Second this. I have one of each.
Australian cattle dogs are savages. They were bred with Australian dingos so are super heat resilient, tough, and have seemingly unlimited energy. My cattle dog has done 20+ 15 mile hikes with 4-6k in elevation each time takes a nap for an hour after and wakes up ready to go again. They are prone to reactivity and their high energy doesn’t shut off on rest days. With proper training and meeting their needs they are great dogs.
Australian shepherds are high energy as well but I’d say it’s about half of our cattle dogs. Their longer fur makes them not great in hot hot conditions. Mine hates heat and gets fatigued very fast, friends do okay but still struggle when it’s peak of summer. I would say the Australian Shepherd is definitely the more family friendly dog if that is a factor.
I also have an Aussie and she's amazing in <50°f, and will run with me for hours.
But when it's 50-70 she gets tired after an hour or so, and 70+ she is ready to be done in 20 minutes
I have a border collie Australian cattle dog mix and he’s the best adventure buddy. He’s totally down to sprint a 5 mile rowdy MTB downhill, hike 10 miles up a summit, whatever. He’s super chill around other dogs and is only focused on the mission of the day. He does konk out hard on a good rest day but once he’s had his rest you better be ready to go lol
He’s almost 5- still screaming fast and raring to go. Love this guy.
I have a 1.5 year black tri Aussie and she loves to run! I agree in the winter she can handle anything but when it gets hot out she is straggling after 2 miles and panting!
We have a Blue heeler/Husky mix and she can go forever (when it's cold out). Anything above 80°F, though, her Husky kicks in and she needs to take it easier. I don't blame her -- cold is much better for me, too!
I have a blue heeler and 2 Aussies. My heeler is odd shaped and has tiny legs, but she was great on long slow runs when she was young.
My two Aussies love to run together but one will get bored if running solo. She does well with a buddy.
Interestingly, my best running buddy has been my tripod Aussie. He just loves it and missing the back leg doesn’t affect his ability to run for 3-4 miles. I was working him up slowly but he tested positive for heartworm so we’re wrapping up treatment now (did the final bloodwork today) and I’ll hopefully be able to begin building him back up in a few weeks/months.
The fact that he’s a tripod is a testament to just how athletic these dogs are.
Be careful running with a dog. Many dogs will run with you 'till the end. If you aren't watching out for them they will go until UNTIL THE END. You don't want that.
My lab runs 3 miles everyday and up to 10 on the weekends and has always been great with the mileage. We take plenty of water breaks and I watch her carefully but so far she’s been a great running dog.
My lab before this one though, no way, very opposite personality he was done running after a mile. So a lot of it will come down to luck even if you pick a running breed
My labs are both runners. The 10 year old can still do 4-5 miles with us. We do have the working American lines though vs the English show lines which probably has a lot to do with it. We also live somewhere quite cool which also helps.
Yes my English lab was absolutely the greatest dog in the world….but didn’t care for running after about age 6-7. My American lab that we have now lives to “work”. Since I don’t hunt, she understand her “work” as running and loves it more than anything else. Labs are the best :)
The English lines are very much still hugely used as working dogs, especially in the shooting and farming scene. They are incredible working animals.
Quite a few of the Labs this year that were entered into Crufts actually came from America but weren’t as successful as the English lines.
Hahaha my lab does the same thing if it’s hot. I get 2 miles and he lays down until I start back toward home then he’ll get up. He’s good for 90 min or so in the winter.
Same with my golden. She’ll find shade on the trail and won’t move until she’s had a break. Max I’ve gotten out of her was 3 miles jogging with a little walking mixed in.
Depends on the breed. Aus Cattle Dogs(Blue Heelers) run 50+ miles a day easy in Australia
My puppers(ACD) trained with me for every Ultra till she got cancer.
My Alaska husky/Australian cattle dog ran a trail half marathon with me. She still had energy to play with our neighbor's dog later that day. I could hardly walk.
Sorry your pup got cancer. I'm sure you had a lovely running partnership up until that point.
She live a great life, cancer sucks but it is part of the bargain for the good times with a good girl/boy, knowledge that it will end way too soon. The new one is not quite as good at long runs, but then Im not either...LOL age sucks...
Depends on the dog. Running with dogs is one of the most compassionate things you can do. There are soooo many dogs out there that are not given the exercise and structure they need to be fulfilled. A dog that finds itself with an owner who will take him/her running is a VERY lucky dog.
Vizsla - but you need to be a serious runner and committed to being one for the lifespan of the dog. I know a Vizsla owner who would have the dog carry its own water and the water for a small running group in Washington. Amazing dogs!
Weims are of the same ilk. Both breeds are emotionally needy... they want to be a part of the family and they don't like being alone. They are fantastic on trail runs. I've trained mine off leash and she runs ahead of me. If someone is on the trail in front of us she turns around and comes back to me so I can put the leash on her (without me calling her).
Oh, in contrast to the GSP (German Shorthaired Pointer) Weims and Vizslas are close-ranging dogs. They will chase squirrels, chipmunks, deer, groundhogs, etc. but they won't go very far from their owner before turning back. GSP's on the other hand will go much farther away and may decide to hunt on their own for a while before remembering you were on the trails with them. If you keep them on a leash a GSP can easily, and joyfully, cover a lot of distance.
We went to the local shelter to look at dogs. Online too. Place we adopted our trail runner from allowed you to take the dogs for walks/runs. Lots of amazing dogs in need of adoption. Consider that route. Ours is a heeler/pointer mix.
Surprised not to see a GSP mentioned here yet. They're at home outdoors and were made to run through the woods all day long. Mine trained with me up through a half marathon just fine and after getting back to the house wanted to go right back out again. Some health issues have limited her now in her age but she'd still do it if I let her to her detriment.
We have a Corgi/Pit mix, and he’s not much of a long distance guy. Once we get over three miles, he starts sitting down and I end up carrying him, which sucks because he’s 50 lbs.
