Jeff began working with the puppy by tak- ing her on walks with a six foot leash, training her to stay on his left side. When she was around a year old, Jeff began with taking her for shorter runs, gradually increasing their length. As part of her train- ing, he also mixed in running and walking to help ease Kuma into it. “She took to running right away,” said
Jeff. “She was so in tune with walking that running just seemed the natural next step.” Kuma has never run on the wrong side
of a mailbox or sign. “She knows to stay on the same side as me. We never end up wrapped around anything - except on the rare occasion when a squirrel gets her attention,” laughed Jeff. One of the most important tips Jeff
stresses for running with a dog is to learn to recognize the signs of fatigue. “As long as Kuma’s tail and ears are up, she is good. When they start to droop, it is time to take her home.” Early in their training, Jeff noticed
something else about Kuma. “In hot weather, she would want to stop and spread out in heavy dewy grass. She was cooling herself by getting herself damp. Now, I find that if I give her 10 to 15 seconds, she rolls over one side, then the other, gets up, shakes if off and is ready to go again. She does this every couple of miles. Sometimes, dogs are smarter than we are.” Jeff blames the Labrador half of Kuma
for her wanting to pick up and swallow all manner of junk along the road. “I have to keep a good eye on her, and my running group does too. They have heard me say ‘drop it’ so many times that they will tease me whenever I say it - which is often.” At a race, Kuma is a great icebreaker.
“Runners are, for the most part, pretty social. Having Kuma around attracts all kinds of people and sparks conversations
REGARDING OTHER RUNNERS, JEFF ODELL HAS THESE SUGGESTIONS:
Jeff Odell, Kuma and their Tampa running group.
on how she was trained and what is her longest run (13 miles). Many people tell me of their successes or failures at getting their dogs to run with them,” said Jeff. Thankfully, Kuma has never been the
cause of any mishaps with Jeff or the run- ning groups. “Although, she has seen me trip during a run. While I’m on the ground nursing my wounds, she kind of looks at me as if she’s saying, ‘hey, this is not part of the game.’” For Jeff, having Kuma in his life has
been very rewarding. “Finding activities that your dog can participate in with you makes the dog part of your family and everyday life. In that sense, I’m like any dog owner that likes their dog around in varying circumstances.”
•Make sure your group is comfortable with dogs. Not everyone is a dog lover like you. If someone in the group is just afraid of dogs I won’t bring Kuma. Thankfully, my Saturday morning group consists of all dog people. •Teach your dog to run in a consistent position relative to you. In my case, Kuma runs to my left. I then run to the left of the group and keep myself between her and the next runner. Doing this will allow the rest of the group to trust your dog. •If you go to a dog friendly race and are mixed in with regular runners, stay to the back and the outside. •Please, don’t take your dog to a race that doesn’t explicitly advertise pets will be included. It isn’t fair to the other runners. •Don’t use an adjustable leash. I use a six foot leash that also has a handle-like loop near the dog in case I need to grab it and pull her in tight. I do not use one of those ‘hands free’ leashes that attaches around your waist. I don’t want my 65 pound dog, upon seeing a squirrel or a duck, to pull me over. And, I’m more comfortable holding the leash in my hand.
Finally (from THE NEW BARKER): No one wants to step on poop during a run or hike. Have a plan and proper gear for disposal. And, NO. Leaving a stinky bag under a bush is not a plan.
Knowing he has to walk or run Kuma
continues to motivate Jeff. “When a personal or family issue arises and you don’t feel like getting out there, knowing Kuma will enjoy it gets me going when I otherwise might not want to.”
U
The 2017 Goody Goody Turkey Gobble 5k and 8k Run For A Cause will be on November 23, Thanksgiving Day. 7am start time. Co-sponsored in part by THE NEW BARKER and Reeves Import Motorcars/Volkswagen, the race is dog-friendly. The race starts and ends in Downtown Tampa, outside the Amalie Arena. Last year’s race helped raise more than $40,000 to support LIVESTRONG at the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA for cancer survivors and their families. A delicious post race breakfast will be provided by Goody Goody Famous Burgers. Sign up at
www.RunSignUp.com For social media updates, see Tampa Turkey Gobble on Facebook. (Left): Reeves Volkswagen will provide the official Pace Car.
56 THE NEW BARKER
www.TheNewBarker.com
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