Going for a dog run?

Dog run? Yes, taking the dog for a run, or the dog taking me for a run, as the case often is! I don't actually own a dog but my parents have Timmy, or Dimmy as he is often known, and my sister has Katie, or Numpty as she is more commonly known. They are both lurchers and due to their over-exuberant behaviour, that seemed to suggest they were lacking in the grey matter department, they were given their nicknames when they were pups.

Recently one of my training partners got himself a border collie and has been taking him along on his training runs and, as I enjoy running with my family's dogs, I've been borrowing one or the other and joining him. Our usual emails or texts that used to say, "Fancy a run this afternoon?" now say "Dog run in Lyme Park today?"

I've found that, even if my training partner is away with work, as he is more and more, me and Numpty still go out on a Friday afternoon. It has become part of the routine.

Today I was reading in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health (volume 8 pages 436 - 444) about a study that was conducted in America to see how much impact owning a dog has on Leisure - Time Physical Activity (LTPA). This study strongly suggested that people who owned a dog were significantly more likely to get the recommended 150 minutes of walking per week than those who didn't. It also referred to other studies that found that the size and breed of dog made a difference. Those with bigger breeds were more likely again but those with a dog that could fit in a handbag may not be as influenced.

In a British study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (Volume 84, issue 12, pages 717 - 720) the researchers looked at people who acquired a dog or a cat and the effect that had on their health. There were initial health benefits with the owners of both types of pets and the dog owners showed improvements in health for the duration of the ten-month study. They also took more exercise.

I guess it's obvious why owning a dog keeps people healthy and exercising more consistently. If you are a dog owner it is your responsibility to keep your four legged furry friend healthy. Even if you don't feel like going out to stretch your legs your pooch probably will. It's a bit like having a training partner that you've got an appointment with. As for me, well I don't have the responsibility. I don't own a dog, I just borrow one (or two) but I love it. When Friday afternoon comes around I don't even consider shelving the run, no matter how tired I feel or how chilly it is outside. I aim to be out in the fresh air and on my dog run before it goes dark.

I'm even thinking of entering a Cani-X event again this year. I have done a couple before and this is the time of year that they take place - during the cooler months because it is dangerous for your dog to run hard when the weather is warm. Dogs dehydrate faster than we do. They don't sweat and can only dissapate heat through their paws and tongues. When they get the bit between their teeth, or should I say harness round their haunches, at a Cani-X event they run hard so winter months are the time of year for this.

I'm thinking of getting along to the Cannock Chase event. That's a month away from now so time to start planning the training for both me and Katie...or maybe Timmy...

This is a pic of James Thie from Welsh Athletics with his training partner, Pre.