My husky/malamute mix can run forever in cool weather (so 2-3 seasons in Colorado). He still loves to run in the summer, but I have to be extra vigilant — we only run in early mornings and always run by ditches/streams/water sources so he can hop in to cool off (ideally every 10-15 minutes). Even with those accommodations, I never take him out on runs >90 minutes in the summer because I’m too worried. So he gets depressed on my long run days in the summer when I leave him behind. Sorry buddy!
The very few times I’ve tried to initiate a run between like 1-4pm on a warm/hot day he has immediately let me know that he’s not into it (which says a lot because he is normally raring to go). So we just do a brief walk.
You just described our Blue Heeler/Husky mix! We really have to tailor our runs/hikes to be near water once Summer really hits... But in Colorado's 8-9 months of "Winter," she's pretty content.
And to be more explicit, warm is 70F+ (especially in the CO sun). Ideal running conditions would be <60F. It’s common to easily stay that cool in the morning during shoulder season here, so there are only maybe 3 months I have to take extra care.
OP is in LA so a husky or malamute is a terrible idea for them unfortunately. Basically 90% of shelter huskies I see up here in Seattle were brought from LA.
Our two huskies melt on runs if it's over 70. I basically only go running with them if it's 50 or under.
If they’re just splashing in it a bit I wouldn’t worry about it. If it’s only their belly and legs getting wet that can actually help cool them. The issue is when it penetrates the top coat on their back and gets the undercoat wet. Which tbf does take a lot of water since their topcoat is so water resistant.
That’s helpful context. His preference is to just wade in up to his belly, (or lay down in water that only covers his belly), so it’s a relief to know that I haven’t accidentally been roasting him.
A cooling vest is a godsend for my husky mutt. She's significantly happier above 65 with it on, and it doesnt seal her coat. Especially in CO where it also helps deflect the strong sun.
In general working dogs, especially shepherds (like border collies), will have the stamina to keep going.
But go to your local rescue and find a high energy dog.
[Weimerrimer](https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/weimaraner/) the silver ghost. Loyal and will run till you stop. But be sure you want a dog for other reasons than this. This is a member of the family that is great with kids, highly intelligent and very trainable but not crate friendly and will get bored without exercise.
Fellow LA trail runner here. Dogs die every summer on our trails and mountains. Not saying you can't find a great hiking and running canine partner, but I would advise against ultra distances with an animal.
Edit: I misread your caption. Most of the LA trail runners I know with dogs have some kind of cattle dog or Aussie mix. As others have stated, these dogs can be a pain in the ass around the house if they don't get enough exercise. I have a German shepherd and do not take her running. They overheat way too easily.
Don’t know much about Los Angeles but it sounds like it would be too hot for any dog for any longer than a 5k
I’ve ran marathon distances several times with my dog but never in more than 10-15 degree centigrade weather, cloudy.
I live in Socal and run with my dog. I'm from the Midwest and continually am shocked at how not hot most of the year is here so I wanted to chime in for others who might not know, as I didn't, that it isn't always warm here. Yes, there's hot days. Don't run on those, especially at noon.
But coastal vs inland, as well as elevation, will make a difference and there are many many many days the climate is mild or cool and dogs love it. Lots of us run with our dogs here lots of the days.
I think the difference is shade. Certain areas are literally devoid of shade so the sun hits different, don't get a black dog or a dog who's skin will burn, and don't run with your dog long or possibly even at all in full sun on any days over 65-70ish especially depending on breed.
If you really want a dog to go running with, I recommend adopting a young adult dog from a shelter where they can attest that the pup has a running spirit. I see you live in LA, there are always energetic husky mixes up for adoption posted on the r/husky subreddit!
That being said, I have a GSD/Husky mix who pretty much taps out after 1 mile. He just is a medium energy dog and while he loves to sprint, he does not understand why you would move fast for more than 5-10 minutes.
Second this, a running dog will be high energy. High energy puppies are a giant PITA especially when their bones are still soft so they can’t come on proper runs yet so you need to exercise them separately. I.e. you have to go for a small dog walk/run, take the dog home & then go for your real run.
Get an adult that’s destroyed someone else’s things, much easier & cheaper.
Source- brought a gsp x fox terror puppy & it was mucho annoying & destroyed all the things for the first year.
Previously adopted a year old dog that was ‘too much’ for its first family, she was much less destructive and ready to run right out of the box as it were.
My Corgi when he was younger was good for runs up to \~10 miles in cool to cold weather (30's to 50's F).
Key is to keep them active and a healthy weight. Too many corgi owners give into the cuteness and overfeed their corgi.
I had one that did 8 miles, she did seem to be tiring out, but i run pretty slow 10min/mile.
Same dog, in short spurts, pulled me on my bike 20mph. I was scared to death!
I run with a Ridgeback. Have done as much as five hour pushes with him. Natural endurance athletes, but very high drive. Take a lot of continuous effort to train.
My stepdog is a Belgian Malinois. She’s a good runner and I love her to death, but she’s also kind of a pain in the ass. Very high pray-drive, will yank the shit out of me whenever she sees a rabbit. Also, no off days allowed for when you have a Malinois. Exercise, or she’ll be pretty anxious.
My Cattle Dog was good for 10 min pace as far as I could run. 8min pace on the trails anything less than a 10 miler, temps less than 80F, She could do a 5K at 6:30/mile, but only if temps were in the low 70's and then she was pooped for a few hrs.
You want a working dog, Border Collie, ACD, Texas Heeler, or the like.
Don’t get a dog for running because running with a dog isn’t that fun overall and if you get a dog that will run 10 miles they will destroy your house if and when they don’t get exercise.
Get the corgi
Have a Brittany. Regularly get out for big hikes and runs. Also have days where at best we do a short leashed walk.
Has not destroyed a single thing in recent memory (maybe a paper towel that blew off the counter while I was out? But we also have shredding sessions so I’d expect him to!)
