Canicross Conversations

Something slightly different for today's episode: Louise interviews Michelle about how best to get started if you're brand new to running. Michelle gives her top tips for building a running routine, how to know you're running at the right pace, warm ups, cool downs, stretching and following a training plan. You can find out more about Michelle's online coaching here: www.mileswithmichelle.co.uk Ph...

This week, Louise chats to Sarah Gillam who is a DogFit canicross trainer living in Germany with her 3 dogs. Sarah's background is in sports technology, and she works for a trail running footwear brand so gives us lots of tips about trail running in general, as well as footwear. Sarah is also a qualified personal trainer and nutrition coach. Follow Sarah on Instagram @run.and.smile and find her we...

Join us for a canicross run in the West Pennine Moors today, as Michelle and Louise (and Poppy and Pickle) meet for the first time in real life. We have a chat about running, fitness, kit and what the new year might bring. Louise currently has a Pilates for Runners course on sale focusing on: Posture Strength Flexibility The course goes through both standing and mat Pilates exercises focusing on t...

We chat to veterinary physiotherapist Dominique Armitage-Riley about how to tell if your dog has a muscle imbalance, how common injuries are treated, and how dog owners can help prevent injuries in their active dogs. Dominique gives us plenty of tips on warming up and cooling down your dog before and after exercise.  You can find Dominique on her Facebook page or via her website, Yorkshire Animal...

In this episode, we're joined by Dr Caroline Taylor, also known as the Slim Pet Vet, to chat about the best time to start canicrossing. We chat first of all about whether lockdown has affected our dogs' health and wellbeing, and how canicross can be a tool to help pets lose excess weight safely. Caroline also tells us how to check our dogs' body condition to know if they're overweight or not. We a...

Today we chat to Lara Trewin. Lara adopted Tilly, her German Shorthaired Pointer, from Spain 4 years ago, and never expected her to completely transform her life by leading her to canicross. Canicross has helped Lara not only to form a strong bond with her nervous rescue Tilly, but it has also led her to a new career as a canicross instructor with DogFit UK. We chat to Lara about the ups and downs...

Louise and Michelle chat to Tracey McLennan who specialises in dogs with a high prey drive.  Pretty much all dogs - apart from companion breeds - are bred to do something with prey animals, whether that is finding animals which have been shot, such as spaniels. or to hunt animals such as sighthounds, or to catch and kill vermin such as terriers. Understanding the motor sequence in all predatory do...

We chat again to Hannah Lyon, a vet and behaviourist who works with dogs who have problems with other dogs. We chat about the difference between a dog behaviourist and a dog trainer, how and why canicross can help reactive dogs, and what we as dog owners can put in place to help our reactive dogs.  If you haven't listened to our episode with Hannah all about fireworks yet, do check it out here You...

Do you know what it means when you see a dog wearing yellow? In this episode, we chat to Sarah Jones, who founded My Anxious Dog, after realising her working cocker spaniel Bella was very anxious around other dogs and people. Sarah is raising awareness of her #YellowArmy of dogs wearing yellow, and how it is helping other dog owners keep their dogs at a comfortable distance so Bella can continue t...

In this bonus episode, Louise and Michelle chat to vet and dog behaviourist Hannah Lyon about how to help dogs who are anxious or scared of fireworks through this difficult season.   Hannah gives lots of advice, including: How to differentiate a normal fear reaction from a phobia  (2:00) How pets with muscular-skeletal pain can develop a greater fear of fireworks (5:50) Tips for getting through th...

Louise and Michelle chat to DogFit founders Gail Walker and Ginetta George about their experience of starting up DogFit to help introduce the joy of canicross to others.   Gail and Ginetta have very different running backgrounds, which brought them to the same canicross social group, where the idea of DogFit was born. DogFit now prides itself on introducing beginners to the sport - not just anothe...

In this episode, Louise and Michelle chat to ultra-running journalist Lily Canter, who writes for Trail Running Magazine and Runners World. She is soon to feature in a special article in the January 2022 edition of trail running magazine about when she tried canicross running for the first time, with Louise's dog Pickle. This weekend, Lily has competed in her first canicross race with Pickle, and...

This week we chat to Georgie Lambert, who reveals her extraordinary story from non-canicrosser to international canicross medallist with her dogs, Benson and Bee. Georgie reveals how she got started in competition, and her top tips for beginners to the sport of canicross racing. Georgie talks about: how the start of each race works (10:21) tips on how to keep your dog calm at the start (13:34) war...

This week we chat to Dr Juliet McGrattan, former GP and author of two books, her second of which, Run Well, has recently been published. Juliet joins Michelle and Louise on the run with her dog Honey this week, and answers common running related questions, such as: 5:30  How do we recognise the signs of overheating in ourselves? 9:35 Why do your fingers sometimes swell up when you run? 11:13 Hayfe...

In this episode, Louise and Michelle chat to canine researchers, canicrosser Anne Carter and vet Emily Hall, about how to spot the early signs of heatstroke when exercising your dog. Not just an issue over summer, but something to be aware of all year round. Early signs of heatstroke in dogs can include: Excessive panting, that doesn’t ease when you stop the activity A longer, or spade shaped, ton...

In this first episode, Louise and Michelle take their dogs for a run while introducing the new podcast, the basics of canicross, and chat about the importance of the correct kit.