Terrier owners who disagree you need a big dog for canicross
We often hear people saying that they can’t take up running with their dog because people can’t run with smaller dogs, this is absolutely not the case! In all the years we’ve been canicrossing, we’ve seen loads of people running with their smaller dogs, just because they’re little doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy the benefits of canicross with you too. The only thing you need to be aware of is that you don’t push your dog beyond what they are capable of but this is the same for any size of dog and as long as you build up your distance and intensity slowly then you should be fine.
Tinkerbell the canicrossing Jack Russell Terrier
To help us dispel the myth about small dogs not being good for running canicross style with we asked three of our friends who run with their terriers to give us their stories, first up is Tinkerbell who runs with her owner Claire.
“Tinkerbell Aurora Belle (to give her full name) Mostly known as Tinks or The rat, is a 6kg Jack Russell. We got her from a rescue as a 12-week old puppy for my daughter who was then 6 years old as she wanted a dog she could run with and control herself. Tinks started off running in harness with Elsie my daughter in the kids’ races which were about a mile long, she loved it and would scream at the start.
Tinks (now 7) still occasionally races with small kids just starting out. She mostly free runs with me and the bigger dogs these days as she likes to go off hunting, she gets put on the line for roads and livestock. We usually run 2-3 times a week, anything from 5K to 15 miles and her little legs keep up. I do have to be sensible with her now she’s getting older as being a terrier she will never admit to being tired! Her little legs have to full-on gallop to keep up with the 6-7 min mile pace of the bigger dogs. If she has run with us she always gets more food that night as I feel she’s put in 5 times the effort of the rest of us.
As a typical terrier, she does “hop” occasionally and will run for several minutes with one leg held up and will then alternate it to the other one! The vet has fully X-rayed her and she’s fine, it’s just one of those terrier things! With regards to harnesses, it took us a few attempts to get the right one for her because although small she really does pull and the original harness we got her started to choke her.
As with any dog it’s important to have regular vet checks, Tinks has a heart murmur which is being monitored but at the moment she is super fit and always raring to go!”
Betty the trail running Border Terrier
Our next pint-sized dog and owner to give us their opinion on needing a big dog to canicross with is Betty and her owner Andrew who says this about their running partnership…
“Betty is a Border Terrier, a breed I discovered when out running in the Lake District and loved the fact they were hardy independent dogs that enjoyed the rugged terrain. Initially, I was after a buddy for exploring the local trails but happened across canicross in the Forest of Dean and she loved it so decided to take it further. We go out running most days of the week depending on what event we are building up to, for ultras we will often run 5k to work and then 10k home.
We have had some amazing adventures, but the one that stands out for me is when we competed in a half marathon 2 years after we had started running together. The bigger dogs all raced off, but I could tell Betty was determined that day with her ears pinned back. By 5 miles we were catching others up and at 10 had gone into the lead, and eventually winning, proving a little pooch can take the big ones on. I’d say don’t underestimate a smaller dog, they might not have the same pulling power as a larger dog but have their advantages, coping brilliantly with steep, twisty technical trails and distance is definitely not a barrier.”
Patch the adventure Patterdale Terrier
Finally, we asked journalist and Pet Publicity Expert Rachel about her dog Patch and her experience of canicrossing with a small dog
“Patch is a Patterdale Terrier. We had him DNA tested and he is Parsons Russell, Jack Russell, Border Terrier and Wire Fox Terrier. He’s five and he weighs around 9.5kgs. I used to go running with my old dog Daisy, she was a terrier and had no recall but lots of energy, and running was a way to make sure she got the exercise she needed.
When I adopted Patch it was around a time when I was connected to people in the Canicross world and I wanted to do things properly. I’m ashamed to say I ran with Daisy on a collar and a Flexi lead but I know much better now. Before lockdown, I joined a Canicross group and I try to get there when I can but I would love to do more.
I first started running about 12 years ago to get fit and when I got a dog, it seemed like something we could enjoy together and I’ve really enjoyed learning more about Canicross. I run probably at least three days a week and it ranges from a couple of miles up to five miles, but I am building up to running more as I have signed up for the Great North Run. Patch won’t be doing it with me, but I will need to build up the miles! It’s for a brilliant charity called Wag and Co who provide friendship dogs for people up here in the North East.
My great achievement with Patch was not running but we climbed up Helvellyn in the Lake District. It was scary and we had to carry Patch at some points. We had his Canicross harness and belt on thankfully which made us feel slightly safer and it was an experience for sure. When we got to the bottom he was still raring to go!
I love running with my small dog. I can’t imagine what it must be like to run with a larger dog as Patch is small but still pulls me along and is very strong. He absolutely loves going to Canicross and wants to be up at the front, but unfortunately, he has me holding him back.
Definitely don’t feel like you can’t run with a small dog. As long as they are healthy and it’s appropriate, you can have so much fun. The first Canicross group I joined didn’t have many little dogs but there are a few at Geordie Canicross so he fits in. Be sure to build up with them and make sure they are wearing a harness that fits – lots of groups will help you with this in a taster session. And enjoy it!”
In conclusion
In this short blog, I’ve shared with you just 3 of the many, many stories I know of people running with smaller dogs and in particular Terriers, because they seem to have that strong work ethic that goes hand in hand (or paw in paw) with being dogs who really enjoy the challenge and fun of going out running the trails with their owners.
If you have any concerns about running with your dog you can always consult with your vet to check there are no physical limitations for your dog specifically which might hinder your progress, but otherwise, our advice would be just to get out there and give it a go.
(A very slightly edited transcript from the podcast, so please excuse any grammatical errors and the length of the text!)
The reason that I have felt compelled to do an episode (and now this blog taken from the transcript) on Parkrun is because there have been recent changes made to Parkruns’ policy on running with dogs, that have deeply upset the Canicross community. And I for one can see why.
Basically, I just want to do a quick run-through of Parkrun and how it has related to Canicross in the past. When I first started canicrossing, you could just run with your dogs at Parkrun, there were no real restrictions. So you could run with more than one dog and there were no restrictions on the kit.
