Jump to content

Does anybody jog with their husky? If so how much?


Amanda Sinead Turnbull

Recommended Posts

I'm wondering because i would love a husky when i get one to jog with me, i currently jog on a tues and thurs for 3 1/2 miles then on a sunday for 9 1/2 miles, plus a one mile jog each morning i want to no whether i could take the husky with me i have two other dogs too staffy/lab/west highland terrier crosses which get 2 walks per day well they walk me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Siberians are generally good jogging partners, but should be at least a year, better 18 months old before running much - their bones don't harden completely until around 18 months, so I wouldn't run on a hard surface like cement/asphalt until then. As Sid pointed out, they can't adequately cool themselves when temperatures and/or humidity are high, so should only be run during cool weather. The fur insulates against the heat much like it does against cold, helping keep a dog that has access to shade and cool water relatively comfortable, but it also keeps body heat in, when the dog exercises in warm weather - they don't cool as efficiently as we do!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hell yeah!! One of the main reasons for me getting a husky as a breed...

I run canicross between 3 and 6 times a week with Harley, most we've done so far is 7 miles running - he's only just 1, and this is what we've worked up to now. This is cross country over hills and on varied foot surfaces. Other days its bike joring. At least one day a week is light walking only, to let him recover.

Temperature wise get to know your dog. I can run Harley at 17 degrees no worries if there is no humidity. With 100% humidity there's been a day I wouldn't dare run him at 10 degrees. Learn the body language and tell tale signs of your dog's core temperature rising and listen to him. Remember there is a danger for up to 30mins or so following the run where internal heat could still be rising.

I use the '10% adaptation rule' with Harley as used with human training. Increase the intensity (which could include distance) no more than 10% each week for two weeks then hold or drop back the third to allow adaptation to take place. I would also stagger the runs so that you don't do two day's hard in a row. It is not just a dogs skeletel muscles which need recovery but also his smooth and cardiac muscles, which is where a 'rest day' or 'active recovery' day is important to allow these to recover and adapt too.

I would work propioception with your dog to strengthen his joints in order to help injury proof him for now and in the future. This will give control on the joints and not take him out of his normal working planes where injuries could occur. With the bone development and hardening as Gigi says they don't harden their bones fully until around 18 months so you need to be careful. Unlike Gigi, I would have no problem with running a husky before 1yrs old AS LONG AS you understand what you are doing. Impact is a no-no so tarmac and soft surfaces are out - soft surfaces are in, and proprioception training a must, and short distances with rests between days running to allow adaptation are necessary. My belief is that you can injury proof your dog by giving them the appropriate training when younger than 1yrs old when their neurology is at it's most plastic - but it has to be done right. I take this from developmental trainings for humans as I can't find any science or studies into this for dogs, so am cross referencing and allowing for the differences in physiology. If you are not sure of any of this I would definiately wait until 1yrs old as Gigi says - and even then build up using the 10% adaptation rule.

A further word of caution too, there will be days, whatever the temperature, when you will need to listen to your dog and cut short a run, or run easier...even huskies aren't super-dogs (well, they are...) and will have days when they just aren't on form, and we need to listen and pay attention to that...

In conclusion there is no more fun sporting activity than running or other forms of working with a husky!

Best regards,

Smiler

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I've been looking into this as well because I'd like to start running with my dog...

What I don't really understand is why people say to wait until the dog is 18 - 24 months before starting to run with it? I mean, what age does would a wild dog start running? Wouldn't it be off running with the pack soon as it's able to? I'm sure they don't get coddled for nearly two years in the wild...

I was training for half marathons but I basically stopped running completely when I got Arya. I simply don't have the time to run myself AND walk her afterwards. Basically, I'd like to combine the two activities when it suits. I wouldn't bring her for the weekly long slow distance run (6 - 12 miles | 10 -20K) but I think she'd be fine on tempo & steady runs (2 to 4 miles | 3.2 to 6.4K) and maybe hills when she's a bit older. Basically she'd be running with me 3 maybe 4 times a week with rest days between.

I've tried her running on some short distance runs (up to about a mile) and half the time she's barely moving above a fast walk. She certainly wasn't tired at the end of the runs either. I'm what they'd call a "Clydesdale" type of runner: Larger build and not so fast. I'm pretty comfortable at a 1o:00 / mile pace which is way slower than an average dog's average speed.

Arya's about 4.5 months old now and really loves to bolt around at top speed whenever she can... Do I really have to wait another 13.5 - 19.5 months to start running her? Obviously, I don't want to do anything that's going to cause her health issues in the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From what i'm understanding its not the running that hurts them....as long as it's on SOFT surfaces.like dirt trails or grass etc. But it's the impact of running on Sidewalks and Roads that can hurt them, while they Bones are still soft and growing.

-when i run Canicross with my dogs i make sure to run on soft surfaces as much as possible. like the dirt shoulder of the road or back lanes that are dirt/gravel, or trails in the bush. there are spots on our runs that are pavement, but i try to avoid them as much as possible/slow down and go easy/walk on these parts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I think try to master the right walk, the right pace, right posture and the most important one the right energy, be control be the leader, and you see it will change:)

Mya at the beginning would drag me and be going all zig zag, but once I became her pack leader, she will not dare to zig zag or drag me, she goes with my pace..

what worked most for me was a long stick, everytime she went past my legs, i put the stick infront of her and stop walk, it gave her the idea that if i go past Mike's feet, we stop and i get blocked from going ahead"

perhaps try that and see how you go:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy , along with dressing your husky as a unicorn on the first Thursday of each month