What Is Jogging Doing to Your Dog?

Growing up in Ithaca, New York, I lived with as many as three Australian Shepherds at a time. My mother trains the breed for competition in a sprint-speed sport known as dog agility, so it was a common weekend activity for my family to head out to some remote field to exercise the pack. The dogs, which are known for their ferocious stamina, would spend hours chasing whatever toy projectile we could throw furthest.

Many serious trainers like my mother take dog ownership into the athletic realm, competing in activities as diverse as and . But even for people who are, , and trumpeting the benefits of dog ownership for health. As these sources often point out, dogs are great for getting you out the door. They’ll never judge you, and the amount of physical activity they need to stay trim and cardiovascularly strong is around the same for humans. Getting one seems like a fitness win-win.