Jogging

A person jogging on a snowy sidewalk with a black dog on a leash.

Bagsy jogging

Limited spaces available

I am currently offering one-on-one, on leash jogging sessions. A session can have a consistent trotting pace the whole time or be a mix of faster and slower speeds. It is just a chance to let a dog express their energy and move faster than walking.

Jogging is a great option to provide exercise to dogs who do not go to off leash areas.

Who is a good candidate for jogging?

Healthy, fully grown dogs (20+ months old) can be good candidates.

Dogs with very short legs or brachycephalic dogs like pugs or bulldogs are most likely better off walking and playing or running in short bursts. (based on recommendations from VCA Canada- see bottom of page for link)

I am looking for dogs that will really benefit from this service- who need an alternative to busy off leash areas to get enough exercise, or who simply love to run.

How does it work?

Jogging is a chance for a dog to have fun and express their energy.

We start gradually - I do a trial run with your dog first. We walk together and I try going a little faster and see how the dog responds. Then we extend the jogging periods if it’s going well. I check and see that the dog is responding well both during and afterwards and is enjoying the new activity. If you want to become a regular dog jogging client we start with a couple jogs per week.

We take time to sniff - Dogs need time to sniff and do their business, as well as warm up before trotting for an extended period. For this reason we start each session with a few minutes of walking together and also walk for a few minutes at the end of the session to cool down. If a dog wants to stop and sniff or pee any time- of course we stop.

Responsive pace- We respond to each others energy. If a dog starts to go behind me I slow down to match them and see if they want to walk and sniff around or if they want to speed up again.

We have a good time- I only take a dog jogging if they are excited and happy at the chance to run.

Small dog with pointy ears running on snowy path, purple leash attached.

Jinx

Benefits of jogging for your dog

The benefits of regular exercise for dogs- like humans- appear to be numerous and interconnected.

In addition to keeping your dog physically healthy- their cardiovascular health, muscle building and healthy weight maintenance, exercise can improve your dogs mental well being including:

  • a reduction of stress and anxiety

  • experiencing improvements in mood

  • better learning, memory and less likelihood of cognitive disfunction later in life. *

All of these things can lead to your dog being more trainable, more adaptable to changes and a general increase in quality of life now and over the course of their lifetime.

Jogging is one way of getting these benefits, and a good option to add to the routine of some dogs especially while they are working on training and socializing to be able to run off leash.

*American Kennel Club- How Exercise can Improve your Dog’ Mental Health and Brain Function- see bottom of page for reference.