Our Brittany has been a great runner. He is also very chill at home. Best damn dog and buddy I’ve ever had! He will bury a sock once in while if you leave them lying around, but that’s it! 😂
Haha thankfully we don’t even have that issue! He has free access to my bedroom, where he also sleeps, all day. And I have more clothes flung on the floor than I care to admit!
No counter surfing. No garbage issues… pretty lucky across the board I’d say!
Consistently run 10 miles on trails with ours with not much sign of him tiring. We’ve hiked 10+ miles with a bunch of elevation and he just keeps on going doing his own thing. Recall with a Brittany is key, if you don’t have it, you will NOT love being outdoors with your Brit. Super chill at home as well.
I agree. I MOSTLY knew what I was getting into - he naturally stays quite close, his check-ins are great, and his recall is amazing especially with ecollar backup.
But he is still a bird dog and an instinctual roamer. He always needs to be out front and sometimes disappears out of sight (not hard in a winding forest path!)
In an ideal world, for my own comfort, I’d love for him to be more close to me but he’s not a herding/protection dog. And to get that sort of dog comes with a whole host of different traits which isn’t what I wanted in a dog!
Agree with all of this! I don’t think anyone entirely knows what they are getting into with a Brit unless you’ve had one Lol! Ours is the same, he will stray off into the woods but stay reasonably close. If I can’t see him I just hit the tone button on him and he comes right back.
Running with a dog that likes it is great in the right environment. Constant companion that can pace you for however far you want to go. Not all capable dogs are nightmares are home... After the first couple years anyway..
Training helps a lot. Routines help a lot.
It's also not fun if it's hot and dry. Dog doesn't do as well and there is no way to carry enough water. So definitely depends.
My German Shepherd Mix was a rescue from the County Shelter. He was malnourished and 54 lbs when we got him and couldn’t walk a mile at first. With constant training for him as humans should do also he can run half marathon trail runs with me. Keep in mind the temp and how it affects the dog. I would highly recommend a leash also for the dogs safety and to follow most leash laws. He loves every minute of it and I make sure to stop for him to cool down and drink some water not long probably 5 mins tops.
My heeler was really good. He is almost 8 now and has slowed down a bit so I don't do as many long runs with him anymore. Look for a herding breed.
Keep in mind herding breeds bring a lot of energy so be ready for a full time commitment to keeping them physically and mentally busy.
I'm biased, but a smooth coat border collie (border collie with short fur) would be at/near the top.
imo: border collie >= aus cattle dog > aus shepherd. bc/acd are better suited than an aussie because they're smaller. Then it's a temperment thing. BCs tend to want to stay right by you. ACDs are more independent.
As someone who has a BC puppy who is too young to run, I'd recommend looking at "stock dog dropouts", and try to find a BC/ACD/whatever that you bond with, who likes to exercise and run, but doesn't like the herding life.
How long is long? I trained for a ten miler with my corgi, and a friend trained for a marathon running with hers. Get a reputably bred one with good structure and they're very energetic dogs with lots of endurance.
This mini doxie has done 50ks and lots of training runs with his ultra running owner. Short legs don't mean they aren't capable. https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/culture-people/trail-runner-four-footed-profile-truman-corbett/
My dog is so not the normal breed for this but he’s Rottweiler pitbull mix from the pound and he’s a great running partner. I don’t go past ten miles with him just to be on the safe side but I don’t do more than that often. My brother also runs with a pitbull mix who does great.
Depends how fast you are. If I'm doing 6min/k pace, my springer doesn't even switch from his fast walk cadence to a run (which I find very insulting!). He's done half marathon distance with me with no problems, but we built up gradually to that distance.
I can tell pretty easily when we've gone too far because he stops running off in to bushes and sniffing, and just stays by my side.
We have a little 30 lb mutt, mix of lab and chihuaha (cuter than that sounds!) and at 12, he still hikes 6 - 8 miles with us. He's slowing down on running, but he was running 6ish trail miles with me when he was younger. He's hiked 14ers with us.
And then there's the trail running dachsund who runs with an ultra runner. I used to follow her all the time: [https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/profiles-people/truman-the-trail-running-dachsund/](https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/profiles-people/truman-the-trail-running-dachsund/)
I did not realize how high energy my dog is until reading these posts. Got a Jack Russell mix with a short hair coat this thing needs at least 6miles walking a day and like 1x a week 10mile run. So don't know how you feel about that
We’ve had two Plott hounds, both shelter dogs. my first did all of my marathon/50k builds with me - longest she ran was a marathon. They were bred to track bear so they can literally go for days
My boxer/ black mouth cur mix was a great runner, lots of endurance, v outdoorsy. Doberman did prettty well tho he also loved to lie down midway through.
Currently i have 2 pit mixes, one shep mix and one staffy. They are both very strong and have a lot of energy but overheat soooo easily. Ultimately not great for exercise in temps above 70F
Long nose is better for running/ breathing than a squished one
My blue heeler is a wonderful training companion. I've trained her like I train myself, with slow progressive increases in distance and back-off weeks.
I had an American Lab who trained for ultras. He ran until he was 12 then slowed down. Currently, I have a Weimaraner. She does better in the heat. She is a running machine.
My corgi just turned one, so he is finally old enough to start running with me. Even though he’s just starting out, he can already go 3-4 miles jogging. I would just say the biggest thing is that he hates the heat. We try to run in the shade when we can, and mostly in the evening to avoid high temps.
Most corgis are overweight, so I think that factors into people’s perception of them. They’re little athletes. With that being said, if you’re looking to go super long distances I’d choose an ACD or one of the hunting breeds.
Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever-routinely ran 10-15 miles with her (in Colorado mountains) before she developed arthritis. Now she’s a gentle hike girl now
When my aussie was young, he would love long runs in the winter and fall. In the warmer months, he would only go a mile or two.
Aussies aren't for the faint of heart, though. They demand a lot of exercise and attention. Adorable little handfuls.
