This article is sponsored by our partner, Nulo.

"Dogs love to run," Susan Sarubin wrote in an article for Whole Dog Journal. To most dog owners, at least dog owners that jog or run on a regular basis, this goes without much saying. But Sarubin went deeper, and went into why getting your dog in on running is so valuable.

REGISTER NOW: Dallas Canine Race - Oct. 26-27, 2019

"They were born to run," she wrote. "Running will help maintain your dog’s weight, improve muscle tone, maintain a strong cardiovascular system, and build endurance. Running uphill develops rear drive. If you compete in any sort of showing or sport with your dog, he will undoubtedly be better conditioned from running than his 'weekend warrior' competitors."

The Canine Heat

There's also the psychological component. Dogs are like us — running outside, ideally on trails, does more than just burn off steam. It keeps us in contact with the kind of primal connection that we in the athletic-running-outdoor-fitness realm use copiously to fend off the brand of misery that can come from too much time indoors, too much time staring into screens, too much time in the grip of the 24-hour news cycle, too much time in the high-tech comfort zone of modern life. Take it all a step further: In late August of 2018. at the Spartan Honors Series event weekend at West Point, Spartan launched the Spartan Canine Heat Presented by Nulo. The Canine Heat allowed owners of service dogs to participate together on the Spartan Kids course. In future events, those with trained dogs from police departments, government agencies, and military personnel — and those with service/support dogs — will be invited to take part in an event with obstacles designed for the Canine Heat. The next Canine Heat will be held at the Dallas Ultra, Beast, and Sprint Weekend at the Rough Creek Lodge in Glen Rose, Texas on Oct. 26-27, 2019.

Spartan Joins Nulo in the Fight

It should be mentioned that Nulo founder Michael Landa started his company to help mitigate the alarming number of overweight pets, and pets requiring insulin treatments for diabetes resulting from sedentary lifestyles. So the partnership between Spartan and Nulo is a great fit, and we're all determined to see it make a difference.

Learn more about how Nulo and Spartan teamed up to launch the first-ever Spartan Canine Race.