German Shorthaired Pointer. Done.
German Shorthaired Pointer. Done.
I have a friend who has 3 Irish setters and loves them! Very easy to train and athletic.
Sporting/hunting breeds or mutts are always a good option, as long as they look sturdy.
I think the Australian Shepherd sounds like a good idea. A coonhound could work too.
You could always call the owner of this dog up, too ;)
Doggerel wrote:
Friends say any Lab will do, all women say Labradoodle ( a Lab made in a lab)
Mixed breeds are actually healthier and the breeding between lab and poodle is natural, not IVF. Not sure where your "made in a lab" comment is coming from.
I live in NH so it has to put up with some harsh winters.
The great thing about poodles and labradoodles is that their fur (or hair for that matter) doesn't stop growing, so you can let it grow really long for the winter and your dog won't need any silly coats. The lab most definitely will.
Labs are rather overbread and heave all kinds of health problems (hip, elbow, cancer to name a few). Poodles are actually are much healthier breed.
phillypharm wrote:
German Shorthaired Pointer. Done.
Op is a 60 year old first time dog owner. A short hair will end up at the pound in 2 months.
I have 2 right now and have had 2 others in the past. They are among the worst choices for a first time owner. But one of the best for someone who knows what they are doing.
AMERICAN Pit Bill
Pound for pound the greatest dogs ever invented by god.
They're incredible loyal and protective, they are fast and can go forever, and they're the most muscular dog while not being overweight. Yes I know, sometimes I overuse these terms but they are truly BUFF and SHREDDED.
Can't go wrong with a pit bull.
Go to the search tool at the top of the page and do a search. There are probably 10 threads on this topic.
Welsh Springer Spaniel
I love the energy and wit of hounds, but with those characteristics come a lot of training and exercise.
We have a coonhound and a Rhodesian Ridgeback. The coonhound will run any time, any weather, and any where for miles. The Ridgeback prefers to sprint and sniff (she will not do long runs unless she is off leash and in that case she won't stay w me).
What ever dog you choose, test it out first and make sure 1 it likes long runs 2 you like its other (non running) attributes.
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
They take a bit of training (they're a hunting breed), but they have amazing endurance and are made for colder weather. I had one when living in Colorado, and could consistently take her on 10+ mile runs in 0 degree weather. As long as you exercise them and keep them engaged with something to do each day (like the run) they're very loyal companion dogs.
Go to the local pound and find a younger slender dog roughly about knee high. Look for one that has a longer snout, I think they are supposed to be better runs due to better air intake (think I read that somewhere).
Spend some time with the dog in the shelter to make sure the dog is not overly hyper or overly lazy.
If you are a first time dog owner, getting a dog out of the puppy stage, about 1 year old, will be MUCH easier to handle.
I second Fernadoh's comments about high energy dogs.
Our hounds take soooo much work! But again it depends on the particular dog's temperament and personality. As much as I love my coonhound, I should have spent more time learning his personality before adopting him.
I just started running with my boxer. So far so good. He was up to 4 miles within a few weeks and loves it. I'm anticipating a 7-8 miler may be his max. I run about 7:30/mile pace. Just like a pittie (mentioned above) they are sensitive to extreme weather because of their high muscle to fat ratio, but just run in the morning when it's cool they will be fine. Boxers are playful but not super high energy like a hunting dog or herding dog.
My friend has a huskie and she ran with her on a 20 mile trail race. So that's a pretty good long distance breed.
Just keep in mind that a dog of any breed might turn out not to be a great running buddy (differences in personality/ability exist between dogs). Don't get a dog because you want a running buddy. Get a dog because you want a dog. If he turns out to be a good running partner, that's just a side benefit.
Not trying to be preachy. I've just seen some less than ideal situations result when people have expectations that aren't met when selecting a dog.
Vizsla...my last one ran with us for 11 years...could go 15 miles no prob...my new vizsla is just 6 months and only just beginning to run with us but super smart trainable and looks like another fabulous running partner.
Most dogs won't like continuous running. They like to run, stop , sniff things et.
90% of people who really want a dog for daily running will cripple there dog.
Border collies are excellent runners and are very intelligent, easy to train. But they are high energy when young and need more exercise than trotting a few miles a day with you. Same goes for any herding or hunting breeds. They are practically walking at 7:00 pace. If you have a small yard you've got to take them to the park all the time and let them run.
Our border collie ran circles in the yard non stop until he was about 5 years old. He had a path beaten in the grass. We'd let him out and he'd run around on our land for a couple hours every day chasing rabbits and messing with our cows. (This video makes me want another one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scx_wFIK1b8
)
Bottom line:
Really just about any medium or large breed can keep up easily. So i'd be looking for a dog with temperament and upkeep that fits your lifestyle first. Odds are any one you pick will be able to run with you.
Hi there-
I run every day with my miniature pinscher mix (just 10 lbs). It took a couple weeks for him to get used to running ettiquette, but now he just sticks two paces behind me the entire run regardless of whether we're running on-leash or off-leash.
Don't be biased against poodles or "lap-dogs"-- the dog's personality and energy matter more than the breed! I didn't think my tiny dog would last beyond 5km, but so far I have yet to see him actually get tired... (his longest day so far was 11 miles).
In terms of training, I do think lab mixes are probably easiest. Smaller dogs take a lot of patience because they really do have a lot of energy and a huge prey drive/protective drive.
That said-- I got a small dog for logistical reasons. If I could afford the logistics involving a bigger dog, I would have gotten a German Short Haired pointer or really any other type of pointer.
I have a German Shorthaired Pointer and I agree with the above sentiments. The first 9 months or so were some of the toughest I've ever dealt with as a first time dog owner. He's super high energy, crazy curious and I had to keep an eye on him any time he was out of the crate. Crate training was the only thing that got me through it.
Now he's almost 2 years old and he's the best dog I could have ever hoped for. He'll run up to 10-12 miles with me at 7:00 pace and then still want to play in the yard when we get back. He's still all over the place, especially if he doesn't go for a run or an hour at the dog park, but he's manageable now.
I would recommend a young sporting breed rescue. Look for a Pointer, Viszla, Weim or Setter mix that's about 18 months to 2 years. That way you skip the stressful puppy years but still have plenty of years of energy for running. Having a large fenced in yard is pretty much a must as well.
Work on leash manners right away, every day. Don't let him stop or pull at any distraction. You have to be forceful. When you're running, you have to be the pack leader and he has to know that he's going where you want to go, not the other way around. As crazy as my dog is, once we get on the road or trails he's on his best behavior because he knows that's his "job" like hunting would be in a different world for him.
I have a goldendoodle (golden retriever and poodle) and she's great. Loves to run, dosent shed, and can handle the winter
Beat me to it with the Pit Bull recommendation. People will give you space if you run with an unleashed pit bull.