Running training program

[saschia]

Originally Posted by elf

I guess the point would be: how to make her not getting bored after running one hour or more ?

Well, I managed to make 75 km with my previous wolfdog during the 100 km race, and we didn't train much before. We finished soon because I couldn't continue, Kei was happy to do whatever I decided. I guess just running with the owner is a good thing for wolfdog (if it is not running for hours on small circles - now that's quite boring). But on a long track, even if you go for the second time, the wolfdogs think it strange but not stupid yet. If you have a good partnership, then just being together is a reward enough. Just running is very easy for wolfdog. Other thing would be if you went running along playing dogs all the time, you know, things which attract.

But the togetherness is very important for wolfdogs. When I go for a walk in the wood, Frei runs around, snifs a lot, digs, rolls over and so on. If I go running at the same place, she is running along, sniffing from time to time, but not digging and rolling. And she is not lookoing as if she misses the things. She usually does the things because it takes me too long during normal walk to go along.

[elf]

Ok, my track must be too short, it's a 3kms track in the wood. After the first loop she seems a little bored and does not run the same: she is no more ahead but behind or on my side and seems to prefer sniffing.

[saschia]

Originally Posted by elf

Ok, my track must be too short, it's a 3kms track in the wood. After the first loop she seems a little bored and does not run the same: she is no more ahead but behind or on my side and seems to prefer sniffing.

Yeah, that's quite short. When I do some running occasionaly, I have a 5-km round and I do it only once. For training on bike I found a 12-km track (quite up-and downhill) and that is also only once (mostly due to time and stamina reasons - I cannot do more). I think doing a track more than twice starts to get boring also for human.

[elf]

I trained on a long track, no loop, again she seems bored after 20 min, motivation problem . I'm sure she's not tired, I saw her running really crazy 2h with Furcas. With food she stays close to me and only think to eat, a running stomach. I don't have the opportunity to run with another dog to motivate her ... does someone have other tricks for us ?

[elf]

Here is the unmotivated girl chasing me, maybe I should do the prey:

[saschia]

Originally Posted by elf

Here is the unmotivated girl chasing me, maybe I should do the prey

You lucky guy, I get it only from behind (me being behind my Frei, which is stalking other dogs when they are still far away).

The motivation is of course a kind of problem, but this is the reason why I consider this trial as a working trial. It is not only fun.

You should, in my opinion, make sure that the dog understands that that is what you are going to do, even if she is getting bored. I would, in your place, start talking to her as soon as she starts making signs she would like to stop doing this and do something else... Give her command, like "Forward" or "Run on" or whatever, and praise her if she does what you want her to do. First, give her something good after two or three praising, later give more praising and food only in lonegr intervals. Maybe stop running and play with her after certain period - after 30 mins from starts, then 40 in couple of days. So that she knows, that now you are doing this, because you want to, and then she gets good reward for being an obedient girl.

How old is she? You also have to consider the attention span which a young dog can have. As you wouldn't spend working for whole hour at a military or tracking training, without giving rest periods for play and rest, so you cannot do everything at once with running.