Running in Miami with Your Four-Legged Friend
Thinking of making your pup a your partner while running in Miami? Our city is the perfect place to start with beautiful trails that are pet- and pedestrian- friendly. Your pet can be a running partner who goes out rain or shine and will never cancel on your running date- imagine that! In addition, this gives you a chance to bond with your best furry friend, plus keep you both healthy and fit.
Running in Miami with your pet may seem as simple as throwing on a pair of Nikes and grabbing a leash, but for a successful journey you need to be prepared. Once your veterinarian has cleared your dog for running (and you ease into it with a new running pup!), check out these tips on useful accessories for you and your dog and where to find them in the Miami area.
Get your pup geared up! You and your pup partner need the correct gear to let you fully benefit and avoid injury to both parties. These can include:
- Hands-Free Short Leash
- Waste Bag Dispenser clips
- Folding Water Pouch & water
- Reflective or Light up Vest, Collar and Leash (If running in dark)
- Doggy Back Pack (Keep yourself hands free and store supplies)
- Dog Safe Sunscreen (The Miami sun can be a scorcher! Dogs have sensitive skin too!)
- Doggles (Sunglasses for dogs- ok, maybe not practical for running, but they’re cute for after!)
Visit your local REI, PetSmart, or head to the Web!
- Ruff Wear Inc. – Build performance dog wear so pets can accompany us on our adventures.
- Other popular sites: StuntPuppies.com, cardiocanine.com, buddysys.com, granitegear.com and runningdawg.com
Stock up on running equipment at local running stores:
SoleRUNNERS
Address: 11650 N Kendall Drive Miami, FL 33176
Phone: 305-595-RUNS (7867)
Email: customerservice@solerunners.com
SoleRUNNERS was formed by a team of fitness and running experts who share an affection for an active and healthy lifestyle. The store offers a variety of knowledge, apparel, footwear, accessories and nutritional supplements to feed every athletes need.
11Runners
Address: 1055 SE 1st Ave Miami, FL 33131
Phone: 305-358-0400
Email: INFO@11RUNNERS.COM
Passionate runners and Venezuelan natives, Daniel Martinez and Cristina Abuhazi, created 11Runners in 2011 and haven’t looked back. Located in the heart of Mary Brickell Village, 11 Runners offers a wide variety of sportswear and accessories targeted to runners and triathletes. The store offers running apparel, shoes, nutritional products and accessories.
The Runner’s High
11209 S. Dixie Highway Pinecrest/Miami, FL 33156
Phone: 305-255-1500
The Runners High was founded by Bruce R. Wilk and Byron Kilbert. Bruce is a lifelong runner, amateur triathlete, and physical therapist with a passion of treating running specific injuries. Byron is a retail footwear specialist with an incredible 20 years of experience. Together a beautiful partnership was born to provide a running store for people of all ages and levels of fitness. They specialize in gait analysis and determine the right shoe for your foot and physical activity. They offer athletic apparel, footwear, sports medicine needs, and nutrition.
Now that you know where to get materials and will be outfitted to begin this adventure here are the last few tips to get you started with the right paw forward.
Running Tips with Your Dog:
- Remain in charge: Warm your dog up first, let her sniff and have her potty break. Once you get into the run, you want to avoid letting the dog pull you every which way. You should lead your pup in what you expect from her. Letting your pup pull every which way can make a run difficult and create a negative experience for you both. Don’t let your dog run you! You are running together.
- Keep your hands free: To improve running endurance, keeping your hands free allows the runner to keep a natural motion and not lean one way or another. Also, it can save your shoulders and back from tensing when a dog pulls. Having a leash around your waste is a huge comfort and health benefit!
- Prepare for weather: Hot, Cold, Rain, Snow or Shine be prepared with the correct equipment. Read our vital tips for running and walking dogs in Miami.
- Hydration: Make sure you and your pet drink water before and after the run, being careful to not overdo it.
- Vet visit: Most importantly visit the vet to make sure Fido is fit for the training that lies ahead!
By having the correct accessories and knowledge you can better enjoy the exercise and experience with your pet. Here’s to your most successful and fun runs yet!
A founding member of the Equipaws family, Frankie can mostly be found working behind the scenes, helping co-create online branding, managing several social media accounts, designing brand collateral, writing copy, and managing events. She also fills in for pet sitters and dog walkers when needed in Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, and South Miami. Her own small pack consists of Boots the Shih Tzu mix and Nutmeg the Chiweenie.