Parkrun has always historically been a very inclusive event on a Saturday morning, nine o’clock around local and usually public parks, sometimes they do have permission on private land to run the events. They’re 5k, they’re timed and if you take along your barcode, you get a time at the end of it which puts you in a gender and an age position. It’s quite good for monitoring your progress. It’s always been considered not to be a race.
So when people started competing through Parkrun, it flies in the face of what it was actually intended for because Parkrun has always been intended as a very inclusive and social, fun, free event on a Saturday morning. Originally it started out like I mentioned, with you being able to take any number of dogs along there were no restrictions on kit, you could run your dog however you wanted to and it started to get more popular with canicrossers. On the whole, we were always asked to start at the side or at the back of the start.
As the Parkruns got more popular, there were more people, so they asked us to step to one side as a canicross runner and they even marked us as ‘assisted’ for the timing so that people who were trying to achieve personal records didn’t get too upset by the fact that we were perhaps assisted by our dogs.
So from there, I think a lot of people became aware of people running with dogs at their events, a few people complained, mostly it was the competitive people who complained because I think they felt that it was unfair that the Parkrunners with their dogs were assisted, which was why the assisted category came in. But it also meant that run directors and event directors have to find ways to incorporate dogs into their Parkrun. This meant starting at the back, with some of the more forward-thinking ones starting us at the front, because obviously you get your dogs out of the way first, that’s much better for everyone, however the majority of them will start at the back.
As canicrossers, went along with whatever the Parkrun director for that particular event said, some Parkruns started to ban dogs because they felt that they weren’t safe in the situation that they had, that particular setup on some of the more narrow paths if they had a lot of people. You can check whether they are dog-friendly Parkruns or not before you attend through the website.
One of my first Parkruns at the Swindon Lydiard Parkrun
It then developed into Parkrun didn’t want people running with more than one dog because they felt it was unsafe, and it would potentially cause accidents. So every single park run across the country in the UK was then not allowed to have any runners with more than one dog. That was a bit of a blow to some of us who ran with two dogs. I have to say it was one of the factors that stopped me from going to my local park run because at the time I was running mainly with two dogs. I wondered ‘what am I going to do with the other dog while I’m running just one?’ I would have to just go around again or it just wasn’t worth it for me when they decided that it would only be one dog per runner. They also decided that you needed to have a short line and by short line they indicated no longer than 1.2 metres. That was how the park run line that you see today on all the canicross retail stores came about it, because Parkrun stipulated that they wanted a line that was no more than 1.2 metres.
So we all changed our lines to shorter lines if we wanted to do Parkrun, or the majority of us did. We again followed what the Parkrun directive wanted us to do. It seems that in spite of the fact that it’s cut down to one dog now, and we’re to run them on really short lines, there are still people who have complained about people running with dogs that Parkrun and there are still people who have managed to get involved in an incident.
Park run have recently announced that they’re making changes to what they allow in terms of running with dogs again. It’s this that’s really brought me to doing this podcast (and transcripted blog) today. Because the implications of what they are now saying is going to be their blanket policy means that essentially, you won’t be able to canicross at Parkruns anymore and that is because they have banned the use of waist belts.
So what they have asked for now in their ruling is that you run with your dog on a handheld lead, they haven’t specified whether it’s attached to a collar or harness, so you can still run your dog in a harness, and they haven’t specified that it be a bungee lead or a fixed lead. So you could still run with a bungee lead, but it has to be in your hand and you have to be within arm’s length of your dog – for many people, that’s just going to be impractical.
If you’ve trained a dog to Canicross, they are not going to want to run at your side, which is essentially what Parkrun are requesting now – that your dog runs at your side. There are also a few issues with this in terms of the actual setup because if you think about having a lead in your hand, you’re very much out of balance, all the control is coming from one side, the side that you’re holding the lead. If you’ve got a belt on, you’ve got the whole of your centre of gravity to act as a control for your dog, so you’re going to be much more balanced, your dog’s going to be much more balanced. If you are a trained canicrosser, which most of us who have done Park run are, then your dog is going to be in the middle in front of you and not causing any problems going off to the side. So it’s going to be very balanced, it’s going to be very controlled.
The other problem with having just a handheld lead is that if something happens, and you end up dropping that lead, then you’ve lost your dog, you’ve got a loose dog in amongst hundreds, (potentially) of park runners. So actually having your dog attached to your waist is a much more sensible idea than having it just in your hand. I created a graphic last week on the back of all these changes to indicate to people that it’s really not a good idea to be running with a handheld lead and your dog unless you have got a dog who runs to heel, and you’ve trained your dog to run to heel, which is something that you could potentially do if you haven’t done it already. It’s not outside the realms of possibility to be able to do this with a dog who you’ve already trained to canicross because dogs are very intelligent creatures, they’re very smart and they will pick up on a difference in your training, if you decide to take it down that route.
However, the fact that Parkrun now seem to be advocating this as a way of running with your dog really bothers me personally, because I have spent the whole time that I have run my business – 10 years now, trying to educate people about why running your dog with a harness with a bungee lead on a waist belt is so much safer, and prevents injury than running with a handheld lead. This just blows all of that out of the water when you’ve got an organisation as big and as influential as Parkrun now saying actually, we want you to come to our events and run with your dogs with a handheld lead running next to you, because that’s not what Canicross is about.
I’ve seen a lot of people who have commented saying, ‘well, you know, it should be about that’. That dogs should be under control and Parkrun have got every right to insist on that. It is their event, and it’s their responsibility to make sure that everybody gets around that Parkrun course, safely. So if that’s what they’ve decided to say or their new rules, then really there’s not a lot the canicross community can do about that.
However, I feel really sad and really, I’m really bothered by the fact that there are going to be people out there who see this and think, ‘Well, this is the way to run with your dog’. Because actually, there’s a much better way to run with your dog. That’s with the waist belt, a bungee lead and a harness. So having something like that out there being put out there in the public, is almost it feels to me like a massive backward step from where we were going with promoting the sport of canicross in the country. As much as Park run isn’t designed for canicrossers, it has always welcomed canicrossers, in the 13 years that I’ve been running with my dogs, it’s always been a really inclusive place for people to run with their dogs with a lot of the event volunteers and directors themselves actually canicrossers.