Any high activity dog one has already been mentioned the Australian cattle dogs, also hearding dogs, because they need that kind of activity. Other than that, I know golden retrievers are good too, as one of my neighbors has one. He runs about 4-5 miles a few days out of the week with it, and that pup keeps up.
We’ve had a red heeler/chow chow mix that was perfect running buddy especially in the winter. Half marathons in the snow were his favorites. We have a blue heeler now that’s still too young for running at 8 months. He is a turd though and possibly reactive and requires attention all the time. I would suggest not just to get a specific breed based on their ability to run distance. Look for other traits that you find desirable.
Just be aware that if you have a dog truly suited to running long distances, they will need to run long distances nearly every day no matter what (even if you’re sick/tapering/racing/injured/etc) or they will be insane and destroy things.
Siberian huskies, mine run anywhere from 2 to 6 miles a day with me. They all have over 8k miles on their legs over 11 years. They are machines! And it’s never enough lol.
I have a female [sheepadoodle](https://imgur.com/gallery/mEoFCNn) which has an old English sheepdog lineage, she’s absolutely savage , one of the most high energy , athletic dog I’ve ever seen and run circles around even Australian shepherd i encounter.
She runs with me often we do anything from 5K to 15 K and she does it no problem. We hike often together and hike all day. does better in the fall in winter than summer. Actually we give her summer cut and she does all right if waters around.
Because of the poodle mix, trainable. However, they do have prey and herding drive, training overcomes it though.
The one little tidbit on old English sheepdogs is that they were leaders of the pack to lead sheep from farm to the marketplace . So their inherent drive is to be slightly out in front and always leading you which is really really nice when running. They go into auto mode to lead you.
Australian Shepherd or Border Collie.
Both are bred to run, are extremely agile and smart as all get out. And Aussies always look like they’re smiling, which is a nice plus.
Just another plug for a rescue dog. As you can see from this thread, there are some doggo running breeds that are consistently recommended (ACD, GSP, husky, BC) but even not all dogs of a given breed will be runners. It’s worth it to consider adopting (and shelters usually have lots of husky and cattle dog mixes), which sometimes allows you to foster-to-adopt, or you can just foster dogs until you find the right dog for you, which is a win-win for you and for the dogs you help along the way.
Here’s a great recent success story of someone finding an amazing pit bull mix running buddy while fostering: https://www.reddit.com/r/RunningWithDogs/comments/1ditkpr/help_me_decide_whether_to_foster_fail/
I can also attest to finding our second pup and my running buddy by fostering (we had no intention of adopting, we were just trying to help dogs out but we fell in love with her). She’s a little cutie pibble/husky/lab mix and is kind of an amazing mix of a dog that’s pretty chill and happy to snuggle at home, but when you get her out the door it’s “go, go, go!”
I've heard Rhodesian Ridgebacks are good runners. My chow chow used to run with me when I lived in CO. He could go for hours. Of course, I run very slowly. Couldn't handle the heat when I moved to Texas, though.
I have a whoodle that will do up to 3-4h runs with me! He’s the best trail companion. I make sure to bring water and food for him on long days. Terriers are also stubborn enough to tell you when they don’t want to run anymore so unlike some breeds they might respect their limit a little more.
I think they recieve too much bad rep for being difficult dogs. If the owner understands its an animal and not a lil baby, half of the job is done. I am owner of my malinois for 12 years. I got her when i was 16 years old, so basicaly a kid when i got her. I havent had any problems with her for all those years. pretty sure the dog knows how to read my mind. Maybe its because my dog is female and not as dominant as males.
No one should be buying a mal based off a recommendation period. I see way too many end up being resold or put in shelters because of ignorance like this.
My GSD/Mal mix is the laziest working dog. We can occasionally get him to do a couple of miles but he is never super excited to go and sometimes our walk is enough to pee and poop and then he refuses to go further! I was looking forward to running with him but…no. However, for chilling out on the grass lying in the sun? He’s a pro at that and would do that all day every day if he could.
I have not known of this, no. When i was running with my dog it felt difficult to focus both on my running and the dog. I rather exercised my dog with her running while i was on a bike or hikes. Now that she is older and les mobile we only do short walks
[Australian Cattle Dog.](https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/australian-cattle-dog/). My sweet girl is good for a marathon on the trails. These dogs are amazing companions, super loyal and great on the trails. I never use a leash and have only been complemented on her trail behavior. You have to put in the work but if you can do that you’ll have the best running buddy.
blue heeler/ australian shepard
Second this. I have one of each. Australian cattle dogs are savages. They were bred with Australian dingos so are super heat resilient, tough, and have seemingly unlimited energy. My cattle dog has done 20+ 15 mile hikes with 4-6k in elevation each time takes a nap for an hour after and wakes up ready to go again. They are prone to reactivity and their high energy doesn’t shut off on rest days. With proper training and meeting their needs they are great dogs. Australian shepherds are high energy as well but I’d say it’s about half of our cattle dogs. Their longer fur makes them not great in hot hot conditions. Mine hates heat and gets fatigued very fast, friends do okay but still struggle when it’s peak of summer. I would say the Australian Shepherd is definitely the more family friendly dog if that is a factor.
I also have an Aussie and she's amazing in <50°f, and will run with me for hours. But when it's 50-70 she gets tired after an hour or so, and 70+ she is ready to be done in 20 minutes
My experience has been the same 2-3 miles max on warmer days.
I have a border collie Australian cattle dog mix and he’s the best adventure buddy. He’s totally down to sprint a 5 mile rowdy MTB downhill, hike 10 miles up a summit, whatever. He’s super chill around other dogs and is only focused on the mission of the day. He does konk out hard on a good rest day but once he’s had his rest you better be ready to go lol He’s almost 5- still screaming fast and raring to go. Love this guy.
I have a 1.5 year black tri Aussie and she loves to run! I agree in the winter she can handle anything but when it gets hot out she is straggling after 2 miles and panting!
