Is running with your dog the same as canicross?

I often get asked what the difference is between running with your dog and canicross. With canicross, the idea is that your dog pulls into the harness. This is something we encourage as the canicross sport has its roots in sled dog sports, the only real difference being that canicross is a mono sport (one or two dogs rather than a team) and that the dog pulls you rather than a sled or rig on wheels. That means the harness has to be suitable to allow free extension of the shoulder. Therefore, any harness that is designed to stop pulling (for example Julius K9 with the strap going across the dog's chest) is really not suitable. Over time, this can cause injury and a reluctance to run. Similarly, a standard harness from a pet shop is often unsuitable too as it sits very close in the armpits and will rub. These are often also quite roomy in the neck, which means they will ride up and cause breathing restrictions, you can often hear dogs who pull in these harnesses make a rasping sound.

We would always recommend you only run with your dog (whether they pull or not) in a sports specific harness. There are several types, depending on whether your dog pulls strongly or less so and their body shape. I will always bring different types to your first session and you can try both to see what suits your dog best. Your dog will be connected to you with a bungee cord to absorb any jolts and jarring, which makes for a smooth run. The bungee is heavy duty, unlike the lines you may find in pet shops. Most of those hardly absorb any jarring, which can lead to an uncomfortable experience for you and your dog and potential injury. The line is connected to your belt. Your belt sits across the top of your bum and pelvis and not around your waist. The waist belts often sold for 'jogging handsfree with your dog' are never suitable for running with anything that pulls you. The risk of injury to your lower back while using these 'belts' is high, especially when paired with a low quality bungee line, and if your dog likes to chase wildlife this is an accident waiting to happen. The belt has leg straps to keep it in place so that all pulling forces go through the strongest and most stable part of your body, your pelvis. You should be able to control your dog from too much pulling with just this set up. Anything that attaches higher (around the waist) will potentially cause you to be pulled off balance. There are several types of belts for you to try and we will figure out what works best for you during your initial introduction.

There will also be a difference in the way you run if your dog is pulling. We will talk about technique and running efficiently and also about preventing injury, as canicross is a high impact sport (more so than normal running and for both your dog and yourself) and should therefore only ever be done off road. During your introduction (a group workshop or one to one) we will discuss all this in more detail and introduce the commands we use in the sport, so that you have the knowledge to start running with your dog safely and will be ready to join a group. If you want to book an introduction to canicross session, do get in touch, we run sessions most day of the week and we would love to have you and your dog join us. Click to Tag Products

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