I feel this is just a big blow to everybody who’s worked so hard to include canicross in the Parkrun community. And I know from what I have seen, on all the social media that’s been going around on it, (and there has been a lot on social media) there’s a lot of people who are very upset, there are a lot of people who are angry, and a lot of people who are really disappointed. And I would say that I fall into the disappointed category because it doesn’t upset me as such, I’ve got other avenues for canicrossing my dogs and like I say, since they cut the number of dogs that you could run with down to one, I haven’t actually participated in as many Park runs as I did prior to that. So I’m not upset about that decision. I’m not angry about that decision, because I feel that it is their event, it’s their rules, they can make whatever they want to as their rules.
However, I am really disappointed that an organisation like Parkrun would put out there something which basically suggests that it’s a good idea to run with your dog next to you with a handheld lead. And that’s what we have been trying to campaign against, people don’t choose the right equipment, they often run dogs on collars, and then you get dogs with neck injuries, you can even get dogs with eye injuries if they’ve got a lot of pressure on their neck from having something pulling on their neck all the time. You also don’t necessarily have as much control because you’re holding that lead, so you don’t have your hands free. The risk to injury for both the human and the dog, I think is increased by having that kind of setup without the proper equipment. So it’s just been really disappointing to me. And I can understand why some of my friends are angry, and I can understand why some of my friends are upset. And I’ve been personally asked by a number of people to campaign against this decision, which I won’t be doing because like I said it’s up to Parkrun to choose their own rules, and they’re entitled to do what they want with that. But I did have to make it clear that I’m disappointed with that decision. And the reason for that is because I don’t think it’s a safe decision. And I don’t think it’s a very good way to be advocating running with dogs. So that’s my position on it.
And people are so upset about this, because Parkrun has been such a big part of their canicross journey with their dogs for so long. And I know people who perhaps only ever take their dog to Parkrun and don’t take part in Canicross races. And that’s because they’ve always enjoyed the friendly and welcoming atmosphere that they found that their local Parkrun. It’s also for people that don’t have the time, or the resources to travel for long distances to races, at least they can get out and be sociable and experience that sort of group run atmosphere at their local Parkrun. It’s always been inclusive and it gives you the chance to mix with a variety of different people in the running community. I know families that go to park runs and they run with all different generations, some people run with dogs, some people don’t, but they can all go to the same place and all take part in the same run and get their token to get their placing at the end.
So it is going to be very disappointing for a huge number of people that they can no longer do that essentially, unless they are willing to train their dog to run by their side and potentially increase their risk of injury for themselves or their dog in my opinion by meeting the new rules that Parkrun have brought out. I think from my point of view, the future now is that Parkrun have, albeit through a blog rather than publicly on any social media channels have now indicated that this is the change that’s going to be made from April the 2nd and I don’t think they’re going to back down on that.
I think the point now is to try and be constructive moving forward. And if that means the canicross community are going to have to work twice as hard to educate people about safe running with dogs, then I think that is what we’re going to do. I think there are people who are already putting the wheels in motion for an alternative for people called Bark Run. And at the moment, that’s currently looking to take place at some of the Parkrun sites where it’s accessible and viable to do so. At 8am, in the morning, on a Saturday, around the same course as the Parkrun would, but not interfering with the setting up of the Parkruns that are going to be taking place. And obviously with the agreement and cooperation of the Parkrun directors who are already at that venue. So that’s something to look out for. If you are disappointed about the new changes to Parkrun that looks like it’s gathering momentum. And we’ll just have to see how that goes.
Hopefully, that won’t be in conflict with anything that Parkrun are doing. And it does seem to be being welcomed by a lot of the Parkrun volunteers and people who have been involved, who were also disappointed themselves that Parkrun have made this blanket decision about changing the rules on what equipment can be used. So that’s something to look forward to and look out for in the future. And what I will say is that I have always said to people that Parkrun isn’t necessarily the best place for canicrossers, it can be quite stressful for anyone who doesn’t have full control over their dog. And it can also be quite stressful for people who aren’t prepared to move out of the way of some of the other Parkrunners, because I’ve been in situations where people have actually kicked my dog out of the way in a Parkrun.
There are some people who are hostile towards people running dogs in what is essentially a human run. And you will get some people who are scared of dogs. And so there has been that situation where people are scared to be passed or scared to pass and it’s been slightly uncomfortable. So I have said to people who are starting out, it’s not necessarily the best place for people to canicross with dogs, unless you know, you’ve got really good control over your dog. And unless you’re happy to deal with the fact that you’re just one cog in that in that Park run machine.
So don’t expect the park run to make changes for you, basically. And I think that’s been a running thread over the years where they’ve made the different changes that people have complained about. But essentially, Parkrun isn’t there for canicrossers Parkrun is there to serve the entire community. But on the flip side of that, the entire community does include canicrossers, so it is a sad day. It’s something that a lot of people have been quite upset about. And it’s actually been quite emotional reading people’s posts over the weekend about attending Parkrun where they felt they might be unwelcome now, and they felt uncomfortable going because of the changes in the rules. They felt that people didn’t want them there, which is against everything that Parkrun has always said they wanted to be. So I hope that has given them an indication of how much Parkrun meant to the canicross community and how disappointed everybody is about these changes, in spite of the fact that it probably won’t change anything about their decision and it won’t change the way that Parkrun run in the future.
But like I say there is Bark Run coming and hopefully that’s going to, to get up and running in a really positive way for people. So I’d encourage anyone if you’re really disappointed about these decisions to have a look at that. And also there are many, many other ways that you can go out and be sociable with your dog other than up Parkrun. It’s not the end of everything for canicrossers who have been at Parkruns before. But I do know that it does feel like the end of an era for a lot of us who have always attended Parkrun and felt welcome for the most part. Because this new ruling about the equipment indirectly bans canicrossers from Parkrun. And as much as you can say, it doesn’t stop you taking your dog, it will stop a lot of people taking their dog to Parkruns. Because as a conscientious canicrosser we wouldn’t want to be taking part in something without the proper equipment and without the proper safety surrounding the control that that equipment gives you.