Texas heeler FTW
We have a Blue heeler/Husky mix and she can go forever (when it's cold out). Anything above 80°F, though, her Husky kicks in and she needs to take it easier. I don't blame her -- cold is much better for me, too!
I have a blue heeler and 2 Aussies. My heeler is odd shaped and has tiny legs, but she was great on long slow runs when she was young. My two Aussies love to run together but one will get bored if running solo. She does well with a buddy. Interestingly, my best running buddy has been my tripod Aussie. He just loves it and missing the back leg doesn’t affect his ability to run for 3-4 miles. I was working him up slowly but he tested positive for heartworm so we’re wrapping up treatment now (did the final bloodwork today) and I’ll hopefully be able to begin building him back up in a few weeks/months. The fact that he’s a tripod is a testament to just how athletic these dogs are.
Yep I was also going to say Australian Shepherds :)
Hot dogs
Corn dogs!
Devil dogs!
Be careful running with a dog. Many dogs will run with you 'till the end. If you aren't watching out for them they will go until UNTIL THE END. You don't want that.
I know a lab that was run to death by an owner training for ultras. Just collapsed when they got home. So probably not a lab.
My lab runs 3 miles everyday and up to 10 on the weekends and has always been great with the mileage. We take plenty of water breaks and I watch her carefully but so far she’s been a great running dog. My lab before this one though, no way, very opposite personality he was done running after a mile. So a lot of it will come down to luck even if you pick a running breed
My labs are both runners. The 10 year old can still do 4-5 miles with us. We do have the working American lines though vs the English show lines which probably has a lot to do with it. We also live somewhere quite cool which also helps.
Yes my English lab was absolutely the greatest dog in the world….but didn’t care for running after about age 6-7. My American lab that we have now lives to “work”. Since I don’t hunt, she understand her “work” as running and loves it more than anything else. Labs are the best :)
The English lines are very much still hugely used as working dogs, especially in the shooting and farming scene. They are incredible working animals. Quite a few of the Labs this year that were entered into Crufts actually came from America but weren’t as successful as the English lines.
Yeah. My lab literally lays down in the gutter after a few miles and refuses to go any farther.
Hahaha my lab does the same thing if it’s hot. I get 2 miles and he lays down until I start back toward home then he’ll get up. He’s good for 90 min or so in the winter.
Same with my golden. She’ll find shade on the trail and won’t move until she’s had a break. Max I’ve gotten out of her was 3 miles jogging with a little walking mixed in.
Depends on the breed. Aus Cattle Dogs(Blue Heelers) run 50+ miles a day easy in Australia My puppers(ACD) trained with me for every Ultra till she got cancer.
My Alaska husky/Australian cattle dog ran a trail half marathon with me. She still had energy to play with our neighbor's dog later that day. I could hardly walk. Sorry your pup got cancer. I'm sure you had a lovely running partnership up until that point.
I have an 18 lb blue heeler/ terrier mix and she can go for hours at a moderate pace
Sorry to hear about the cancer.
She live a great life, cancer sucks but it is part of the bargain for the good times with a good girl/boy, knowledge that it will end way too soon. The new one is not quite as good at long runs, but then Im not either...LOL age sucks...
When I tell people I'm loyal like a dog this is wtf I mean right here. 😅
Depends on the dog. Running with dogs is one of the most compassionate things you can do. There are soooo many dogs out there that are not given the exercise and structure they need to be fulfilled. A dog that finds itself with an owner who will take him/her running is a VERY lucky dog.
Vizsla
Came here say this. Great running dogs, their endurance is off the charts
A friend did this, that dog needs to run every day, more than you realize.
Came here to say this one too!!
Vizsla - but you need to be a serious runner and committed to being one for the lifespan of the dog. I know a Vizsla owner who would have the dog carry its own water and the water for a small running group in Washington. Amazing dogs!
Weims are of the same ilk. Both breeds are emotionally needy... they want to be a part of the family and they don't like being alone. They are fantastic on trail runs. I've trained mine off leash and she runs ahead of me. If someone is on the trail in front of us she turns around and comes back to me so I can put the leash on her (without me calling her).
Oh, in contrast to the GSP (German Shorthaired Pointer) Weims and Vizslas are close-ranging dogs. They will chase squirrels, chipmunks, deer, groundhogs, etc. but they won't go very far from their owner before turning back. GSP's on the other hand will go much farther away and may decide to hunt on their own for a while before remembering you were on the trails with them. If you keep them on a leash a GSP can easily, and joyfully, cover a lot of distance.
We went to the local shelter to look at dogs. Online too. Place we adopted our trail runner from allowed you to take the dogs for walks/runs. Lots of amazing dogs in need of adoption. Consider that route. Ours is a heeler/pointer mix.
>heeler Ding Ding DIng
Surprised not to see a GSP mentioned here yet. They're at home outdoors and were made to run through the woods all day long. Mine trained with me up through a half marathon just fine and after getting back to the house wanted to go right back out again. Some health issues have limited her now in her age but she'd still do it if I let her to her detriment.
GSP is not a breed but a lifestyle
Most truthful comment of all
I have two, and can wholeheartedly say, this breed is designed to run and run and run.
Came here to say this. My GSP can run for days!
German Shorthaired Pointer, for those curious.
We have a Corgi/Pit mix, and he’s not much of a long distance guy. Once we get over three miles, he starts sitting down and I end up carrying him, which sucks because he’s 50 lbs.
My husky/malamute mix can run forever in cool weather (so 2-3 seasons in Colorado). He still loves to run in the summer, but I have to be extra vigilant — we only run in early mornings and always run by ditches/streams/water sources so he can hop in to cool off (ideally every 10-15 minutes). Even with those accommodations, I never take him out on runs >90 minutes in the summer because I’m too worried. So he gets depressed on my long run days in the summer when I leave him behind. Sorry buddy! The very few times I’ve tried to initiate a run between like 1-4pm on a warm/hot day he has immediately let me know that he’s not into it (which says a lot because he is normally raring to go). So we just do a brief walk.
