I'm getting a running partner for Christmas!

CUTE!

We have a wonderful black lab/german shorthair mix.  She LOVES to run with me, any distance. She gets excited when she sees me put on my running gear.  She wasn't too thrilled when I got into tri because she only gets to go on 1/3 of my workouts.

She'll go do several miles with me and still want to play ball when we get back.  She's young enough that I'll probably have to give up running before she does!

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Yep, giant schnauzer and standard poodle mix.  I've heard that it's virtually impossible to 'wear out' a giant schnauzer, so I imagine she'll run ME into the ground eventually.

I've known a few of them (never owned one) and they are machines!

How did you get her to wear the red scarf??

I also have a Rottweiler german shepherd mix. He used to be a great running partner then he hurt his knee playing with his friends and had to have surgery. 

Waiting is the hardest part!  Actually our vet gave us the go ahead to start our boxer running after her one year check up (she was probably 14 months then) but with limitations of not over 30 minutes and no back to back days until over 18 months.  Now (24 months) she goes bananas when she just sees us getting dress in running clothes.  She will go bang on her harness and leash with her nose giving the thumbs up that she is ready to go! If the weather is cool, 9 miles is nothing.

I know it is a looooong way away, but put these two links as bookmarks for later:

http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1771

http://www.buddysys.com/Regular-Dog-P44.aspx

These came to us highly recommended by other bigtime dog runners and they were absolutely right, these two items (hands free leash and harness) are great.    I really really really stress you get a padded harness for running regardless if you go hands free.  The harness will in no way restrict their breathing and won't slip off. 

Other words of advice if you want a good running companion...start the verbal "running" commands early.  I use heel (obviously), left/right/straight (at intersections so they know where you are going), other side (meaning to run on my other side), stop, go, and walk.  You can teach all of these when they are a pup on a leash instead of trying to teach them when you start running.  Oh yeah...teach them how to drink out of a fuel belt bottle too (we get some funny looks at 5am with this one)! 

Good luck and happy waiting!

So adorable!  We've wanted a dog for a while now (but can't until we move back to the states) and you're not helping by posting such cute pictures! 

(but, of course, please post more pics!)

Awesome, thanks for all the advice!  I didn't even think about working on the commands now, but that makes perfect sense.  I will definitely be doing a lot of leash walking for her even though our other dogs don't get as much (we live on a farm, so they get plenty of focused exercise off leash).  And I love the idea of teaching her how to drink from my bottles - great tip!

This is a shot of what one of her 'older siblings' (same parents, previous litter) looked like at 10 months old with the breeder.  This photo was the one that totally sold me on the breed!