So it does mean the end of an era for many of us, which is pretty sad. And that’s why I just wanted to put this podcast out there today and say how I’m feeling about it and address the issues that have been talked about on social media. I know this will probably go on for a little while now. Because obviously the changes don’t come into place until the 2nd of April. But if you’ve got any thoughts on it, then you know, please do join the debate. Well, not join the debate, because there’s actually nothing really to debate now. But please do continue to help educate people about the right way to run with dogs because I think that’s my biggest fear now that this has been advocated by Parkrun that people will think that this is a great way to run dogs and it’s really not.
I think from my point of view, I definitely feel disappointed. I definitely feel sad about the impact that it’s had on some of my friends and the way they feel about it. And, all I can say is we need to not look to the past, look to the future and plan for great things to come because hopefully this debate and this accepting of other people not necessarily understanding what we do will lead to more conversations and more education, which is all we can really hope for.
I hope you have enjoyed this episode and discussion of canicross and Parkrun.
We’ll be back soon with another episode on the active dog podcast here: https://anchor.fm/theactivedogpodcast And until then, remember, active dogs are happy dogs!
I often get asked if there are any harnesses available for small dogs, those dogs who are small yet mighty and need decent dog sports harnesses but their owners are struggling to find the right fit and style.
So I’ve put together this short blog with my top 5 dog sports harnesses for smaller dogs to help guide new canicrossers to the brands and styles which might suit their dogs best.
So you have a small dog who pulls hard, what harnesses can you use?
Top Dog Sports Harness for Small Dogs Number 1 – The Non-stop Freemotion
My top recommendation for a dog sports harness which suits strong pulling dogs working hard is the Non-stop Freemotion. The Non-stop Freemotion is not specifically designed for the smaller dog but ranges from a size 10 at the biggest (Great Dane & Malamute sized) to size 2 which will happily fit a small terrier.
Even the smallest of terriers can have a suitable long harness with the Non-stop Freemotion
I love the fact the Non-stop Freemotion is adjustable and that gives it the edge over other longer style harnesses which are on the market, because you can alter the side and back straps to cater for the dogs’ shape.
Top Dog Sports Harness for Small Dogs Number 2 – The Zero DC Short
The Zero DC Short Harness is a great one for smaller dogs because it’s design makes it easy to adjust and fit for the smaller body shape. The harness is again not just designed for smaller dogs and comes in a size range from Mini 1, which is the tiniest harness you’ll ever see, right up to XXXL which is the biggest harnesses I stock. Zero DC have definitely covered every possible size of dog with the Zero DC Short sizing.
The Zero DC Short is a firm favourite for many active terriers who like to run with their owners
My only reservation with the Zero DC Short is that if the harness doesn’t fit exactly right, it can cause some wheezing in stronger pulling little dogs, this is due to the angle of the harness and where it pulls when your little powerhouse is really going for it. It’s all about fit with this one and if the fit is right, it’s perfect.
Top Dog Sports Harness for Small Dogs Number 3 – The Howling Dog Alaska Second Skin
The Howling Dog Alaska Harness is also one suitable for the stronger pulling smaller and is made of a soft flexible mesh which makes it great for dogs just starting out. The sizing is again not just tailored for smaller dogs and ranges from XXS to XXL in the Second Skin range.
The Howling Dog Alaska Second Skin is a very good one for Staffy shaped dogs and Spaniels
The Second Skin is a really good one for spaniel and staffy types, I think it has to do with the fact the harness is a mid length harness which acts like a longer harness, so caters for the strong puller by distributing the pull along the side of the body. Your dog really needs to be attached and out front pulling for this harness and if I were to have a complaint about it, I think they need to go even smaller still, as the XXS is still too big for small terrier types.
Top Dog Sports Harness for Small Dogs Number 4 – The Non-stop Line Harness
The Non-stop Line Harness is a great one for the smaller dogs and best if you want one with more padding, the size range is vast with this range too, going down to size 1 which is tiny terrier size, right up to size 9 which is your big dog size.
The Non-stop Line Harness is much better than a traditional walking style harness and suits dogs right down to very small terriers
The style of the Non-stop Line harness is very much like a traditional walking harness but the difference is the piece that comes under the chest is cut a lot longer to avoid any interference behind the front legs when your dog is pulling if attached to you. The Non-stop Line harness has the same limitation as the Zero DC Short in that due to the design, the size has to be a good fit on your dog, otherwise you will get the rasping or wheezing noise with a very strong pulling little dog.
Top Dog Sports Harness for Small Dogs Number 5 – The Arctic Wolf Adventure Harness
The Arctic Wolf Adventure harness is a similar style of harness to the Zero DC Short but with a couple of crucial differences and the one which makes it so much better is the deep V which is cut into the neck of the harness which prevents the harness from causing the problems with wheezing if the fit isn’t bang on perfect on the neck.
The Arctic Wolf Adventure Harness fits dogs from about 12kgs upwards
I love this harness for it’s versatility and if I had a complaint it would be that there needs to be a few more sizes as it currently only goes down to an XS and up to an XL, the XS will fit dogs of around 12 kgs but not much smaller. The harness was only released for the first time in 2020 though and so I believe there may be more sizes in the pipeline, it’s certainly the one we go to for the team dogs on our hiking / canicross adventures!
So those are your top 5 dog sports harnesses for smaller dogs, there are a couple of others maybe worth mentioning such as the Dragrattan Multi Sport which can provide a useful mid length harness for strong puller smaller dogs from about 10-12kgs depending on their shape. Another good one is the Dragrattan X-Back in the smallest size of 0 which I’ve found works for small spaniels but doesn’t go down to terrier size unfortunately.
