good surface, in a straight line for ~20' is likely better for her than a lot of the stop-short halting, and lateral turning she does running at high speeds after a ball. Still, lots of other stuff I've read says does not agree, so I feel cautious.

3. We have a wonderful, graded, smooth dirt trail right near my house that goes for miles, and we could easily go there.

So what do you think? I train for Ironman distance triathlons, so incorporating running with her during a 20' warm-up would be great. Company for me, exercise for her = win-win!
I am more concerned about her long term joint health than my desire to run with her, but I am looking forward to taking her along!

Thanks!

JMO.... but I would be careful running with a 6 mo old pup, especially one that is of a breed that is predisposed to HD. Also, dirt paths can be packed down to create a hard surface & cause the same concusion on the skelletal system that runing on pavement can. But if you say that 3 vets told you it is ok, why would you ask us?? I guess that I don't understand.

JMHO,
It's the constant pound, pound, pounding that goes along with a routine running of long distances that hurts young dogs. Not the running per se.
All puppies like to run, but left to their own devices it's always short spurts and then rest.
Let him grow up, then you'll have a sturdy strong companion to run with.

 Quote: Anne Jones

But if you say that 3 vets told you it is ok, why would you ask us?? I guess that I don't understand.

Yikes! I didn't mean to offend. Vets hardly know everything. Everyone here talks about feeding raw, and you could get 100 vets to tell you that's not OK. Yet people here easily share advice and opinions, and are supportive and helpful. I am just trying to get educated, experienced people's opinions, that's all.

To be clear, I was talking a mile or two, not major distances. And for the record again, I have NOT done this. I have NOT run her, and am inclined not to.

Also, as a long-time, very experienced runner, grass/dirt (unless frozen into concrete) is much, much, much more forgiving on the joints than any other surface. It really is a remarkable difference, and there is lots of research out there backing it up. Good to know for those of us humans with aging joints.

I wouldn't run her Linda. When I started running my Rottweiler he was 1yr and I've been told that may have been a little too young.

Linda, I didn't take any offence...Nor did I intend to offend you. One would think that since the vets see the end result of dogs that have HD every day, I was suprized that they would say that it is fine with a young pup to run 2 miles. I think that 2 miles for a 6 month old is still a bit much. But my experience is with GSDs not Labs. Although, Labs are equally prone to HD. I would have never done that much with a young pup. But that's just me. I tend to err on the side of conservativism when it comes to my animals. (dogs, cats & horse) I used to run on the dirt paths at the beeach all the time, & will say that the trails were VERY hard from being packed down by all the traffic on them. Grass is little bit more forgiving unless dry & heavly used. One of the fields that I run my dogs on gets very hard when the weather gets hot with times of little rain in the summer months. You can evern hear the sound if one of my dogs jumps up to catch their ball & thumps back down on the ground. All I can think of when that happens is the damage it is doing to their bodies. So we stay clear of that field & use another until the rain softens the ground there. JMO

ETA....I have a treadmill & I didn't even put my male on it until he was 2 yrs old. It is a jog a dog & is slightly elevated, therefor too much stress on the skelletal system of a young dog that the 'plates' haven't closed on yet.

I also would like to know what the research says... It is difficult finding anything but anecdotal evidence. Not that we can run our 7 month old pup now (but she needs it!!) she is relegated to our back yard. My vet says that running around 9 months, easy runs, after the growth plates are closed is fine--he is a good guy, holistic and a graduate of CSU (good vet school). My husband is also a trail marathon runner and says the same thing you do, Linda, about surfaces. It would make sense that it would be the same for dogs (dirt and varied, easy gait is better on the joints). Our last dog, GSD, could go out for 20 mile runs in the mountains and come back like she needed more. I just can't remember how old she was when she started.

I say take it easy and let the dog guide the pace and exercise even when it is just fetch.

A good rule of thumb.....stop, BEFORE the dog gets tired. Tired is when injuries happen.