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Meet Bella, the rescue dog who has more races under her collar and medals on her shelf than many of the human runners she trots besides. The four-year-old black lab has completed 18 half marathons and 2 marathons since being adopted by Elizabeth Morgan as a puppy.
Morgan rescued Bella when she was suffering from running burnout. A runner for over 18 years, Morgan was still getting faster, but after a few failed attempts to qualify for Boston, she was feeling less and less enthusiastic about the sport. Though she didn’t want to quit, she knew she needed to find something to turn her mindset around. So, she started researching running with dogs.
“Everything that kept coming up was black labs, that black labs are the best dogs for the running I do,” Morgan told Runner’s World. “So I got on the website of the local humane society and saw a six-month-old black lab puppy.”
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Immediately after, she grabbed her kids, got them in the car, and drove to the Vanderburgh Humane Society in Evansville, Indiana. When she arrived, she knew Bella would be her perfect running partner.
“She was spunky and fully of energy,” Morgan said. “I knew she would be the perfect running partner.”
Per the vet’s recommendation, Morgan waited until Bella was over a year old to really start running with her, thought they did a lot of walking, fetching, and playing to get her energy out until she reached that age.
Then, when Bella turned one, they were able to really get going.
“I trained her like a new runner. We started out with quarter-mile runs and built from there,” Morgan said. “I’d go on a run and then come get her to join me on my cooldown.”
Just as with people, the gradual approach to training works with dogs, too. According to Felix Duerr, D.V.M., from the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, using a training concept similar to humans—slowly building up mileage and ensuring there aren’t any setbacks or issues that cause pain or injury—applies to our four-legged friends as well. As long as the dog is cleared by a vet to run, and doesn’t have any orthopedic issues, like problems with their elbows or hips, then the pooch should be fine to serve as a running buddy.
[Want to start running? The Big Book of Running for Beginners will take you through everything you need to know to get started, step by step]
“Mixed-breed dogs like ones from the shelter that are medium-sized dogs typically have a lower incidence of orthopedic problems,” Duerr said. “Dogs with long, straight legs, like labs and border collies make great running companions.”
To train for marathons or half-marathons, the two stick to a training plan, and depending on what they are training for, typically run 30 to 45 miles a week together.
When it comes to race day, Bella gets her own bib and medal—she even has her own shelf at home to display them all. When she hears the national anthem, she knows after that it’s time to run, Morgan said.
“She knows business. Her demeanor changes,” Morgan said. “She’s a competitor. She doesn’t like to be passed on the race course, and she knows if we have a good race or not.”
The two want to inspire others to give high-energy dogs a home, and show how sharing a love of running with your dog can bring a whole new outlook to the sport. It’s also why they have started the Run Bella Run to the Rescue campaign, which raises money for the shelter Bella was adopted from and hopes to encourage other runners to adopt, too.
“It’s been absolutely wonderful to have Bella. We’re a team, and it’s fantastic to run with a dog,” Morgan said. “Check your local humane society. There are lots of high-energy dogs that need to be rescued.”