As always we’d love to help you getting started with your equipment and you can either visit us at one of our pop up shops …
March is Pet Anxiety Month so it felt like a good time to write this blog on running with a reactive dog. Many of the people who get into the dog sports of canicross, bikejor and dog scootering, do so because they have a high energy dog, possibly bred to do a job which isn’t accessible to them in their current home. Some of these dogs are rescues and some have just developed anxiety leading to the dog being reactive in certain situations. I know plenty of people who have a found a safe haven in canicross because it allows you to exercise your dog, whilst keeping them close to you and under control to prevent incidents with other dog walkers.
Canicross can be a great way to exercise your reactive dog, allowing them to socialise safely with other dogs
People who have never owned a reactive dog will probably not understand the daily struggles of planning a stress free route for your dog or the impact that their ‘friendly’ off lead dog interfering can have on your dog and your day. So whilst it is extremely annoying, we do all have to consider that not everyone will understand your dogs’ reaction and often their first response is to accuse you of having an aggressive dog – not fun or fair on anyone!
I want to point out that I’m not a qualified behaviourist, I talk about this from my own experiences having owned three reactive dogs now, all of whom were reactive in slightly different ways and for different reasons and all of whom I have canicrossed with and canicross raced with.
In my experience dogs become reactive for a reason and whatever that reason is, it is usually based on a fear of something. If you can find out what ‘triggers’ their reactivity (so basically work out what is frightening them) then you are halfway there to helping ease, or resolve, the problem.
My own dogs
The first example I have is with my first canicross dog Tegan, Tegan was a husky collie cross, loads of energy and a mix of two renowned working breeds, both endurance breeds with a really strong work ethic. This is important because Tegan NEVER gave up on something if it upset her, if she had a ‘run in’ with another dog, she would remember that and it was very difficult to persuade her not to react in any future meetings with that dog, I think her persistence in this was part of her genetic make up, not just as a result of an individual disagreement.
Tegan was always shouting at me or someone else to let her opinions be known!
Tegan would react badly to most dogs she saw whilst on the lead and holding her in situations where we met other dogs ‘head on’ was always difficult. Canicrossing however, was a different story and I couldn’t understand at first why she was fine running shoulder to shoulder with a strange dog, yet would create merry hell in the car park after a run if the dog came any where near her. I began to learn about what situations ‘triggered’ her reactivity and so I would avoid them if at all possible.
Avoidance of the trigger has now become my key tool in dealing with reactivity and you might be thinking ‘well that’s not really an answer that solves the problem’ but for me and my dogs, it is. Tegan would react because she felt threatened in a situation, not because she was a nasty, aggressive dog but because she genuinely felt that for whatever reason, she was unsafe in meeting some other dogs in head on situations and so she would react first.
My springer collie cross Donnie is similar, he will happily canicross alongside a dog he has never met before but if you ask him to ‘meet’ a dog in a walking or running situation, he turns into a spitting, snarling and quite frankly scary looking dog. I often find myself apologising for him if we meet someone out on walks or runs and generally leave the encounter embarrassed, which is why more often than not, I just try to avoid meeting people altogether.
Donnie will happily run alongside dogs he doesn’t live with but won’t tolerate them approaching him
Where it’s not possible to avoid coming face to face with other dogs, I have to do my best to ensure every situation is managed and doesn’t lead to something which could reinforce the behaviour, so staying calm, moving him as far out of the way as possible and reassuring him, are generally the methods I employ for helping to keep him below his ‘threshold’ for reacting.
Canicross has been a lifeline for us in that I know I have him under control when he is attached to me, I can pull him in closer to me quickly and he is generally a much happier dog than if he were constantly in a situation where he was reacting to everything. The other thing about Donnie is that he has Addisons Disease which is influenced by stress and so keeping him as stress free as possible is quite literally keeping him healthier!
My final example dog is Delta who is much quieter and more subtle with her reactivity but she is still nervous and whereas Tegan and Donnie’s reactions were your typical ‘fight’ response to a potential threat, Delta’s is flight, so she runs! This is where canicross comes into the picture again for being a great way for her to see the countryside with me but without her being in a situation where she feels the need to flee. Delta knows she can just drop by my side and I can keep other dogs / people away and so her confidence has grown since we have been canicross training, as she learns that nothing bad happens when she’s with me and I wrote another blog on this here: https://k9trailtime.wordpress.com/2020/01/27/keeping-your-dog-safe/ about making sure she felt safe.
Delta is happy to run with me and I feel she is safer attached to me, so there is no ‘flight’ risk if we meet other dogs – Photo courtesy of Horses for Courses Photography
So what happens when you go to a canicross race?
Canicross racing is something I have written a fair bit about but not necessarily in the context of the reactive dog. I often see people ask if they can take their reactive dog to a canicross race and the short is answer is ‘yes’. The longer answer however is, ‘yes, but think very carefully about whether you should’.
I am always actively encouraging people to get to canicross races, the organisers are people generally experienced with dogs and will be friendly and understanding towards you, even if you dog is reactive. Most true dog people understand that not all dogs will behave in the same way and will help you feel welcome and try and accommodate any worries you might have about taking part in a canicross race.
However, and this is quite a big however, if you feel your dog won’t cope very well with the situation being surrounded by other high energy and excited dogs, or having to pass other dogs and this might cause your dog more stress than enjoyment, or worse put your dog in a situation where you feel they have the potential to harm another dog, you or even themselves, then perhaps a race situation isn’t for you.
I have to hold my dogs by their harnesses on the start line to make sure they do not cross the path of other runners and their dogs
You do need to be able to control your dog in a race situation so that you are not responsible for causing anxiety in someone else’s dog. I’ve been on the receiving end of this and have had my dogs lunged at and ultimately put off racing by other competitors’ lack of care when handling their dog in a race. I personally wouldn’t want my dog to be the cause of this for someone else and so I would always recommend building your reactive dog up slowly to racing. If you positively train them around other dogs, taking time to reinforce the fun elements of running with other dogs and work hard to do all you can to make the experience exciting rather than anxiety inducing, then you can enjoy racing with your reactive dog too.
