Jogging with your dog can be extremely rewarding. It allows your dog to have a variety of exercise and gives you extra motivation to keep to your running routine.
We outlined how to jog with your dog safely and responsibly in our Running With Your Dog article, but we thought we’d go into more detail about how to choose the right equipment before you head off for a run with your pet pal.
It’s important to remember that not all dogs are cut out for high intensity exercise. This is especially true for short-nosed and short legged breeds like bulldogs or corgis. You also shouldn’t just take out more senior dogs out for a run or force more lethargic dogs to go from next to no exercise to trying to get them to keep up with you on a 5k.
It is strongly recommended that you check with your vet to see if your pet is up for the challenge before taking them out running.
Dog Running Leads
It’s a good idea to keep your dog on a lead when you go running. Even if you’re jogging in a quite area and are confident your dog will stay close, when cover a lot of ground your dog can easily get distracted and go off exploring. It’s more safe and responsible to keep them on a leash.
However, using your regular dog lead is defiantly not a good idea. These are not safe for you and your dog as they don’t provide any slack which can cause unconformable and dangerous sharp tugs on the lead. They’re also more than likely get caught up under your feet.
You should always use a special dog running lead. These are heavy duty and elasticised leashes designed to provide enough slack to avoid sharp pulls while also keeping out of the way.
Buy our official Premium Elasticated Dog Running Leash.
Dog Jogging Belts
When jogging with your dog it’s a good idea to go hands-free. Running belts sit round your waist or stomach and allow you to attach your elastic running lead to the front.
A good quality belt should have completely adjustable leg and waste straps allowing you can secure the belt so it doesn’t ride up and sits comfortably on your body. When fitting the belt you are looking to distribute the tension of your dog evenly across your stomach, legs, and back so no single area is taking most of your dog’s weight during running.
Look for belts with a padded belt area for extra comfort and stability around your stomach.
Our official Premium Dog Running Belt also has practical loops on either side so you can attach accessories like keys or dog dirt bags. You can even attach our IDC® Small Dog Harness Side Bags to the front of the belt for extra storage.
Buy our official JK9® Speed Dog Running Belt.
Visibility
Keeping you and your dog visible after dark is always important whether you’re running, walking, or just nipping to the corner shop. There is plenty of hi-vis jogging equipment for us humans, but you should also keep your furry running mate visible at night.
There are many high visibility dog harnesses and lights available. Here at JULIUS-K9® we can recommend our IDC® Powerharness which come in a variety of UV and hi-vis styles. Our LED Bullet Safety Lights have been designed to securely fit into the IDC® Powerharness which have a visibility range of up to 2.5 miles (4km) and are shock and water resistant. We also sell a range of Scarab rechargeable lights that easily attach to your dog’s collar and have adjustable light intensities.
Both our Premium dog running lead and belt have reflective edging to help you further stand out.
Paw Protection
Whether if you’re running route takes you across muddy fields or the pavement of your high street, some dog owners might want protect their pet’s paws.
A good pair of protective dog boots should be both highly durable and also breathable. They can protect paws against the elements, debris like glass, or sharp brambles.
UK Law reminder: when out with your dog, even for a quick jog, your pet must always display ID Tags.
