I'm thinking of taking up running with my dog but am a rubbish runner! Where did you get your schedule from? Could you possibly post the link?

Also had a look at Parkrun which looks like fun, the website didn't mention whether you are allowed to run with dogs, do you know?

This is the training plan I used, I can't praise it highly enough!

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml


Yes dogs are allowed to run at most parkruns, although you must stick to a few simple rules.

This sounds really good.

Where is a good website that I can read more about it? I go running often and would love to bring my dogs with me.

Here you go...

www.canicross-scotland.co.uk

or

www.cani-cross.co.uk

You are best not to put an x back or shoulder harness on when running, if your dog pulls a running harness which is free from under their arms (shoulder harness can rub under the arms) and one that allows the rib cage to expand, an x back is designed for a lower connection point attached to a rig/sled, with canicross the line is connected higher, to human, so not as far down the back is more comfortable for the dog.

Would you recommend the CaniX Euro harness? We are changing over to this type from the shoulder harness. Ours don't pull so much on training runs so we've found the shoulder ones ok but of course it's a different matter in a race, as my OH recently found out

An awful lot of people use the CaniX Euro harness so I reckon that's a recommendation in itself. I think I noticed that you use the same harness as I do (Nordkyn shoulder harness). It's been great up until now, but I think it may have rubbed Murphy under his front legs/inside of elbow at Grizedale. We didn't notice until a couple of days later, so I'm just assuming that's what the sore, scabby looking patch was. I was very careful to check for rubbing when we first got the harness, he's ran up to 8 miles in it before and there wasn't ever a problem.

Did you see the dogs wearing the Non-Stop Dogwear "Free Motion" harnesses? They're quite expensive but look very well designed.

http://www.non-stopdogwear.no/index....motion-harness

The point of connection is halfway between that of a short harness and that of a X-back, so it looks like a good all-rounder.

Yes I did see the dogs wearing the Free Motion harness, hadn't seen that one in use before Grizedale. I do like the look of the Euro, think it will suit both of ours but I will take a closer look at the Free Motion before ordering.
Are you getting a different type for Murphy then? The problem we have with the Nordkyn is the fleece lining which becomes heavy & may rub when wet. Uzo always stops for a bath so his is constantly wet. He also has the ManMat shoulder harness but has only worn it twice as I felt the fit wasn't quite right but I probably measured wrong, knowing me.

Yes, I will have to look into getting him a new harness. I think the clip and its neoprene padding caused our problem. I usually make sure its sitting at it's lowest point underneath, as anywhere else it just slips round anyway. On this occasion, I either forgot to check it's placing, or it rode up and it caught the inside of his elbow.

It certainly sounds like the Euro harness will be more suitable for your water-dogs! We don't have that problem with Murph... he likes to dip his toes in but that's about it.

I know SusanW at CA uses the Euro harness on both her dogs, you could ask her what she thinks.

Just checked and it's the Euro Short harness that they use. The Euro is CaniX's equivalent of the X-back.