Local runners helping shelter pups find a home

Active seniors running with their dog outside in green nature
Active seniors running with their dog outside in green nature

Leash up

Each month, the Trail Blazers program goes big when McKamey partners with Front Runner Athletics.On March 25, they are again joining forces. The monthly event takes runners and 20 to 25 dogs out to Greenway Farms for a day of exercise for both man and beast.“It gets people outside a little bit longer,” says Laryssa Martinovich, Front Runner marketing coordinator. “Because they’re taking out a dog, some people who wouldn’t have otherwise gone for a walk or run themselves are more likely to go, because they’re not just benefiting themselves.”Upcoming Event DatesMarch 25, 9 a.m.April 1, 9 a.m.May 6, 9 a.m.

New dog, new tricks

When running with dogs, remember to:» Ease them into running. Just like humans, they need to be conditioned to run longer distances. Start by jogging for 5 to 10 minutes.» Take frequent water breaks.Since dogs don’t sweat, you’ll need to check for signs of overheating, like excessive panting. Avoid running with short-muzzled dogs, like boxers and bulldogs, who are unable to cool themselves as quickly.» Make sure your dog can walk on a leash. If s/he is in front of you and pulling, make the leash shorter, maybe 2 to 3 feet, to keep him or her at your side.

Most animal-lovers can list all the benefits that come with running alongside their four-legged friends - motivation, protection, company - but it's easy to forget how beneficial a quick jog can be for the dogs. Especially dogs like Hua.

A lovable mutt with seemingly limitless energy, Hua had been at McKamey Animal Center for nine months, which, in dog years, is practically forever, says Jamie McAloon, executive director of the nonprofit shelter.

The problem was that Hua, like many of the other 200-plus dogs at the kennel, was too hyper. He jumped all over the place, shook his cage, and as a result, potential adopters were afraid to go near him.

"He was kind of a nut job," McAloon laughs.

What he was missing, the staff soon realized, was exercise, and with McKamey's new Trail Blazers Club, he was able to get his fill.

Trail Blazers is a volunteer program that lets anyone 18 or older "check out" a dog for up to a full business day and take him or her out for a walk or run.

The exercise not only leaves hyper hounds satisfied and calm when visitors come by, but also provides the shelter's staff with behavioral information that could help them pair each pooch with the perfect family.

Volunteers quickly discover whether the dogs understand basic commands like "sit" and "stay," or whether they're low-energy and would prefer to lie on a couch all day. The runners who took Hua out discovered "the nut job of McKamey" was actually excellent on a leash and well behaved around other dogs.

"They couldn't praise him enough, and we were like, 'Hua? Are you sure?'" says McAloon.

But sure enough, that information helped the staff find Hua a home a short time later, and word of mouth, social media posts and tiny vests that read "I'm available for adoption" have helped a handful of other "trail blazers" find a family.

But McKamey is still looking for runners and walkers to give its pups the one-on-one attention they crave.

"I don't think there's a greater sense of giving back than to be helping a shelter animal," McAloon says. "They are the most appreciative animals ever. They are so happy to just have you give them a pat on the head or talk to them in a calm voice."

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