Canicross is often seen simply as a great way to get fit and enjoy the outdoors with your dog, but for some dogs – particularly those who are nervous, anxious or easily overwhelmed – the benefits can go much further.
In a special episode of Talk Canicross, we go behind the scenes of ITV’s The Joy of Pets, after DogFit was approached by the production team to showcase Canicross for the new series. We’re joined by DogFit Trainer Richard Green, dog trainer Elisa from Woodland Pet Services, and Canicrosser Bev, whose rescue dog Cerys featured in the programme.
While filming at Alice Holt was a fantastic experience, the story behind Cerys’s appearance is perhaps even more special. It’s a story of a nervous and overwhelmed rescue dog, an owner determined to help her, and how a combination of training, Canicross and the right support helped Cerys grow in confidence and strengthen the bond between them.
When everyday life becomes a challenge
When Bev adopted Cerys at around a year old, she quickly realised she had taken on a dog who needed a great deal of patience and support. Cerys had experienced very little training or socialisation and was anxious, easily overwhelmed and highly stressed. She also had separation anxiety, a strong prey drive and would lunge towards other dogs; even her own shadow could frighten her.
For Bev, everyday walks became increasingly difficult. Going out meant constantly thinking ahead about what they might encounter, how Cerys might react and how best to manage each situation. Like many owners of sensitive dogs, she found herself choosing quieter routes, avoiding other dogs and trying to anticipate anything that could cause a reaction.
As Bev describes it, when you live with a dog who finds the world overwhelming, your own world can gradually start to shrink too. It is very easy to begin micromanaging every situation and, although this comes from wanting to protect your dog, the constant tension can make it harder for both of you to relax.
Finding something they could enjoy together
After almost a year with Cerys, Bev began looking for an activity they could do together. She wanted to get back into running but knew that running with Cerys off lead wasn’t an option, so when she heard about Canicross, she found Richard through the DogFit website and decided to give it a try.
They started with one-to-one sessions, which gave Richard the opportunity to understand Cerys and her behaviour before introducing her to a group environment. One of the early challenges was simply helping Cerys focus, as there was so much happening around her that running in front of Bev wasn’t necessarily top of her agenda.
Richard tried giving Cerys a ball to carry and the difference was noticeable. Having something to do gave her a focus and, with another dog ahead to follow, she began to understand the task. Within just a few sessions, Cerys was more focused and Bev began to relax too.
Confidence travels down the line
This became an important part of their journey because living with an anxious dog can affect the owner just as much as the dog. When you are constantly anticipating a reaction, it is natural to become tense yourself, gripping the line more tightly, worrying about what other people think and feeling responsible for controlling every situation.
One of the benefits of working with an experienced Canicross trainer is having someone else there to help manage the wider environment. Richard could consider where Cerys should run within the group, how much space she needed and what was happening around them, leaving Bev free to concentrate on Cerys and enjoy the experience of running with her.
As Bev became more relaxed and confident, Cerys responded too. Instead of every outing being something that needed to be carefully managed, Canicross gradually became something positive they could share.
Giving a sensitive dog choices
Alongside Canicross, Bev also began working with Elisa at Woodland Pet Services. Elisa had experienced the challenges of living with a sensitive dog herself after adopting her rescue Patterdale Terrier, Pip, and that experience led her to explore positive, dog-centred approaches to training and ultimately establish Woodland Pet Services.
With Cerys, Elisa introduced Bev to ACE Free Work, an approach that gives dogs opportunities to explore, make choices and work things out for themselves. For Bev, it was a real eye-opener because she began to recognise that constantly trying to manage Cerys wasn’t necessarily helping her.
Giving Cerys appropriate opportunities to make her own choices helped build her confidence, while the training and Canicross began to complement one another. What Bev was learning in a training environment could be put into practice when they were outside together, giving Cerys the chance to develop those skills in the real world.
Becoming part of the group
When Bev and Cerys first progressed to group Canicross sessions, they kept their distance from the other dogs. This allowed Cerys to experience being part of a group without the pressure of being right in the middle of it, and over time that distance began to reduce.
As her stress levels came down, Cerys became better able to interact appropriately with other dogs and her social skills began to develop. She progressed from running at the back to being able to run alongside dogs she knew, something that would have been extremely difficult when Bev first adopted her.
It highlights one of the potential benefits of Canicross for sensitive dogs. They don’t necessarily have to interact directly with other dogs but can instead have a job to do, move together in the same direction and gradually become accustomed to being around other dogs at a level they can manage.
More than physical exercise
Exercise and mental stimulation are obvious benefits of Canicross, but Cerys’s story demonstrates that there can be much more to it. For some sensitive dogs, a structured activity can provide focus and purpose, while for their owners, having the support of an experienced trainer can remove some of the pressure that comes with constantly trying to manage difficult situations.
Perhaps most importantly, it gives dog and owner something positive to share. Rather than every walk being about what might go wrong, they have a reason to get outside, work together and enjoy each other’s company.
Around 18 months into their Canicross journey, life looks very different for Bev and Cerys. They have now taken part in Canicross races together, with Cerys able to cope with the noise and excitement of a start line surrounded by other dogs. They’ve even progressed to agility, with Cerys working off lead around other dogs – something Bev once couldn’t have imagined.
Behind the scenes of The Joy of Pets
Then came another experience Bev certainly hadn’t anticipated – appearing on national television.
When DogFit was approached by the production team behind ITV’s The Joy of Pets, it was an opportunity to show Canicross to a much wider audience. Richard brought together a group of runners and dogs with a wide range of experience, from people who had been running with him since his very first Couch to 5K course to relatively new Canicrossers and some of his “sensitive souls”.
Filming at Alice Holt involved rather more stopping and starting than the dogs were used to, along with cameras, GoPros and drones. Cerys took it all remarkably well, although she did apparently decide that chasing the drone was an excellent incentive to run faster!
For Bev, the interview proved more emotional than she had expected. Talking about everything she and Cerys had been through brought home just how far they had come and helped communicate something that can be difficult to explain to people who haven’t experienced Canicross.
It isn’t simply about running with your dog. For Bev and Cerys, it has been part of a much bigger journey together.
Could Canicross help your sensitive dog?
If you have a nervous, anxious or reactive dog, joining a Canicross group may feel like the last thing you would want to do. You may worry that your dog will bark or lunge, that everyone else’s dogs will be perfectly behaved, or perhaps that you aren’t enough of a runner to join in.
Those concerns don’t necessarily mean Canicross isn’t for you. Every dog is different and Canicross isn’t a replacement for appropriate behavioural support where that is needed, but with the right introduction and an experienced trainer, it can provide a positive and structured activity for many dogs and their owners.
Bev’s advice to anyone considering it is simple: talk to a trainer and be completely open about your dog and any concerns you have. Starting with a one-to-one session gives the trainer the opportunity to understand you both and introduce Canicross in a way that is appropriate for your dog.
As Bev discovered, having that support can be incredibly liberating. Instead of constantly managing everything around your dog, you can begin to concentrate on enjoying something together – and sometimes taking that first step can open up a much bigger world for both of you.
Listen to the full episode of Talk Canicross: From Sensitive Soul to Confident Canicrosser to hear Richard, Elisa and Bev talk about Cerys’s journey and what it was really like filming Canicross for ITV’s The Joy of Pets.
If you think Canicross could help you and your dog, find your nearest DogFit Trainer and have a chat about how to get started.