Canicross is much more fun if you know everyone has control over their dog – Photo Courtesy of CBR Photography
My final thoughts
So to conclude, running with your reactive dog can be a really good way to get your dog used to being around other dogs without putting them under too much pressure to interact, or allow them to reinforce any negative behaviours around other dogs and people. Whether your dog is confrontational when anxious or looks to escape the situation, you have much more control if your dog is attached to you and can give you the peace of mind you need to be able to enjoy going out with your dog, without the fear of a negative situation with other trail users.
Are you a runner who got a dog or a dog owner who started Canicross?
Whichever you are, Canicross is a very different sport and however you have come into the sport, you need to not only think about your dogs’ fitness but yours too.
Runners who become dog owners – Top Tips
1. You need to slowly introduce your dog to Canicross, as you would if you were just starting out yourself
2. Be aware of your dogs needs when running, like water, terrain
3. Canicross is a different running technique from solo running
4. Canicross can increase your risk of injury, cross- training is VERY important
Dog owners who start Canicross – Top Tips
1. Start slow and build up for both of you, this way will help reduce your risk of injury
2. Make sure YOU have the right kit, most important being trail shoes
3. As a runner you need to ensure you cross train to reduce your risk of getting injuries
4. Start off with the C25K course
Whatever your reason for taking up Canicross, it’s really important that you look after yourself as well as you dog. If Canicross is the main way you exercise your dog, then the last thing you need is to get injured and not being able to get out and go for a run. Believe me I have been there with injuries and I should know better the importance of cross training.
Canicross running
Canicross running is a little different from regular running
As a Canicrosser your running technique is different from running solo. Due to the nature of Canicross and the fact that as well as you pushing yourself forward with your own running technique, your dog will also be pulling you. This means you are more than likely to overstride. Overstriding is when your foot lands in front of your hip (a normal runner’s foot tends to land underneath your hip), the foot is in contact with the ground longer, the muscles are having to work harder and this is when the injuries are likely to occur.
So, it is really important that we keep ourselves injury free to keep running with our dogs.
Crossing training is SO important and ensuring it is functional training as well, so it mimics what we do when we run but focuses on our strength, flexibility and balance.
Don’t be put off if you weren’t a runner beforehand. Hopefully you are starting to realise how addictive and great Canicross is.
Pilates for Runners
Pilates for Runners is a great way to focus on your balance, strength and flexibility and learning about your technique more will help you reduce your risks of injury when Canicrossing.
If you have done Pilates before, you know that it focuses on your core strength and this is a great start for runners as this will help you improve your balance. Pilates for runners will also help to increase the strength in your legs and your flexibility, ensuring that you run with the best possible technique you can when canicrossing.
Throughout the course we do both standing and mat Pilates practice. The standing practice focuses on dynamic running movements whilst also focusing on strengthening and improving balance.
Mat Pilates practice goes back to basics to ensure the core is strong but also working on the areas we use in running – glutes, hamstrings and core muscles, making sure we are engaging and using these muscles.
Pilates done regularly will change your running and with some great mantras to keep you going when you are out canicrossing, you know you are doing the best to keep yourself injury free.
All the exercises we do on the course can be used before or after runs to get you warmed up and cooled down, then longer sessions can be used on rest days. It doesn’t need to take up hours, just small sessions on a regular bases will build your strength & flexibility.
So, if Canicrossing is the way you let your dog unleash its energy in a safe way, then working on your cross training will help you get out there more often and enjoy the trials around you. If you want to find out more about Pilates for Runners Course then you can here.
About Louise
Louise Humphrey is the founder of Paws4running and Studio 44 Pilates. She started Paws4running after her Black Labrador Pickle failed Gundog school with a high prey drive. Wanting to make sure Pickle could unleash her energy they started to Canicross together, leading her to qualify as a Canicross instructor.
Louise is a certified DogFit Canicross instructor offering Canicross taster sessions, C25K and social runs in her local area of Market Harborough, Leicestershire https://www.instagram.com/paws_4running/
Canicross has been proven to help, reactive, rescue and anxious dogs’ bond with their owners and running in groups helps them socialise too.
Louise has been teaching Pilates for over 20 years and has an online 10-minute Pilates membership to help you bring Pilates into your life daily www.studio44pilates.com
With Louise’s Pilates experience she is able to also combine Pilates for Runners together with the Canicross ensuring that her human clients are as fit and healthy as their dogs and stay as injury free as possible.
We discovered the HundEnergy. Bars last year when we were kindly donated some for all our Tri Dog competitors and the K9 Trail Time team got to sample them. We spoke to Sarah at HundEnergy. and asked her to share a bit about the Bars so our active dog owners can see for themselves why they might want these handy little snack bars for their dogs.
HundEnergy. is a brand for active dogs and their owners and our flagship product is the HundEnergy. Bar. This nutritional snack uses only ingredients that are beneficial to a dog after an extended period of exercise and is completely plant-based.
What’s inside HundEnergy. Bars?
At first you may think having a snack that’s plant-based goes against the more traditional food you currently feed your dog, however a dog thrives of a high protein diet made up of both meat and plant based matter.
When to use?
Humans need additional nutrients during or after exercising to replenish those that are lost, and to also aid with recovery. The same rule can be applied to your dog. Each dog has its specific daily exercise requirements depending on age and breed, however we can assume all dogs require extra nutrients after a long period of exercise. That is where the HundEnergy. Bar steps in.
HundEnergy. Bars contain natural ingredients that either aid in recovery and build, such as raw peanuts or give quick release energy such as gluten free oats.
This makes them the ideal snack for your dog when taking part in activities such as Canicross or any other type of Canisport.
Each Bar is individually wrapped meaning they can be kept in a handy place such as a kit bag, or backpack ready to give to your dog when they need it the most. As the ingredients are all completely natural, one bar for one serving will be suitable for any type of dog, they can even serve as a nutritious snack in-between meals.
