Our Dogs Make Us Heroes… if only for a Moment!

Yes, our dogs can save us from mediocrity—they can let us feel the rush of wind on our faces as we accelerate beyond our limits!

Running nearly 30 km/h over 1000 meters, even breaking the world record pace for that distance (27.48 km/h), is absolutely possible—with the right dog. A well-trained German Shorthaired Pointer is ideal. As for me, I’m a big fan of female German Shepherds—and while I may not break any records, AI let me imagine it anyway:

This week, I had two major emotional experiences:

1. Watching Krypto the Superdog—Will he survive the movie?

2. And the very next day: Will my university validate our new diploma on the contribution of science and sport to animal (and human) well-being?

Great news: Starting this fall, we’ll welcome you into this innovative program, which aims to elevate human training to match the intelligence and sensitivity of our dogs. A new kind of training—animal, intuitive, sensory.

But before that? We need to measure, verify, calibrate our training sessions—with sensors (already invented!) and smart algorithms that factor in the human-canine duo.

Here’s a perfect example brought to life:

Running with Your Dog: A Turbo Wasted? Analysis of a Canicross Test

What the Chart Shows: Four Synchronized Curves

- Red: Speed (km/h)

- Green: Cadence (steps/min)

- Orange: Heart Rate (bpm)

- Blue: Oxygen Consumption (VO₂, in mL/min/kg)

What We Learn from the Graph

We observe two back-to-back tests:

- Without the dog: Caro runs at 19 km/h, then 15 km/h

- With the dog: Caro reaches 25 km/h, then drops to 19.5 km/h

VO₂ max without the dog: 65 mL/min/kg

VO₂ with the dog: plateaus at 60 mL/min/kg

She only taps into 92% of her energy potential when running with her dog.

Cadence reserve underutilized:

- Without the dog: cadence increased by +19%

- With the dog: only +4%

Her step frequency was “held back,” limiting the physiological benefit of the speed boost.

Heart rate rose with the dog, but didn’t reach maximal levels—even though speed was higher.

Conclusion: Untapped Potential

The key takeaway: “Caro doesn’t fully engage her energy systems when assisted by the dog.” Despite running faster (25 vs. 19 km/h), her body didn’t respond with maximal effort—VO₂, cadence, and heart rate all stayed below peak levels.

Physiological Insight

The dog offers mechanical assistance, but the human must adapt—their stride, step frequency, and cardiovascular commitment—to turn that help into real physiological gain. If we simply “ride the pull” without adjusting technique, we waste some of the benefit.

Lessons for Canicross Athletes

To get the most out of the dog-human partnership:

- Improve coordination (stride + cadence)

- Dare to push into higher speed zones

- Use progressive tests (like the 30s “TD” test) to quantify your untapped reserves

This graph reveals a counterintuitive truth: Running faster with a dog doesn’t always mean you’re working harder. Sometimes it means you’re not engaging enough—or not synchronized. Canicross isn’t just about being pulled. It’s about running together, with rhythm and intent.

The Objective: Assessing the Dog’s Effect on Performance

- Caro runs:

- Without dog: 19 → 15 km/h → VO₂ max = 65

- With dog: 25 → 19.5 km/h → VO₂ capped at 60

- Result: Only 92% of energy potential used

- Cadence gains muted (+4% vs +19%)

- Heart rate: elevated but sub-maximal

- Interpretation: Mechanical aid not turned into full physiological commitment

My recommendation to Caro (and soon offered on our BillaTraining SAS platform):

➡️ Focused coordination training

➡️ Overspeed cadence work—with sessions on a gentle downhill to train high-speed power output

Meanwhile, I’m off to do some scent tracking (with meat bits!) with Una, my German Shepherd, who’s taking it easy after a stress fracture—caused by chasing down two canicross superdogs!

Every dog has its specialty—and every sport has its flavor. Scent work is delicious fun!

Because in the end, motivation is everything—and you’ll need plenty to keep up with your dog, even if they’re pulling you!