A Cautionary Tale About Running Around Dogs

By Cathy M. Rosenthal

Running around your dogs? Here’s a cautionary tale that shows why dogs should do all the chasing!

Sitting in a local coffee shop, I noticed a woman with casts on both wrists, carefully balancing her coffee cup as best she could. Curious, and always happy to strike up a conversation, I asked what had happened. She smiled and shared her story.

Rona has a 60-pound dog named Charlie, whom she absolutely adores. Charlie is her big, playful companion; they often spend time in the yard together. One afternoon, she tossed a toy across the yard, expecting Clyde to fetch it. When he didn’t immediately go for it, she decided to make things more exciting. “I thought if I acted like I was going to beat him to it, he’d race after it,” she said.

Big mistake.

Dogs can run much faster than humans. Charlie, eager for the game, sprinted past her, darted in front, and grabbed the toy. Mission accomplished, he stopped abruptly.  Rona, however, was still running at full speed and couldn’t stop in time. She tripped over Charlie, fell onto the patio, and broke both her wrists. For the next six weeks, she’ll be navigating life in double casts, sharing this cautionary tale with friends—and likely swearing off racing games with Charlie for good.

Many people run safely with their dogs, but they do so under controlled conditions. Dogs accustomed to running alongside their owners on a leash are easier to manage. Running around an unleashed, playful dog, however, adds unpredictability. At some point, the dog may dart in front of you, stop suddenly, or change direction, and before you know it, you’re on the ground.

I know this all too well. A few years ago, I played with two excited puppies on my patio. Before I realized it, they got underfoot and I lost fell and broke my wrist. However, the incident that stood out most for me happened when I was in the sixth grade. I was at the bus stop waiting to go to school when I noticed a neighbor’s dog wandering on the street. I was worried he might not find his way back home. Feeling responsible for him, I started running toward his house to get him to follow. It worked, sort of. The dog eagerly chased me, bounding along as if it were the best game ever. But as dogs often do, he suddenly sprinted ahead, darted in front of me, and stopped abruptly. I tripped over him, hit the pavement hard, and tore the tendons in my wrist. I spent nine months in a cast and learned a painful lesson about how to behave around dogs.

Looking back, my intentions were good, but my approach was far from ideal. Running to lead a dog might seem logical at the moment, but it’s unpredictable and risky—for both the person and the dog. A better approach would have been to calmly coax the dog with a gentle voice or lure him with a treat. But as a fourth-grader, I simply didn’t know better (and I didn’t have any treats at the time).

The lesson here? Whether you’re exercising or playing, it’s important to stay mindful of your movements around your dog:

• You can train your dog to run next to you by starting with basic leash training, ensuring they walk calmly by your side and respond to commands like “heel.” Gradually introduce short jogging intervals, rewarding your dog for staying close, and increasing speed and distance as they build confidence and endurance.
• When playing, let your dog do the running and focus on being a goalkeeper, encouraging him to bring toys back to you.
• Around small, excitable dogs, move more slowly to avoid stepping on or tripping over them.

These simple strategies can help prevent falls and keep you and your dog safe.

The woman in the coffee shop adjusted her casts and said, “Yeah, I definitely know better now.”

Cathy is a longtime animal advocate, syndicated pet columnist, animal welfare consultant, and children’s author. Send your pet questions to moc.tidnuptepobfsctd-5b3014@yhtac. For more information, visit CathyRosenthal.com.