Run for the Quality of Your Dog's Life

[Joanne and Preston]

Here is a link to a good article about exercise and  improving dog behavior.  It's a little long but good.

 http://thebark.com/content/run-your-quality-your-dogs-life

[F, Calla & Luca]

If my dogs want to run they are free to do so in the yard which has plenty of room. As for me, I am glad that i am able to walk : )

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

LOL...I never run, too much gravity and too much of me to go south...walking is my best exercise.

[Lynda Kamrath]

It is so strange.  On Groucho Too's good days he loves to go out for walks and even a bike chase.  He wrestles and plays with Harpo in the yard.  On his bad days, he just isn't interested in any exercise at all.  We let him decide if he is ready for some exercise.  The last few days have been "good days" and he welcomes a good walk.  Yesterday I walked with him and then he chased Charlie's bike up the hill.  But then he seemed to get the idea,"Hey, if I run up this hill, I am just going to have to run down it again."  He decided it was time to come on back down the hill.  But there were cows in the field and they were crying as we went by.  I think they were asking what we were bringing them to eat.  Poor animals.  The hills are brown and dry and the farmers have to bring in alfalfa for them.  No water to grow their own so the alfalfa comes from out of state somewhere and quite expensive.  So the farmers are selling their cows because they can't afford to feed them.  There are hard times ahead for us here in dry California.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I hate to think about these poor cows going hungry.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

I wish I had half the energy that Enzo has. She just came in from chasing Hubby's remote control car and she is one tired Doodle. As for me, my running days are long over!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Amen to that. No running for me. I throw the ball and JD does the running. :)

[Joanne and Preston]

Ro, I haven't thought about getting my grandsons remote car and sit in a lawn chair and let Preston chase after it.  Good idea!!

The article is just saying what we all say. Exercise your dog-" A tired dog is a good dog".  You don't have to "run" to exercise your dog.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Hey Joanne:  Just posted a video of it!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I have to take my dogs on two long walks per day or I pay with Vern being up half the night. It is good for me as well. I would love to see if Fudge had someone to run with if it would reduce her excitability. She is such a calm dog inside, but outside her energy can set so many bad behaviors in motion and Vern feeds off of her energy, too. Maybe I need to hire a runner :)

[Julie and Max]

I can't run anymore because of foot problems, we do walk between four and six miles a day though, and parts of that are off leash for Max so he can run. Everyone comments on how calm and well behaved he is for a puppy. Yesterday and today were just too cold for us to walk, and wow I see the difference, normally he rarely behaves badly at all, and he's running around stealing everything that doesn't belong to him, looking at me with that panting "I'm looking for trouble face" lol...

I had to put all the shoes up, because he keeps running around with the shoes (I think this is a hint "hey put these shoes on and let's go!"

Today was supposed to be puppy play day for him, and it was cancelled due to weather, I cannot wait for this super intense cold to let up so we can get back to normal and I can have my abnormally well behaved puppy back!

I don't think you have to run for your dog to be exercised I think it just takes putting in time and effort and sometimes creativity to get your dog moving. 

[Sally S Miles]

If running is going to improve the dogs life then I'm toast - - but I know better.  I haven't run since 1973. The dogs get to run, some days I can barely walk and others not at all - but I can toss a ball/frisbee and play games of tug and search, train and so on  I will watch them run and jump from my chair if I have to,  part of my dogs job is to understand that I have limitations and J invented two games last year to accomodate. Now E has his own games and they romp each other as well.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I've never been a runner....I hate to sweat.  DH was an avid runner for many years and just went through his first knee replacement to prove it.  My Murphy is a dog who really does need consistent exercise...this is where the treadmill comes in really handy for us, especially in weather where I can't get him out for a good walk.