Is your dog the perfect running mate? - 14 News, WFIE, Evansville, Henderson, Owensboro

Is your dog the perfect running mate?

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  • Copyright 2012 America Now. All rights reserved
    We all know that regular exercise is important for staying healthy and in shape. The same goes for our four-legged friends! Our pet pro, Luciano Aguilar, says dogs are natural athletes and you can do a lot more with them than just going on a daily walk.

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Running with your dog can be a lot of fun and it's great exercise. But there are a few things you should know before you take Fido on a 5k. Our America Now pet pro, Luciano Aguilar has a created a list of 10 important considerations when it comes to walking your dog.

1. The three most important things in determining if your dog is born to run are his breed, health, and ability to walk obediently.

2. Some breeds are better runners than others. Small breeds like Chihuahuas or Maltese have trouble keeping up with the human stride. Where as larger dogs, like Golden Retrievers and Labradors, usually have no trouble keeping pace.

3. If you're going to run with your dog you want to make sure your dog is in good health. And remember, dogs can easily overheat so you should avoid running in warm weather, especially if you have an older dog.

4. Your dog isn't ready to run with you until he's able to walk obediently. And that means walking with his shoulder parallel to your leg.

5. The last thing you want is to be running along and get tangled up in his leash. So be sure your dog truly masters this walking technique before having him run beside you.

6. It's vital to your safety that you learn how to properly hold the leash. If you fall, you need to be able to release the leash to avoid being dragged behind your dog.

7. Never put your hand through the loop of the leash. Instead, put your thumb through and then grab extra slack with your hand. That way, if you fall, the leash will drop out of your hand as you open it.

8. You wouldn't do a marathon with out training for it first … and your dog isn't any different. So start slowly, and in time your dog will be able to go the distance with you.

9. Start with a brisk walk and see if your dog keeps your pace. If he does, then you can start to jog.

10. As you increase your speed, your dog should too. Once you both are running in unison, you can start to increase the duration and speed of your runs.

Remember, like with anything, practice makes perfect. And this kind of advanced training certainly takes practice. Happy running!

Copyright 2012 America Now. All rights reserved.