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Canicross Conversations

Canicross Conversations

By: Michelle Mortimer and Louise Humphrey
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The leading podcast for all things canicross and cani-sports. Canicross instructors Louise and Michelle chat to various guests and experts, who love to run or compete with their dogs, about how to keep both dog and human happy and healthy.Copyright 2021 All rights reserved. Hygiene & Healthy Living Running & Jogging
Episodes
  • Ask The Expert: Dog Grooming for Canicrossers (Episode 182)

    Ask The Expert: Dog Grooming for Canicrossers (Episode 182)
    Nov 7 2025

    In this episode, Louise and Michelle are joined by Anna Pollard of The Dog House Canine Spa in Leicestershire to explore how best to care for your dog’s coat, especially when you’re into canicross and other active dog sports.

    Anna shares her insights from years of grooming experience, explaining why proper maintenance of the coat and skin isn't just cosmetic but a key part of your dog’s wellbeing and performance.

    The conversation covers coat types (single vs double coat), grooming routines for active dogs, the role of brushing and bathing, pad and nail care, seasonal changes, and much more.

    Whether you’re a seasoned canicrosser or just beginning to run with your dog, this episode offers practical tips to help your canine companion feel and perform at their best — and maybe convert a non‑groomer into a regular brusher! Expect to learn how coat condition affects temperature regulation, how friction from harnesses can lead to matting, and how pad health and nails tie into overall musculoskeletal wellbeing.

    Timings
    • 0:00 – Introduction
    • 1:40 – Why grooming is important for active/canicross dogs
    • 3:15 – How a coat works: insulation, heat regulation
    • 5:45 – Brushing vs clipping: which to choose?
    • 7:50 – Harness friction and matting danger zones
    • 10:00 – Coats types: single vs double vs hybrid
    • 12:30 – What is hand‑stripping and when to consider it
    • 16:15 – How often should you brush and bathe?
    • 20:20 – Choosing shampoos & avoiding human products
    • 22:50 – After muddy runs: rinse or bathe?
    • 24:30 – Nail length, pad health & impact on joints/gait
    • 28:10 – Seasonal coat length and shedding challenges
    • 31:00 – Heating, fleas and indoor environment effects
    • 33:40 – Harness the expert: starting canicross: gear, pace, where to train
    • 37:10 – Closing discussion & guest contact info
    • 40:00 – Outro and call for reviews
    Links
    • The Dog House Canine Spa website thedoghouseleicester.co.uk
    • Instagram: @thedoghouse_spa
    • Facebook: The Dog House Canine Spa
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    47 mins
  • Canicross Story: Ray and her rescue pack (Episode 181)

    Canicross Story: Ray and her rescue pack (Episode 181)
    Oct 31 2025
    In this episode, Michelle and Louise chat with Ray, a canicross enthusiast with a pack of rescue dogs. Ray shares her journey from returning to the UK after seven years abroad, feeling isolated and looking for a way to connect socially and physically. She found the sport of canicross through her local club (Tees Valley Canicross), which offered both community and motivation. She gives a warm, honest account of the challenges of running with Cloud, who is a mixed‑breed street dog rescue from China. She also shares how she is building up a new puppy‑rescue, Nomad from Cyprus, to join the team. Ray covers the realities of canine health, the importance of harness and gear fit, inclusive club culture, and advice for people with reactive dogs. She encourages anyone who thinks “I’m not a runner” to still give canicross a try, highlighting that the real reward is the bond with the dog and the community around it. Timings
    • 00:00 – 02:00 ­ Introduction & Ray’s background
    • 02:00 – 05:00 ­ Meet Ray’s dogs: Cloud, Nomad, older dogs
    • 05:00 – 08:00 ­ Training and challenges with Nomad (harness anxiety, grass obsession)
    • 08:00 – 11:00 ­ First races, social aspect of the club
    • 11:00 – 14:00 ­ Why Ray doesn’t consider herself a “runner” & what changed post‑COVID
    • 14:00 – 18:00 ­ Dog health story (dehydration, vertigo) and hydration lesson
    • 18:00 – 22:00 ­ Season goals, 10K aim, Cloud’s future, balancing veteran dog
    • 22:00 – 27:00 ­ Advice for new canicrossers: non‑runners, reactive dogs, using muzzles, equipment tips
    • 27:00 – 30:00 ­ Harness The Expert: How to strengthen Achilles in pain from a pulling dog
    • 30:00 – 31:00 ­ Final reflections & how to follow Ray (Instagram Fluffy Multipack)
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    43 mins
  • Ask the Expert: Renee McGregor (Episode 180)

    Ask the Expert: Renee McGregor (Episode 180)
    Oct 24 2025
    Michelle and Louise chat to sports dietitian and author Renee McGregor about how to optimise fuelling across life stages - especially during perimenopause and after menopause - while also unpacking RED‑S, carbohydrate myths, and sensible supplement use. Renee acknowledges how little conversation there has historically been about female hormonal transitions, and how women often experience a “wobbliness” in their energy, mood, and performance as hormones fluctuate unpredictably. She emphasises that menopause (and the years leading up to it) needn’t be a downhill spiral: “there’s a lot of women [who] feel they’ve reached their potential from an athletic point of view.” Key strategies she shares include replacing some cardio with strength-based work, choosing nutrient-dense whole foods (rather than rigid restriction), and listening to your body. The trio discuss RED‑S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), explaining that under‑fuelling (not eating enough to support both training and basic body function) can manifest via hormonal disruption, injury, digestive issues, mood or sleep disturbances, and stagnation in performance. Renee stresses that RED‑S affects recreational athletes too, not just elites. On carbohydrates being demonised, Renee argues they are crucial: “Carbs per se are not bad … they provide your muscles with the energy you need.” Finally, Michelle asks about supplements. Renee advises vitamin D (especially through UK winters), and checking iron/B12 when clinically indicated, but otherwise focusing on whole foods rather than a “pile of supplements.”

    Links
    • Renee McGregor’s latest book Fuel for Thought
    • reneemcgregor.com
    • Renee’s Instagram: @r_mcgregor
    • Renee’s Substack newsletter: The Fuel Line
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    1 hr and 10 mins
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