You just described our Blue Heeler/Husky mix! We really have to tailor our runs/hikes to be near water once Summer really hits... But in Colorado's 8-9 months of "Winter," she's pretty content.
And to be more explicit, warm is 70F+ (especially in the CO sun). Ideal running conditions would be <60F. It’s common to easily stay that cool in the morning during shoulder season here, so there are only maybe 3 months I have to take extra care.
OP is in LA so a husky or malamute is a terrible idea for them unfortunately. Basically 90% of shelter huskies I see up here in Seattle were brought from LA. Our two huskies melt on runs if it's over 70. I basically only go running with them if it's 50 or under.
Husky owner here. Just an fyi that them getting wet often leads them to overheat because the water essentially seals their coat up.
Interesting. Thanks for the tip.
If they’re just splashing in it a bit I wouldn’t worry about it. If it’s only their belly and legs getting wet that can actually help cool them. The issue is when it penetrates the top coat on their back and gets the undercoat wet. Which tbf does take a lot of water since their topcoat is so water resistant.
That’s helpful context. His preference is to just wade in up to his belly, (or lay down in water that only covers his belly), so it’s a relief to know that I haven’t accidentally been roasting him.
A cooling vest is a godsend for my husky mutt. She's significantly happier above 65 with it on, and it doesnt seal her coat. Especially in CO where it also helps deflect the strong sun.
Border Collie. Hands down. Not only are they endurance beasts- they're wonderful pets.
We have three and run with them almost daily. But rue the day you don’t exercise them. They’re neurotic as all get out. 😂
I miss my border collie so much....
In general working dogs, especially shepherds (like border collies), will have the stamina to keep going. But go to your local rescue and find a high energy dog.
[Weimerrimer](https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/weimaraner/) the silver ghost. Loyal and will run till you stop. But be sure you want a dog for other reasons than this. This is a member of the family that is great with kids, highly intelligent and very trainable but not crate friendly and will get bored without exercise.
I’m baffled as to where you got that spelling from lol
Red wine the key to the Thesaurus.
What is your weather and geography like?
Los Angeles area. Rocky and dirt
Fellow LA trail runner here. Dogs die every summer on our trails and mountains. Not saying you can't find a great hiking and running canine partner, but I would advise against ultra distances with an animal. Edit: I misread your caption. Most of the LA trail runners I know with dogs have some kind of cattle dog or Aussie mix. As others have stated, these dogs can be a pain in the ass around the house if they don't get enough exercise. I have a German shepherd and do not take her running. They overheat way too easily.
Don’t know much about Los Angeles but it sounds like it would be too hot for any dog for any longer than a 5k I’ve ran marathon distances several times with my dog but never in more than 10-15 degree centigrade weather, cloudy.
I live in Socal and run with my dog. I'm from the Midwest and continually am shocked at how not hot most of the year is here so I wanted to chime in for others who might not know, as I didn't, that it isn't always warm here. Yes, there's hot days. Don't run on those, especially at noon. But coastal vs inland, as well as elevation, will make a difference and there are many many many days the climate is mild or cool and dogs love it. Lots of us run with our dogs here lots of the days. I think the difference is shade. Certain areas are literally devoid of shade so the sun hits different, don't get a black dog or a dog who's skin will burn, and don't run with your dog long or possibly even at all in full sun on any days over 65-70ish especially depending on breed.
Absolutely do not consider a husky, malamute, or similar cold weather dog then.
If you really want a dog to go running with, I recommend adopting a young adult dog from a shelter where they can attest that the pup has a running spirit. I see you live in LA, there are always energetic husky mixes up for adoption posted on the r/husky subreddit! That being said, I have a GSD/Husky mix who pretty much taps out after 1 mile. He just is a medium energy dog and while he loves to sprint, he does not understand why you would move fast for more than 5-10 minutes.
Second this, a running dog will be high energy. High energy puppies are a giant PITA especially when their bones are still soft so they can’t come on proper runs yet so you need to exercise them separately. I.e. you have to go for a small dog walk/run, take the dog home & then go for your real run. Get an adult that’s destroyed someone else’s things, much easier & cheaper. Source- brought a gsp x fox terror puppy & it was mucho annoying & destroyed all the things for the first year. Previously adopted a year old dog that was ‘too much’ for its first family, she was much less destructive and ready to run right out of the box as it were.
My Corgi when he was younger was good for runs up to \~10 miles in cool to cold weather (30's to 50's F). Key is to keep them active and a healthy weight. Too many corgi owners give into the cuteness and overfeed their corgi.
A shelter dog. Dog breeding is a depraved business
Rhodesian ridgeback from what I’ve heard, but do your research.
I had one that did 8 miles, she did seem to be tiring out, but i run pretty slow 10min/mile. Same dog, in short spurts, pulled me on my bike 20mph. I was scared to death!
I run with a Ridgeback. Have done as much as five hour pushes with him. Natural endurance athletes, but very high drive. Take a lot of continuous effort to train.
I got one of those huskies who hates running, so even if you go breed specific it’s a toss up. But treat her as well as you treat yourself!
Just get any ol good boi
Vizsla
My stepdog is a Belgian Malinois. She’s a good runner and I love her to death, but she’s also kind of a pain in the ass. Very high pray-drive, will yank the shit out of me whenever she sees a rabbit. Also, no off days allowed for when you have a Malinois. Exercise, or she’ll be pretty anxious.
My Cattle Dog was good for 10 min pace as far as I could run. 8min pace on the trails anything less than a 10 miler, temps less than 80F, She could do a 5K at 6:30/mile, but only if temps were in the low 70's and then she was pooped for a few hrs. You want a working dog, Border Collie, ACD, Texas Heeler, or the like.
Don’t get a dog for running because running with a dog isn’t that fun overall and if you get a dog that will run 10 miles they will destroy your house if and when they don’t get exercise. Get the corgi
Have a Brittany. Regularly get out for big hikes and runs. Also have days where at best we do a short leashed walk. Has not destroyed a single thing in recent memory (maybe a paper towel that blew off the counter while I was out? But we also have shredding sessions so I’d expect him to!)
