It’s a little sad that your average suburban dog (or at least my average suburban dog) doesn’t have a lot of opportunities to really run.
It’s taken us a couple of years of practice and finding the right equipment, but the dog and I have gotten to the point where he can really open up to a gallop on a couple of long straights on our regular walking route. It’s scary and exhilarating at the same time.
We use a harness and a waist leash. A lot of harnesses on the market are designed to prevent pulling, not enable it, so you want to stay away from those. Here are a couple of the harnesses I’ve used and liked:
Rough Wear Web Master
EzyDog Quick Fit Harness
And leashes:
Rough Wear Roamer Leash
I like the Roamer because it has a section of stretch webbing that gives you some shock absorption as the dog begins to pull.
OllyDog Mt. Tam Leash
The loop on the Mt. Tam leash near the clip is great — it lets me hold the dog close and control him better for passing other dogs. The Roamer has something similar, but it’s not as easy to grab.
Here he is, ready to go!