I thought I’d write this article because I’ve heard so many people say ‘I don’t own a ‘sled dog” when they first take up one of the dog powered sports with their pet dog. What many don’t realise however is that the dog powered sports, which include sledding but also encompass dry land mushing, skijor, bikejor, dog scootering and even canicross, all originated from dog sledding. People first harnessed up dogs to utilise their strength and athleticism to help them move loads across some fairly inhospitable, frozen areas of the countries based in the Northern hemisphere.
Traditionally people see sled dog sports as being sports for sleds and dogs! However this has developed now into dry land dog sports
My personal background is in canicross, so if you’d said to me when I first started running with my dog that I was participating in a sled dog sport, I would have laughed at you, in spite of the fact my first canicross dog was part husky. I just didn’t see how running with my one dog (who shared my bed at night) could be comparable to running teams of dogs attached to sleds. I have since progressed from canicross to bikejoring, dog scootering and have even run my ‘team’ (three collie crosses) on a rig (three wheeled dog-propelled cart type thing, for those who are unfamiliar with the term).
My team of collie crosses on the rig
Now I’ve been in the sports for a number of years, this question of how the sports are classified comes up quite frequently but I’ve learned that the majority of people taking part in ‘sled dog’ events are unaware they are actually competing with their own ‘sled dog’ if you use the term as defined by the International Federation of Sleddog Sports (the current main international governing body for the sports established in 1985).
According to the IFSS definition below, any dog can be classified as a ‘Sled Dog’ for the purposes of competitions run under their regulations.
The International Federation for Sleddog Sports, coveres any breed of dog suitable for running in harness
‘SLED DOG: A sled dog is a dog, irrespective of the breed or type, capable of being harnessed and of competing in one of the classes listed in the IFSS Regulations without a potential, beforehand, to be calculated risk, of harming the dog’s well-being’ – Taken from the IFSS Race Rules
I still think that in the UK the wording of events and organisations using ‘sled dog’ in the title will conjure up images of huskies and not the broad spectrum of breeds who currently attend the growing numbers of races. I would actually even argue that it puts some people off joining a club or attending an event, purely on the basis that they feel it might not be for them and their Jack Russell / Labrador / Border Collie.
Sled dogs do come in all shapes & sizes!
The reality is that you will find many different breeds and shapes & sizes of dogs at every open event and you will fit right in with whatever dog you have, as long as it has the enthusiasm to run in harness. There are of course still breed specific clubs running rallies and races but they are easily recognisable by the use of the breed in the club title, for example SHCGB (the Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain).
Huskies are definitely the more recognised ‘sled dog’ breed
The dog powered sports have grown so much in the time I have been involved in them and I think in the future there will be further classification of events and potentially the dogs too. One term that has already emerged is ‘mono sports’ and this refers to the dog powered sports which can be run with one dog, so specifically canicross, bikejor and dog scootering. The European Canicross Federation which is the main European organisation for these sports, is focused solely on the ‘mono sports’, although the ECF Championship held in Scotland in October 2015 was the first ever to host a scooter class. Prior to this it had only included canicross and bikejor.
The European Championships, last help in the UK in Scotland in 2015
I think as the demand for events grow and the word spreads that the ‘sled dog’ sports can be for everyone, the dog powered sports will gain more publicity and acceptance, which can only be good for the sports as a whole.
We have recently launched the brand new Arctic Wolf Adventure Harness, which we have been involved with from the start of the design process last year. Arctic Wolf came to us for inspiration, ideas, information and we fed back all the comments and experiences from ourselves and our customers to create the Adventure Harness, new for 2020.
Yogi proudly modelling the Arctic Wolf Adventure Harness, he helped to design and test!
The Adventure Harness is intended to be useful for all active dogs taking part in a variety of activities, from walking / hiking, agility and flyball to canicross and bikejoring with your dog. The harness is made from lightweight, strong but quick drying materials, sourced to ensure that if your dog is getting wet and muddy in it, the harness won’t hold water or cause rubbing associated with heavy, wet, thick material.
The Adventure Harness is perfect for a wide variety of activities with your dog
The design of the harness is simple, so it will suit dogs who perhaps don’t like the feel of a more structured or longer style harness on their body, however it does sit longer on the body than your standard walking / hiking harness and is well clear of the front legs to allow a full range of movement.
To put the harness on all you need to do is pop the harness over the head of your dog and clip up the strong, lightweight plastic clips either side of the dogs’ body. This is an advantage for any dogs who don’t like lifting their feet into harnesses and with a generous space for the head to go through, it is also not as snug as some of the other sports harnesses to fit over the ears, which many dogs don’t like.
The neck of the harness whilst being designed to be a snug fit on the neck has a reinforced ‘V’ in the front of the neck piece which has two functions. It’s first function is to offer that little bit of extra space when being fitted over your dogs’ head, the other is to ensure the harness ‘V’ sits low on the neck and doesn’t rise up into the throat of the dog, which can happen with some of the rounder style necks on some harnesses. This means that even if your dog is a strong puller, the ‘V’ ensures the neck of the harness doesn’t put pressure on your dogs’ throat.
At the front of the harness there is a reinforced piece of webbing where you can clip a lead to, this is perfect for people who use a two clip system to walk or train their dog, as this encourages a natural and balanced stance in the dog and gives you more control if you need it, without twisting your dogs’ neck or head around.
The Adventure Harness also features an internal handle on the top of the harness, so when your dog is pulling out in front of you, the handle isn’t noticeable and lies flat into the harness. If and when you need it however, the handle can be used to hold your dog if you have to bring them close to you and also if you need to help them scramble over obstacles, like a style or even for older dogs who need a hand climbing into vehicles etc.
The secret poo bag pocket down either side of the harness means there’s no excuses for not carrying poo bags with you on your walks / runs either! The pocket is a really discrete extra layer of the harness material which allows a few poo bags to be stuffed in, accessed when you need them.
So as you can probably tell we are pretty proud of being involved in the design of this harness and have responded to your feedback over the years to produce something with Arctic Wolf which will hopefully provide a solution for many dog owners. The Adventure Harness is a really functional active dog harness which is suitable for use in a variety of situations. We’re also proud of the fact that this harness is designed and produced in the UK, so the quality is extremely high, with a low carbon footprint.
