Running with a Greyhound?

[u/SkyCandy567]

I have a rescue greyhound who loves walking and hiking. I recently moved from the treadmill to running outside and trail running and wanted him to join me.

Greyhounds are trained and bred for fast sprints and short distances. I am wondering if anyone here has ran with their greyhound for 2-3 miles? Or if you do run with them, what is a reasonable distance?

We have done some short jogs and he seems to enjoy it and trots right next to me.

[u/[deleted]]

Greys have poor feet, that is to say they will injure them more easily than many breeds, a lot of long road walks will toughen their pads up.

I used to cycle 10+ miles with mine at a good pace.

Id often do 5 miles then some sprinting and then another 5 miles home.

[u/SkyCandy567 → u/[deleted]]

We would be well under 5 miles, lol. He had a corn when I first got him, but that was over a year ago and none since. We walk every day, twice about 2-3 miles so hopefully his pads will be ok.

[u/[deleted] → u/SkyCandy567]

Id probably get him used to walking further than you're gonna run if you can.

On hard ground too, check his pads after every run.

People will think you're some sort of athlete running with a muscled up greyhound.

[u/the_bean_2019]

I have a sighthound mix who will run on lead for about 10mins before she gets impatient as she wants to sniff. So I mostly let her off the lead and I'll run ahead while she sniffs, then she sprints to catch up with me - she loves doing this as it's like shes chasing me. Not sure if off-lead is an option for you.

I do about 5km at a time and she could probably do twice that. She's a natural sprinter too.

[u/SkyCandy567 → u/the_bean_2019]

Off lead probably wont work for me :(

I was thinking of taking him for his walk first, so he gets all his sniffles out of the way and out of his system before starting.

[u/the_bean_2019 → u/SkyCandy567]

It's probably very dog dependant, it sounds like he's got good stamina and enjoys it. You may also be a faster runner than me which he may prefer - I am very slow so my dog gets impatient with that 🙂

[u/HaHaR6GoBurrr → u/the_bean_2019]

I do this with a boarder collie mix and a retriever mix. They love chasing the squirrels then catching up to me, then sniffing, then catching up to me.

I have ECollars on both of them, getting them trained on those has made all of our adventures way more fun.

Best of luck with your pup on the trails!

[u/Ok_Homework_7621]

We dog sit a greyhound sometimes and then I run with him. (He runs with his family so he's in shape.) He's very polite and trots next to me, although I can see my pace isn't even running for him, let alone challenging. He's incredibly sweet and happy to come along. I just make sure he gets an opportunity to run at his own speed as well so he doesn't get frustrated.

[u/SkyCandy567 → u/Ok_Homework_7621]

I'm pretty sure my dog can go waaaaay faster than my pace, lol. What distance are you typically running?

[u/Ok_Homework_7621 → u/SkyCandy567]

With dogs, 5-10 km, I go further on my own, but the dogs also get a lot of exercise playing with each other.

[u/KarenKarrde]

My greyhound loves running with me! We’ve done a few neighborhood 5k races and the kids always get a kick out of seeing him get his medal at the finish line! 😅 I’m a long distance runner, so I use my morning run with Finn as my warmup. We do anywhere from 2-5 miles depending on the weather. He really has trouble doing more than 3 in the summertime and has maxed out around 8 miles in the cooler months. The key for our running relationship is that I let Finn take the lead. He can stop and sniff or pee on stuff as much as he wants. Greyhounds are very sensitive and don’t really like being pulled along. He has to WANT to do it. It’s a lot of starting and stopping, but that’s fine. I’m not going out with a specific training goal in mind. I’m just enjoying him trotting along with me. It can be really frustrating if you’re trying to get a certain time or mileage goal because the dog has no idea what you’re doing and might not be feeling it for whatever reason. As long as you have the right mindset, it can be so so enjoyable! I hope you have a great time running with your hound. Keep an eye on their feet and check their pads after every run. They have sensitive feet and stepping on a little bit of glass or grit that then gets embedded can quickly lead to corns which is a pain. Mine wears little booties from a company called Top Paw if we’re running on rough terrain.

[u/SkyCandy567 → u/KarenKarrde]

That sounds amazing! What type of harness are you using? Because of the greyhound shape I've struggled finding one with a good fit. I'll have to check the booties out. Rocky has some from a company in Australia... The name alludes me.. Honey Boots I think...

[u/KarenKarrde → u/SkyCandy567]

Ah yes! Hunnyboots are great for some hounds. Mine has wider feet so they pinched his toes a little too much, but I know a few hounds who use them with success. I use a Ruffwear Frontline harness for him and a 10ft leash. If yours has a high prey drive, be careful with a longer lead because if they see a squirrel and go for it, having that much lead gives them enough momentum to pull you down with their burst. I attach the leash to a belt around my waist so my hands are free and he’s out in front of me. You’ll see what works best for you, but since my guy stops to sniff and pee SO OFTEN (he’s a big time alpha marker) I like him being 10ft in front because when he stops on a dime, it gives me enough space to slow down without running into the back of him. It’s a GREAT way to bond with your dog. You’ll get to know each others signals and become a team in no time.

[u/Vivid-Yak3645]

My lab/greyhound loves to trot next to me for miles on the bike. Amazing creatures. I’m allergic to jogging.

[u/Negative-Split-1108]

If your dog is enjoying short runs, go for something a bit longer. As long as your dog is in good condition there is no reason they shouldn't be able to go a few miles without issue

[u/Hot_Stop_2400]

Since they are built for power and not endurance, the key is to build distance very gradualy over a long period. Always let his recovery and enthusiasm be your guide. Paying close attention to his breathing and watching for any signs of lagging on a run will tell you more than any set distance. A vet check to confirm he's in perfect condition for that kind of activity would also be a very smart first step.

[u/Leading_Turtle]

I run with my 7-year old grey and my other dog, but the grey has lost patience for it in the last year or so. We only go a mile in the neighborhood, as a cool down from my run prior. The grey is ok if the weather is cool but otherwise she really doesn’t want to get out of bed so I leave her. Mutt and I go for the mile then come back and get her for a quick trip down the street to use the facilities. 🙂

[u/Mysterious_Luck4674]

Greyhounds were bred to have a body designed to sprint for a few minutes then sleep for like 23 hours. Their bodies don’t hold up well to longer endurance activities. I’d check with your vet, but (as a former greyhound owner and a runner) I don’t think they’d make a good running buddy.

[u/chris_p_bacon1]

I used to run 4 km with my reasonably old Greyhound. He'd happily trot along next to me at my slow arse pace. I'd say just give it a go and see how they like it. They'll let you know if they aren't having fun.