” Run With Your Dog” Program

The DogNostics’ Run With Your Dog Program is the only program of its type. Developed and managed by both a Walking and Running Coach and an Accredited Dog Behavior Consultant – Niki Tudge

A complete program that covers the knowledge and skills required for both humans and canines to run together safely.

Running or walking with your dog sounds easy, but if you’ve tried it, you know, like me, how clumsy and incompatible the two of you may seem to traipse along. It doesn’t look right, and it certainly doesn’t feel right. Running with your dog shouldn’t be stressful or seem like a chore, nor should the goal be a mindless exercise to tire out the family pet and give you a chance to post on Facebook.

Exercising with your bestie can be, and should be, so much more!

Just like anything worthwhile, synchronizing all the moving parts takes time and practice.  With careful management, you can learn how to walk and run with your dog safely. “Running with Your Dog” is designed for the pet parent who wants to create a fun and rewarding running experience, has good physical conditioning, and mentally enriching for both parent and pup.

How The Program Developed

The year 2000

The first time I ran with my dog, Dobie, in 2000, I envisioned the perfect excursion. I had been a serious runner since 1996 but had never embarked on running with a dog; having lived overseas for many years, I had never introduced a pet dog into my family.

Newly arrived in Hawaii and having been transferred with my company, I decided now was the time. The time for a pet dog and a running companion.

Enter Dobie, an eight weak old Kelpie who loved exercise; surely, this would be a match made in heaven. I had chosen a Kelpie because of their running ability, thinking it was a simple matter of a leash, a collar, and a trail! There is so much wrong with so much of this statement and thought. The breed of dog for an inexperienced dog person, the collar and leash as equipment for running … but that’s another blog!

So one morning after Dobie had matured enough for running as exercise, we were hand in paw, anticipating the cool Hawaiian morning air and looking down the lava-covered trail, eager to begin a jaunty adventure.  Dobie would look at me, and I would look back at her with a slight nod, prompting, “Let’s go.” Our strides in sync, we’d move along the trails encouraged by the wind at our back. It was absolutely …

 Dreadful. And nothing like my dream doggy day out.

Instead, Dobie and I tripped over each other’s feet, just trying to move forward! An entangled leash, with constant stops and starts, pulling and tugging our way along the beaten course of long sniffs and short patience. Frustrated, we turned around and went home, Dobie and I exchanging the look of defeat and both frustrated with the other!

A day or so later, having recovered from our running debacle, Dobie and I committed ourselves to figuring out the logistics of running together.  We had attended puppy and pet manners classes, so we already had some of the leash basics. Little by little, over the next few weeks, we worked out the kinks in our system. It was still not relatively as seamless as I wanted, but we got by, and we both enjoyed the hundreds of miles of trails we enjoyed over the next 10 years.

The Year 2019

Fast forward 20 years later, and I am now a certified Dog Trainer, Dog Behavior Consultant, and a Certified ChiWalking and ChiRunning.  My partner is now Doogie, my 5-year-old Australian Shepherd, and when Doogie was introduced to running, the process was much smoother. I quickly took my dog training skills and running experience and developed a finely tuned system that became the “Running with Your Dog” program. A program that focuses on both canine and human running mechanics, the correct equipment, and how to build your form, distance, and speed into your training plan.

The Year 2023

8 Weeks ago, I rescued a lovely little dog that we have now named Gizmo. Gizmo is a Border Terrier mix and has a nice running frame. Together over the last three weeks, we have worked through our program, and he is now well on his way to becoming a great little running partner. He features in the program and is a great Running with Your Dog Ambassador!