Canicross is, simply put, running cross-country with your dog. More precisely, your dog is running in front of you, pulling you on a special canicross harness (that ensures safety for both you and your dog).
As a sport, it has been around for a long time, but it has become very popular in recent years as a form of dog sport, where the human also gets to exercise. It is a great way to keep fit and spend quality time with your dog in nature. What more could you want?
Benefits:
– you can do it all-year-round
– great way of staying fit for both you and your dog
– increased energy levels
– decreased levels of stress
– helps build a great bond with your dog.
To keep your dog safe, you will need to buy proper equipment, such as a canicross harness and an elastic (“bungee”) leash. You, the human, will also need a canicross running belt.
- A canicross harness is (ideally) personalized to your dog´s body shape, it has to fit very well and must not bother your dog´s movement.
- A “bungee” leash and a running belt are also important, as they help cushion the pressure of traction on your body and distribute the weight of the dog across your body. This is vital when/if you quickly switch directions and the leash helps cushion the shock on both your and your dog´s body, as a consequence of the fast turn.
Depending on the terrain where you will be running, you might also think about dog booties, to keep your dog´s paws safe from potential injuries. We strongly suggest also a dog paw balm, to help soothe and protect your dog´s paws (it really depends on your dog, some have very sensitive paws, others can handle a lot of pressure).
How to start with Canicross
As with all intense activities with your dog, your dog´s health and overall well-being should be your first priority.
- Carefully choose the terrain on which you will be running with your dog (if possible, start on a flat, soft terrain and get your dog slowly acquainted with harder terrains, such as gravel, asphalt, etc.)
- ALWAYS warm up your dog before the run (and yourself as well)
- ALWAYS cool down your dog after the run (and yourself as well)
- Have enough water with you for both you and your dog, to keep him/her hydrated.
- Start slowly and gradually increase the length and intensity of your running thorough time. Don´t exaggerate! it might take you weeks, it might take you months to improve, be patient.
- Be mindful of the weather, especially high and low temperatures and slippery surfaces.
- Make sure that your running gear is good as well.
Remember: start slow and in small iterations, take breaks, have enough water for your dog, praise your dog A LOT and keep it fun and safe!
Want to learn more? We are still collecting applications for our Adventure dog online course here: https://www.lyodog.com/shop/dog-training/adventure-dog-online-course/ During this course we will also focus on running with your dog, warm-up and cool-down routines, keeping you dog fit, basic obedience for trail manners, and a lot more. We hope to see you there! 🙂
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