Canicross · running with dogs · UK trails
Two ends of one line.
At one end, a dog who'd happily run all day. At the other, you: your back, your knees, your shoes in the mud. These guides cover both ends, plus the trails, weather and rules that catch UK runners out.
- Sore back after a run? The belt is almost certainly too high. It belongs on your hips, not your waist. Fit it properly
- Same weight, different harness A harness that rubs or slips is usually a shape problem, not a size problem. Match it to your dog
- Nice running weather? Not necessarily for your dog. Dogs overheat far faster than we do when they're working. Check the safe limits
The roadmap
Check the dog, try the kit, build up slowly, then find your people.
Most beginners do it in the opposite order. Here's the order that saves money and sore shoulders, step by step.Starting canicross
- Twelve months is the earliest start, not the target. Age, fitness and temperament, rescue dogs included.
- Borrow before you buy. The beginner kit that matters, and what can wait.
- The right to roam isn't a right to run anywhere. And open access land has a lead rule most runners haven't heard of.
- Your first race, found. Where UK canicross events are listed and how entering works.
Running with your dog
Not every dog needs to race. If you just want your dog along on your normal runs, start here.
A safe first month, week by weekYour end of the line
Belts, lines and what you wear
Most canicross aches start at the human end. The dog's pull should go through your hips, with an elastic line taking out the jolts.
How to wear a canicross belt- Belt creeping up to your ribs?Five fixes, in the order to try them.
- A standard two-metre line can be too short.How stretch and length suit your dog and your pace.
- Piecing kit together is how fit goes wrong.When a starter set is the safer buy.
- Your shoes matter more than your jacket.What to wear for UK mud and rain.
When running isn't fast enough
Bikejoring
Canicross on wheels: the dog out front, you on a bike. Brilliant for high-energy dogs, and unforgiving if the basics aren't in place.
- What it is and how to start, including where in the UK you're allowed to ride.
- Drive isn't the same as reactivity. Is your dog built for it?
- The part everyone forgets keeps the line out of your front wheel.
- Why a road bike is the wrong bike, and what to ride instead.
- Canicross, bikejoring or scootering? Which suits you and your dog.
Trail days and hot days
Longer walks, warm weather and what's actually worth carrying.
What to pack for a UK dog walk
A cooling vest goes over the harness
Not instead of it. Which vest suits running, and which suits a pub walk.
Ten per cent is the starting limit
How to size a dog's pack and load it without rubbing.
Yes, dogs can drink too much on a run
How much water to carry, and the warning signs either way.
Most dogs don't need boots
But grit, stones and hot sand change that. How to tell for yours.Running in the heat specifically? Read safe temperatures for running with your dog before your next summer run.
The Canicross Starter Checklist
Kit, harness fit and the first few sessions, on one page you can keep by the door.
Get the Free Checklist