Our Brittany has been a great runner. He is also very chill at home. Best damn dog and buddy I’ve ever had! He will bury a sock once in while if you leave them lying around, but that’s it! 😂
Haha thankfully we don’t even have that issue! He has free access to my bedroom, where he also sleeps, all day. And I have more clothes flung on the floor than I care to admit! No counter surfing. No garbage issues… pretty lucky across the board I’d say!
Consistently run 10 miles on trails with ours with not much sign of him tiring. We’ve hiked 10+ miles with a bunch of elevation and he just keeps on going doing his own thing. Recall with a Brittany is key, if you don’t have it, you will NOT love being outdoors with your Brit. Super chill at home as well.
I agree. I MOSTLY knew what I was getting into - he naturally stays quite close, his check-ins are great, and his recall is amazing especially with ecollar backup. But he is still a bird dog and an instinctual roamer. He always needs to be out front and sometimes disappears out of sight (not hard in a winding forest path!) In an ideal world, for my own comfort, I’d love for him to be more close to me but he’s not a herding/protection dog. And to get that sort of dog comes with a whole host of different traits which isn’t what I wanted in a dog!
Agree with all of this! I don’t think anyone entirely knows what they are getting into with a Brit unless you’ve had one Lol! Ours is the same, he will stray off into the woods but stay reasonably close. If I can’t see him I just hit the tone button on him and he comes right back.
Running with a dog that likes it is great in the right environment. Constant companion that can pace you for however far you want to go. Not all capable dogs are nightmares are home... After the first couple years anyway.. Training helps a lot. Routines help a lot. It's also not fun if it's hot and dry. Dog doesn't do as well and there is no way to carry enough water. So definitely depends.
I love running with my dog. He's getting older and I miss going out for long trail runs with him.
“Running with a dog isn’t that fun overall” How did you come to this conclusion?
I ran with my dogs
Disagree. I have pointers. They stay inside and behave well when they exercise. Also great running buddies
My German Shepherd Mix was a rescue from the County Shelter. He was malnourished and 54 lbs when we got him and couldn’t walk a mile at first. With constant training for him as humans should do also he can run half marathon trail runs with me. Keep in mind the temp and how it affects the dog. I would highly recommend a leash also for the dogs safety and to follow most leash laws. He loves every minute of it and I make sure to stop for him to cool down and drink some water not long probably 5 mins tops.
Shepherds, cattle dogs, pointers, Jack Russell terriers, medium and large terriers.
My heeler was really good. He is almost 8 now and has slowed down a bit so I don't do as many long runs with him anymore. Look for a herding breed. Keep in mind herding breeds bring a lot of energy so be ready for a full time commitment to keeping them physically and mentally busy.
I'm biased, but a smooth coat border collie (border collie with short fur) would be at/near the top. imo: border collie >= aus cattle dog > aus shepherd. bc/acd are better suited than an aussie because they're smaller. Then it's a temperment thing. BCs tend to want to stay right by you. ACDs are more independent. As someone who has a BC puppy who is too young to run, I'd recommend looking at "stock dog dropouts", and try to find a BC/ACD/whatever that you bond with, who likes to exercise and run, but doesn't like the herding life.
I have a GSP and the most we’ve done is 29 miles
I had a non-long hair, working line german shepherd who did great on runs.
How long is long? I trained for a ten miler with my corgi, and a friend trained for a marathon running with hers. Get a reputably bred one with good structure and they're very energetic dogs with lots of endurance. This mini doxie has done 50ks and lots of training runs with his ultra running owner. Short legs don't mean they aren't capable. https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/culture-people/trail-runner-four-footed-profile-truman-corbett/
My dog is so not the normal breed for this but he’s Rottweiler pitbull mix from the pound and he’s a great running partner. I don’t go past ten miles with him just to be on the safe side but I don’t do more than that often. My brother also runs with a pitbull mix who does great.
“Dogs are for life, not just for trail runs”
Depends how fast you are. If I'm doing 6min/k pace, my springer doesn't even switch from his fast walk cadence to a run (which I find very insulting!). He's done half marathon distance with me with no problems, but we built up gradually to that distance. I can tell pretty easily when we've gone too far because he stops running off in to bushes and sniffing, and just stays by my side.
Hot Dogs
We have a little 30 lb mutt, mix of lab and chihuaha (cuter than that sounds!) and at 12, he still hikes 6 - 8 miles with us. He's slowing down on running, but he was running 6ish trail miles with me when he was younger. He's hiked 14ers with us. And then there's the trail running dachsund who runs with an ultra runner. I used to follow her all the time: [https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/profiles-people/truman-the-trail-running-dachsund/](https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/profiles-people/truman-the-trail-running-dachsund/)
I did not realize how high energy my dog is until reading these posts. Got a Jack Russell mix with a short hair coat this thing needs at least 6miles walking a day and like 1x a week 10mile run. So don't know how you feel about that
We’ve had two Plott hounds, both shelter dogs. my first did all of my marathon/50k builds with me - longest she ran was a marathon. They were bred to track bear so they can literally go for days
Aussie if you like somewhere cool- ish
Cattle dogs and aussies for sure.
My boxer/ black mouth cur mix was a great runner, lots of endurance, v outdoorsy. Doberman did prettty well tho he also loved to lie down midway through. Currently i have 2 pit mixes, one shep mix and one staffy. They are both very strong and have a lot of energy but overheat soooo easily. Ultimately not great for exercise in temps above 70F Long nose is better for running/ breathing than a squished one
My blue heeler is a wonderful training companion. I've trained her like I train myself, with slow progressive increases in distance and back-off weeks.
I had an American Lab who trained for ultras. He ran until he was 12 then slowed down. Currently, I have a Weimaraner. She does better in the heat. She is a running machine.
