# Running with my gsd



## Marina&Nyla (Mar 30, 2015)

Hello everyone 
I'm not sure if there's a post about this, but I couldn't find one. I want to start running with my 1 year old gsd, Nyla.
Every time we start to run she gets really excited and starts biting the leash, jumping on me, and then runs really fast. She also stops abruptly to smell the grass or trees. 
I want to be able to run with her for at least 15 minutes but she doesn't want to run at my pace at all. How do I get her to run with me and not have me sprinting to catch up to her? She is my first big dog, and she's really strong lol 

Thank you, any advice is greatly appreciated!


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

How well does she walk on leash when you're not running? If the answer is "not very good", I'd start there.  When I was teaching Halo to walk politely on leash I varied the speed frequently, expecting her to stay with me if we went "fast", "slow", or normal speed. I've been doing some short running intervals on our hikes recently, and all I have to do is say "do you want to go fast?" and she speeds up to a trot. 

Adding brief intervals rather than trying to get her to go at a faster pace for 15 minutes at a stretch might be an easier way to start. Once she's got the idea that she needs to match her speed to yours, you can increase time and distance.


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## Marina&Nyla (Mar 30, 2015)

Okay that's where my problem is then. She's still a little stubborn on her walks and pulls on the leash  
I have been working with her on and that I'm going to try changing speeds and see if that helps. Thank you for your reply!


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## MayzieGSD (Aug 28, 2006)

Bruno has been pretty easy to run with for the most part but I do have him wear a prong collar. He's strong and I don't want him to drag me over if we come across a rabbit. So that helps if he does start to pull. And I have a rule that he gets a couple potty stops in the first mile and after that we're not stopping and sniffing and peeing... if he tries to stop, I just say 'let's go' and keep running.


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## GK1 (Jul 6, 2012)

Dog should be trained to a basic heel. Also changing directions - 180/90 degrees turns while on the move helps keep the dog focused on you. I use a Sprenger prong collar. 

I’ve found if the dog pulls with slight lead tension forward, it is actually safer when you change speeds, by preventing a tangle up. Unfortunately, chances are at some point you will go down with the dog. It happens. I have a few times. I also have many thousands of logged miles of road/trail work along side a dog. 

Generally speaking, running dogs on lead is not so simple to explain and takes practice, vigilant situational awareness and good reflexes. Especially with high prey drive breeds. Distractions and hazards are frequently present whether you are on the street, park or trail, day or night. But if you are determined, an athletic dog can be trained to be a fantastic conditioning partner.


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