# Training for a marathon.



## Angelina03 (Jan 9, 2012)

My new year's resolution this year is to run a marathon. I haven't decided which one. It all depends how much I can train and what I can get ready for (maybe a 5K or half marathon). 
Anyhow, hubby and I started on Sunday. It is a slow start (walking one minute, running one minute, etc.) We took Rocco with us and he seemed to love it. He was really tired during and after and behaved really well after... LOL.
Do you all think this is OK for him, or too much? I'd like to keep taking him as we increase running time because it's great exercise for him too.
He is 4 months now.


----------



## kbella999 (Jan 6, 2012)

IMO, that is way to young for a dog to be running. You don't say how far you went but I wouldn't run a 4 month old dog with me no matter how far I went. His bones are still growing and you don't want to put any extra pressure on them. Good luck with the marathon, it is a lot of fun.


----------



## Dakotasmom23 (Jan 11, 2012)

Dogs should not be doing any regular on-leash running until past 1 year of age; its horrible for their developing joints/hips. I commend your desire to start this journey but puppy will have to wait until next years training cycle.


----------



## crisco78 (Jan 29, 2011)

Mine refuses to run. She is 16 months old, and will not leave my property on a leash.

Oops.

I hope it works out better for you! LOL


----------



## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Dakotasmom23 said:


> Dogs should not be doing any regular on-leash running until past 1 year of age; its horrible for their developing joints/hips. I commend your desire to start this journey but puppy will have to wait until next years training cycle.


I agree, although some dogs have been OK starting before a year at short distances. Hard to give advice not knowing the dog, the distances or the surface. Best to stay conservative.
Back when I was running marathons I never found a GSD that could keep up for very long.
But I only tried it with a few.


----------



## Angelina03 (Jan 9, 2012)

Bummer. I thought I would have a running buddy. He loves to run when we go to the park and let him loose. He runs back and forth for a long time. Our run (more like a jog) was one minute intervals with walking for a total running time of 6-7 minutes (not all at once).
So, how should he get exercise?


----------



## sashadog (Sep 2, 2011)

I know it can be kind of boring to run around a track but when I'm doing outside running and want to bring our GSD along, a track has been wonderful! We have a track down the street from our house and we can run the track while the dogs run around off leash and do their thing. Personally I think that kind of exercise would be fine for a puppy as long as the track isn't concrete or asphalt, which is rarely is. Our is actually just dirt. Also, from the sounds of your starting point this Saturday, you won't be asking your pup to run miles and miles with you for at least a little while. Definitely don't be asking him to run on concrete or any other hard surface though. Not worth risking damage to their bones/joints.

Crisoco: Our GSD refuses to run on leash with us as well (but will happily walk). I think it's just too boring for her because let her off leash while you run and she will run around forever


----------



## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Angelina03 said:


> Bummer. I thought I would have a running buddy. He loves to run when we go to the park and let him loose. He runs back and forth for a long time. Our run (more like a jog) was one minute intervals with walking for a total running time of 6-7 minutes (not all at once).
> So, how should he get exercise?


I don't see anything wrong with that.
However, you will have to increase your time and distance faster than he can. Maybe you can take him for shorter periods either at the beginning or end of your run. Or you can break up your runs to twice a day, one for him and one for you. I found that a good way to get in more miles per day. Sometimes I would do 3 in the morning, 5 at noon and 5 or more before supper.


----------



## Melmasi (Feb 28, 2012)

I think its ok, as long as you closely monitor your dog. I started running ~3mi a day with my GSD when he was about 6 or 7 months old, and I checked with the vet first. Colton loves it, and he's so high energy that a daily walk isn't enough for him. Now he's a year and we do about 5 miles a day, and the most he's done is 7, but he could easily do more. The thing to really pay attention to is that GSDs are very prone to overheating (SO SO much fur!). As soon as Colton starts panting heavily we take a walk break and I give him water. When you're done, his panting should slow down within 10 minutes. Have fun - Colton is the best running buddy I've had!


----------



## shaner (Oct 17, 2010)

I personally don't agree with running puppies on pavement. If they are off leash and can set their own pace it's fine, but I am strongly against forced running (either on leash or making them keep up to you off leash) of puppies at all, especially on pavement. You can really do a lot of long term damage to your dogs joints if you're not careful. I just don't think its' worth it. 

Give it one more year, then you can have a running buddy. For now, stick to fields and other soft grounds for running, or if you're going to stick to pavement, just walk your dog rather than run him.


----------



## meldleistikow (Oct 24, 2011)

I agree with breaking up your runs as you run longer and taking the pup for part of it. I don't think a little running will hurt him. That is what I do when I am training longer distances. I will do a lap of a few miles with one dog, come back and get another dog for a few miles.

Have fun. I have done some half marathons and I like that distance. I also want to do a whole marathon someday, but I am not sure that I have it in me or the time it takes to train for it.

Good luck and cute pup!


----------



## spidermilk (Mar 18, 2010)

I think the others have given you pretty good guidance. I just want to point out that when I run with my 2 year old dog, he is usually walking because I run so slowly!


----------



## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

I've been running for 20 years, and done several marathon training cycles. I would not take my dog on many of those runs. First, that is too young for real running (as in sustained road running or even trail running). I hiked my pup off-leash at that age, but he could stop and rest and it wasn't on roads either. My pup is now over 8 months, and he's doing a bit of running (a couple miles a couple times a week) but I wouldn't even consider training for a HALF marathon with him at this age. I also want him to ENJOY running, so I watch him carefully and try to make it fun and relaxed. 

Also, if you really put in the mileage, it's a lot of time out there. The last thing you want is your pup (due to maturity) to get distracted and bump into you or cause you to trip, injuring yourself and not getting to the start line, "wasting" all that effort and time in any kind of weather. Trust me--this happened to me for Big Sur 2010; the first year in 20 they had PERFECT weather and a TAILWIND instead of a headwind. 

It still chaps me and causes my stomach to tighten in angst.


----------



## Angelina03 (Jan 9, 2012)

Thanks everyone.

I checked with the vet and he said it wasn't a good idea because he is so young and still growing; and his cartiledge is still soft. It could cause damage. So, we stopped taking him. We only take him when we have Samantha with us because she'll walk around with him while we do the runnning/walking routine.

I still want him to develop his muscles and what not, so we play catch/fetch in the back yard for about 30 minutes a day. He runs on the grass and not for a sustained amount of time. He does get tired though and then sleeps afterwards.


----------



## kam214 (Mar 3, 2012)

So not to sound like a moron but when you guys speak of not running your dog...do you mean when the dog is literally running, as in a 3 or 4 beat gait like a horse? Or are you referring to the dog also trotting (2 beat gait) next to you?

Mine is 9 months and I have taken her on some jogs (I had hip surgery 4 months ago at 32 years old) so I am slowwwwwww compared to when I was doing half marathons (before I got Sasha).

Is trotting (no running) on pavement also not recommended for a young GSD?


----------

