# Running distances/Hard surfaces?



## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

Just for my own curiosity - I'm looking for information now, but haven't been able to find so much on my own.

We've all heard not to run puppies on concrete or to let them run long distances because it causes join issues, can cause hip dysplasia, etc... which makes sense, but I've never seen any solid studies done on it.

Does anybody have any information to enrich me with? My girl is a year and we do runs on concrete and such.. I live in the city and really can't get her out on dirt in the desert. I just want to know more information, and would like to see research that has discovered what effect it has on joints.

Thanks! 

Edit:

http://www.jaoa.org/content/106/6/342.full 

This is an article I've read and which makes the most sense to me - moderate exercise helps strengthen muscle/joints and may help decrease joint problems. Over strenuous execise ie running for four hours increases risk of joint problems. I just want to do the best I can by my dog, and I'm very curious as to what people have found


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

You can't find any studies on this because there aren't any. Also, exercise on hard surfaces will not cause hip dysplasia; it can aggravate it if your dog has it to begin with, but it can not cause it. You also will not find anyone with any first hand knowledge of any dog with any permanent damage caused by hard surfaces. 

Dogs that are not structurally sound to begin with will break down with any sort of extended exercise on any surface. 

So long as you are smart about it, by building up to speed and distance just like for people, you definitely can exercise your puppy on hard surfaces. When you live in town, you don't have much of an option anyway. Would running on a soft surface be better, yes, but not enough better not to run your pup if that is your only choice.

I've been running dogs of all ages on hard surfaces forever and have never had a problem other than a rare scraped pad.


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## Pepper311 (Sep 11, 2011)

I was thinking about this today as I ran my dog on a bike ride. She was running full speed about 1.5 miles on pathment. I rather have my dog run on something softer because running on hard surfaces is not the best for joints. A heathy dog should be fine I think. Running my dog on hard ground is not something I do often because I don't think it's that good for her. Maybe I am being silly.


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## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

I just find it interesting that so many people say that you shouldn't run a puppy until it's done growing/shouldn't do agility/jumping until they are grown, and yet I haven't seen anything to back it up per say. I think that as long as you are not overdoing it, it would be beneficial for the muscles to be strong and exercised.. but again, that's just how I would think of it.

I know some breeders will have in their contract that they will void their hip guarantee if the pup has been going up/down stairs frequently, has been training to jump, or any other activity that puts any stress on joints.. which I believe causes a very thin line between a fair contract and a faulty one. Who is to say that running my dog a mile or so caused HD versus genetics (my pup doesn't have HD to my knowledge, just for an example).

Anyway, thanks for the input! I was just legitimately curious as to if it had ever been proven since it is talked about so often.


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## ShatteringGlass (Jun 1, 2006)

I bike with my male Dalmatian. When he was young (like 1 1/2 and under) we didn't do long distance, just short sessions because I had always heard the same thing. 

He'll be 3 years in a couple days and we bike 6 to 10 miles at a time now on paved surfaces.


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## Pepper311 (Sep 11, 2011)

I will say that our Pitbull had a hard life till we got him. He is about 11 years old and has Awful joints. His elbows are shot his hips are ok but his knees are not that good. He can barly walk around the block. I don't know of his his breeding. Genetic could be a main cause of it. But he did live his life like a extream sports guy. Meatball use to fall out of trees chase bears climb rocks with waves hitting him. He was just crazy. 

Ask any old person that has taken lots of falls in there life and see how they feel when they are older. My cusin use to skateboard/snowboard hard back in the day he is in his mid 40s and his knees and back are hurting. Even my little brother who is 24 feels the effects of skateboarding. He us to jump off stairs on to flat. but my brother is a big baby. 

So yes I think constant hard extreme activity will cause Pain and problems later in life. If meatball out pitbull had been more of a mellow dog that thought before he jumped he might be in better shape. Not saying his elbows would be perfect but he might be able to walk better. Is it the cause of HD no I don't think so. Injurys early in life can pop back up later sometimes. 

Just don't push your dog try and keep them from hurting them self.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Well, I am 68 and still pounding the pavement. No knee/leg problems. Just a matter of warming up and stretching. (and losing some weight)
Should it be different for a dog? don't know but it would seem so
As we and dogs get older we lose the padding between joints and the elasticity in muscles and tendons. But that is more due to age than use.
Having said that, I am still conservative on running young dogs and I use the 1/2 mile per month for the months between 2 and 12. After that, you're on your own.


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

I've started running my 9 month old, and I watch him carefully. He is not even tired when we come home, as evidenced by him coming in, sitting down to where he can see one of his balls, and staring at me until we play.  I do not run him every day though, and I increase him the same way I do myself: 5-8% a week, with a cut back every few weeks and a couple here and there just maintaining. He did not run either when he had kennel cough, so we're kind of starting over, even though we'd really just started anyway. I live on the side of a mountain, so much of my running is uphill. I swear today, he could've basically walked as fast as I was going up that grade, LOL.


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