We recommend this harness for any active dogs who need a lightweight, top quality, multi functional, dog harness which doesn’t restrict movement in any way. With all the extra features this harness has, we know this is going to be really popular for walking / hiking, canicross, agility, flyball, general dog training and even faster sports such as bikejoring and dog scootering.
You can’t canicross your dog in a short harness – Ever heard this one? I’ve seen this comment on a number of groups recently and the irony of this is that 11 years ago when I started canicrossing, everyone was told they could ONLY canicross in a short harness!
At that point there weren’t so many options for a longer style harness and X-Backs were the main design for a long pulling harness, so the theory was at that time, that you shouldn’t canicross in an X-Back because the harness was designed for a low pull point (this much is true) and that when used for canicrossing, the X-Back would lift off the dogs back and cause issues for the dog (never seen this happen). This prompted us to write a blog about why we love the X-Back harness because certain companies and individuals were trying to profit from this false information and we wanted to explain why the X-Back was still a fantastic harness for running dogs in, no matter what the sport…
We love X-Backs (even if Donnie’s face doesn’t say so in this picture!)
So instead of an X-Back, people were suggesting that a ‘H- Back’ Harness (essentially a short harness) was the only option for canicrossers to use safely. We actually started out with shorter style harnesses for this reason and quickly realised that there were pros and cons for both styles of dog sport harnesses and that different dogs suited different things.
The Howling Dog Alaska Distance Harness an example of a ‘H Back’ style
Another typical ‘H Back’ style harness
At K9 Trail Time we prefer to use common sense and a knowledge of a dogs anatomy to determine whether a particular style of harness will cause a dog any restrictions to movement, rather than hearsay and the marketing of companies who have a vested interest in persuading you one way or the other about a suitable running harness they manufacture.
There are certainly some short harnesses we would not recommend for canicross and there are many ‘walking’ harnesses which claim to be suitable for canicross but are not in our opinion. Remember what you are looking for in a harness is for it to be non-restrictive and allow your dog to move as freely as possible, so a harness which comes across or covers the shoulders in any significant way, will not be suitable.
Harnesses which restrict shoulder movement are not suitable for canicross
However, we have used a number of different, highly suitable, short harnesses and recommend only harness which we have personally used for the dog sports. It is also worth mentioning at this point that we took all our harnesses to a group of qualified and experienced Canine Massage Guild members and in terms of potential for muscular problems from a badly fitting harness, they preferred the shorter styles of harness on the whole.
The Non-stop Line Harness, one of the selection we have which have been throughly tried and tested by our team!
We do always recommend the shorter harnesses for dogs who are more leisurely pullers and dogs who drop back because sometimes dogs who pull very hard out in front all the time can make a rasping noise in a short harness. This is due to the fact that the pull on a short harness is directed along the top of the harness, which pulls the harness back, sometimes up and if the harness isn’t sitting low enough on the dog, this can mean into the throat. All this depends on your dog and the way the harness fits and I can run 3 of my 4 dogs in a short harness with no problems, however the 4th dog will always make this rasping noise, even when walking!
Even my biggest, most athletic dog can run well in his short harness
So we hope that blog has helped dispel another myth we have seen floating around in groups and reassure those of you who do run your dogs in short harnesses, that you’re not going to do them any harm running them in a shorter style harness.
At K9 Trail Time we often hear the words ‘I’m not fit enough to run with my dog’ and we’d like to dispel that myth and turn it into ‘you will get fit ‘if’ you run with your dog’!
We all have to start somewhere and although you might see plenty of athletic looking people taking part in the sport of canicross, particularly racing, please don’t think that everyone starts off like this. Often it takes a lot of patience, willpower and determination to get fit running with your dog but once you get involved you realise how good it can be for both of you.
In fact many people start off exercising with their dog and go on to enjoy other sports as a result!
A few case studies:
Duncan Wells as he started canicross in the UK
Duncan Wells canicrossing in the French Alps – much fitter after a few years of running with his dogs!
Natti Shaw as she just started canicross, Natti now takes part in OCR races and many other fitness activities but she started with canicross
Sarah was also inspired to get fit with her dogs and now runs couch to 5km canicross club runs with her local canicross group
You can also download podcasts to listen to but we personally prefer to canicross without ear phones in as you can hear what’s going on around you.
Canicrossing can be enjoyed just you and your dog, not necessarily with groups or music to spur you on, your dog will do that!
Canicross Groups
You can start a Couch to 5km programme on your own, or get a group of you together to start this, by organising a group you’re more likely to succeed as you hold each other accountable for your progress. Groups can encourage and inspire and we highly recommend trying to find people in your local area to meet up with to get started. You might find that you already have a local group with experienced canicrossers who can also join in to help with advice on running with your dog and getting the right equipment so you are both comfortable. Often there will be someone who will lead these runs for beginners and this is the perfect place to start.
Having a group to run with can be extremely motivating for both you and your dog
Canicross classes
There are a number of individual trainers, clubs or organisations offering canicross classes now and most of these will focus on getting you started safely with your dog. Our advice with these classes is to investigate your instructor to find out how much canicross experience they have themselves. Some classes are run by personal trainers and some are run by dog trainers, some are run by people who have been canicrossing for years with their own dogs and this is most valuable. In our opinion you need to have some experience of both running AND dogs to be able to teach canicross, as it is a lot more than just going for a run with your dog and your trainer should be able to train both you and your dog in your classes.
Make sure your canicross instructor has had years of training for the specific sport, not just running or dog training
Whatever way you get into it, running with your dog can be a great experience and most people certainly start off in the sport of canicross without having had a running background. If you are one of these people, do not be put off!!! Join the thousands of other people who have begun their canicross journey being unfit and unsure but develop with their dog to increase the fitness and health of both of you, who knows where your journey together might take you!
We hope that has helped dispel the myth that you have to be super fit to run with your dog, you can start anywhere but if you stick with it you will both definitely benefit – Happy trails!
K9 Trail Time 