Running with Dogs - UltraRunning Magazine
I received a comment to an entry I made last summer, shortly after adopting Finn. Esther said she also has an Aussie and wants to take him hiking, but is concerned about his safety - and recall - off leash. Did I have any training tips to offer? Well, as a matter of fact - yes! Esther, your timing is perfect! UltraRunning Magazine's current issue (May/June 2009) has an article I wrote about trail running with your dog. The training tips I provide apply just as well to taking your dog hiking or walking off leash in the forest. The article is a reworking of a couple of articles previously published by Bark Magazine (www.thebark.com), with some updates regarding Finn.
This is the cover of the current issue. UltraRunning Magazine can be a bit of a challenge to find. If you can't find a copy in your local running store or bookstore, go to their web site, www.ultrarunning.com, where you can purchase a copy.
Any expertise I may possess training dogs to be good trail companions is thanks to Maia and Meadow and all the hours we've spent together in various forests. They taught me everything I know. Finn's training was fairly easy, in part because I knew what I wanted from him based on my experiences with the girls, in part because as an Aussie, all he wants to do is please me. So different than a Malamute, who is more likely to respond to a request with a look that mockingly says, "You talking to me?"
Below, an old photo of the girls - shortly after Meadow had a haircut - from my dog camp web site's "So long!" page:
Happy trails, indeed! Get out and enjoy! Tomorrow, Finn and I will be participating in an ultra distance trail run near Bellingham, WA. Not sure how far we'll go - the course is an 11 mile loop - but whether we do one or two loops, we'll have a blast at this dog-friendly event! It will be Finn's first official race, although neither of us is ready for a true ultra distance (anything longer than a marathon, or 26.2 miles). Yet. We're in training. For now, we'll delight in a run of 11 to 22 miles, then we'll rest and cheer for those who go three or more loops.
This is the cover of the current issue. UltraRunning Magazine can be a bit of a challenge to find. If you can't find a copy in your local running store or bookstore, go to their web site, www.ultrarunning.com, where you can purchase a copy.Any expertise I may possess training dogs to be good trail companions is thanks to Maia and Meadow and all the hours we've spent together in various forests. They taught me everything I know. Finn's training was fairly easy, in part because I knew what I wanted from him based on my experiences with the girls, in part because as an Aussie, all he wants to do is please me. So different than a Malamute, who is more likely to respond to a request with a look that mockingly says, "You talking to me?"
Below, an old photo of the girls - shortly after Meadow had a haircut - from my dog camp web site's "So long!" page:
Happy trails, indeed! Get out and enjoy! Tomorrow, Finn and I will be participating in an ultra distance trail run near Bellingham, WA. Not sure how far we'll go - the course is an 11 mile loop - but whether we do one or two loops, we'll have a blast at this dog-friendly event! It will be Finn's first official race, although neither of us is ready for a true ultra distance (anything longer than a marathon, or 26.2 miles). Yet. We're in training. For now, we'll delight in a run of 11 to 22 miles, then we'll rest and cheer for those who go three or more loops.