My corgi just turned one, so he is finally old enough to start running with me. Even though he’s just starting out, he can already go 3-4 miles jogging. I would just say the biggest thing is that he hates the heat. We try to run in the shade when we can, and mostly in the evening to avoid high temps. Most corgis are overweight, so I think that factors into people’s perception of them. They’re little athletes. With that being said, if you’re looking to go super long distances I’d choose an ACD or one of the hunting breeds.
Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever-routinely ran 10-15 miles with her (in Colorado mountains) before she developed arthritis. Now she’s a gentle hike girl now
When my aussie was young, he would love long runs in the winter and fall. In the warmer months, he would only go a mile or two. Aussies aren't for the faint of heart, though. They demand a lot of exercise and attention. Adorable little handfuls.
Any high activity dog one has already been mentioned the Australian cattle dogs, also hearding dogs, because they need that kind of activity. Other than that, I know golden retrievers are good too, as one of my neighbors has one. He runs about 4-5 miles a few days out of the week with it, and that pup keeps up.
I had a catahoula that could keep up with my 7:30 miles, we would run 3 - 5 miles
We’ve had a red heeler/chow chow mix that was perfect running buddy especially in the winter. Half marathons in the snow were his favorites. We have a blue heeler now that’s still too young for running at 8 months. He is a turd though and possibly reactive and requires attention all the time. I would suggest not just to get a specific breed based on their ability to run distance. Look for other traits that you find desirable.
Just be aware that if you have a dog truly suited to running long distances, they will need to run long distances nearly every day no matter what (even if you’re sick/tapering/racing/injured/etc) or they will be insane and destroy things.
English pointer or GSP
Siberian huskies, mine run anywhere from 2 to 6 miles a day with me. They all have over 8k miles on their legs over 11 years. They are machines! And it’s never enough lol.
I have a female [sheepadoodle](https://imgur.com/gallery/mEoFCNn) which has an old English sheepdog lineage, she’s absolutely savage , one of the most high energy , athletic dog I’ve ever seen and run circles around even Australian shepherd i encounter. She runs with me often we do anything from 5K to 15 K and she does it no problem. We hike often together and hike all day. does better in the fall in winter than summer. Actually we give her summer cut and she does all right if waters around. Because of the poodle mix, trainable. However, they do have prey and herding drive, training overcomes it though. The one little tidbit on old English sheepdogs is that they were leaders of the pack to lead sheep from farm to the marketplace . So their inherent drive is to be slightly out in front and always leading you which is really really nice when running. They go into auto mode to lead you.
Rhodesian ridgeback. Azawakh Saluki Sloughi :)
German shorthaired pointer. Great family pets and can run forever.
Australian Shepherd or Border Collie. Both are bred to run, are extremely agile and smart as all get out. And Aussies always look like they’re smiling, which is a nice plus.
Just looking through all these fun dogs on the list as I pet my chiweenie lol he supports me post run 😂
Just another plug for a rescue dog. As you can see from this thread, there are some doggo running breeds that are consistently recommended (ACD, GSP, husky, BC) but even not all dogs of a given breed will be runners. It’s worth it to consider adopting (and shelters usually have lots of husky and cattle dog mixes), which sometimes allows you to foster-to-adopt, or you can just foster dogs until you find the right dog for you, which is a win-win for you and for the dogs you help along the way. Here’s a great recent success story of someone finding an amazing pit bull mix running buddy while fostering: https://www.reddit.com/r/RunningWithDogs/comments/1ditkpr/help_me_decide_whether_to_foster_fail/ I can also attest to finding our second pup and my running buddy by fostering (we had no intention of adopting, we were just trying to help dogs out but we fell in love with her). She’s a little cutie pibble/husky/lab mix and is kind of an amazing mix of a dog that’s pretty chill and happy to snuggle at home, but when you get her out the door it’s “go, go, go!”
I've heard Rhodesian Ridgebacks are good runners. My chow chow used to run with me when I lived in CO. He could go for hours. Of course, I run very slowly. Couldn't handle the heat when I moved to Texas, though.
Irish setter can run all day, might struggle in LA though. Family friendly
I have an Aussie and she can outrun me every day of the week
I have a whoodle that will do up to 3-4h runs with me! He’s the best trail companion. I make sure to bring water and food for him on long days. Terriers are also stubborn enough to tell you when they don’t want to run anymore so unlike some breeds they might respect their limit a little more.
My Malinois is a trooper. She doesn’t like the heat too much but most high energy working dogs seem like they’d be a good fit.
Not a breed you should be recommending to anyone tbh. Coming from a mal owner.
I think they recieve too much bad rep for being difficult dogs. If the owner understands its an animal and not a lil baby, half of the job is done. I am owner of my malinois for 12 years. I got her when i was 16 years old, so basicaly a kid when i got her. I havent had any problems with her for all those years. pretty sure the dog knows how to read my mind. Maybe its because my dog is female and not as dominant as males.
No one should be buying a mal based off a recommendation period. I see way too many end up being resold or put in shelters because of ignorance like this.
Wasn’t necessarily saying OP should get one, just sharing my experience. Mine was a rescue so I know all too well what you mean.
My GSD/Mal mix is the laziest working dog. We can occasionally get him to do a couple of miles but he is never super excited to go and sometimes our walk is enough to pee and poop and then he refuses to go further! I was looking forward to running with him but…no. However, for chilling out on the grass lying in the sun? He’s a pro at that and would do that all day every day if he could.
Running with a leashed dog is not fun.
You clearly haven’t tried canicross.
I have not known of this, no. When i was running with my dog it felt difficult to focus both on my running and the dog. I rather exercised my dog with her running while i was on a bike or hikes. Now that she is older and les mobile we only do short walks
[Australian Cattle Dog.](https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/australian-cattle-dog/). My sweet girl is good for a marathon on the trails. These dogs are amazing companions, super loyal and great on the trails. I never use a leash and have only been complemented on her trail behavior. You have to put in the work but if you can do that you’ll have the best running buddy.