To make my dog go for runs?

[Sunflower49]

My dog is incredibly lazy by nature.

She is actually my partners', but we've been together a few years and when I met him, I gradually took on the responsibility of walking her as he works fulltime and I don't-it just made sense as I love dogs anyway and I have more free time.

However I run for a hobby, about half an hour a day at least, doing longer runs once a week on average.

Anyway the dog really doesn't seem to like the runs I take her on. We'll get a few 100yards from home, she'll stop and pull back, digging her heels in, and if I go toward her she'll change direction and head toward home.
She 'lags' on the runs too-if I have her on her extension lead I'm more or less dragging her, if I let her off she's so far behind I risk losing her.
I took her to the vet to make sure nothing was wrong with her heart of limbs, in case it was anything to do with that-it isn't she's fine-just lazy as the vet said, not interested in exercise.

Should I carry on taking her with me or is it cruel, she obviously isn't interested.
She's a big dog, a pedigree.

If I didn't take her for runs I'd still walk her, or perhaps give the responsibility back to him as he doesn't run.

I'm ready to go for a run now and she's laid in her bed looking up at me as if to say 'please no'!
I'm leaving her. Thanks for the advice everybody :)

A gentle leader? How slack is the leash when running? Maybe she finds it hard to run if when she turns, her head is being moved another way? Might affect her pace?

Could you try her on a collar?

tbf on the dog she is 7 and middle aged and has plodded along for the last 7 years I would ease her into it, I have seen people with dog running harness doodahs maybe try one of those

I had this issue with my dog and with a bit of perseverance, he's now my little running buddy

Firstly, ditch the extender lead, I nearly killed my dog with one of those and will never use one again - he took off after a cat, got to the end of the extension and it jerked his neck back. Vet said he was very lucky not to have either broken his neck or suffered permanent nerve damage. Please, please don't use one, especially with a dog as powerful as a Husky.

I'd suggest starting with a normal lead and a bag of treats. Run, and when your dog is running at heel, where you want him to be, give him a treat and say 'heel'. Keep this up for a few weeks.

Then, you will be able to go to a park, or wherever you want to take him off lead (still with the treats), and run at your own pace. He should follow you, with a bit of dawdling/sniffing which you need to allow him, otherwise it isn't really a walk for him. If you want him to come to heel, just call 'heel' and treat him when he is 'in position' at your heel.

After a while of this, you will be able to ditch the treats altogether.

I don't buy this idea that dogs call the shots about when/where/how they get walked. I love my boy to distraction, and am as soppy as can be with him, but he is still a dog - If I want him to come running with me, then he is going to come running with me.

I don't subscribe to pack theory at all, but I do believe that if you start allowing the dog to rule the roost, you start storing up problems for the future...

Thank you Duckworth, that's really helpful.

And the extension lead thing, I'd never thought of that-how stupid am I
They're so popular as well.
Mrsjay that's it I think, he's strolled arond the block with her and that's it lol
Somebody's going lead shopping this weekend!

I share your pain. My Shepherd/Collie mix Elvis absolutely flat out refuses to run. He has two speeds, trot and canter, occasionally breaks into a gallop if he's off leash and chases after a rock with other dogs but when he realises the other dogs are faster than him he slows to a walk, stops to lick his balls and lies down for a bit.

Seriously, he's 75lbs of the laziest dog in the universe. Imagine my disappointment when I tried to take him out running. Got halfway down the road when he realised my intentions, jerked the leash out of my hands and galloped back to the house where he had to lie down for half an hour. The irony wasn't lost on me.

Then we got Frank, a shepherd/retriever mix the second stupidest dog in the known universe, but the best running dog in the world. Drags on the leash if he's out for a pee but if he knows its running or long walk time he is heeled and ready, and the most obedient dog in the world.

Some dogs are cut out for solid exercise and really enjoy it, others are total couch potatoes. I've stopped dragging Elvis out on long walks (yes, even "long" walks (1+ miles!) are too much for him. He's only 4 1/2!

We got Elvis because I wanted a doggy running partner. Next time I'm going to give up and get a pug.

Furrywalll that's hilarious!
I suppose it just shows that regardless of breed/background, dogs are as diverse as humans in their wants and needs and personalities.

The only time I'm grateful for my dog's 'couch potato' personality is if I'm ill!I would normally feel guilty at not beig able to take a dog for a decent walk-but with her I know she's quite happy to do her business and then return to lazing about by the fire.

We normally hear about lazy owners who can't be bothered taking their dogs for a walk, not t'other way around!

What you really need is a lurcher... will 'make do' with one walk a day... but equally will be out with you from 6am to 10pm and only lie down when you're eating quite happily (or ours will anyway). I know someone that's adopted one recently to go with her greyhound - the grey only gets to go for 4 - 5 miles, the lurcher goes for 10 miles quite happily. Mind you, if I'm running with mine she only needs to trot as I have to sprint to get her into a 'canter' style of travel and even then she just goes too fast and has to stop and trot again.