Pet First, Race Partner Second
- Pickles Pet Pantry Team
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Every so often, someone comes along who feels very much like part of the Pickles family — even if they don’t technically work here!
Meet Clare: Canicrosser, rescue-dog advocate, RunningDog feeder and, this season, Team GB athlete, heading to Poland for the World Championships and Sweden for the European Championships, representing Great Britain in the Masters category.
But it isn’t the GB kit, race times or international start lines that made us want Clare to write this blog. It’s her dogs. Loki & Rex.
At Pickles, we talk a lot about our dogs being pets first and athletes second. Our own sofa is full of rescue dogs who race, run, jore and generally cause chaos — but their value has never been determined by how fast they can pull, what they can win or whether they’re the “right” breed for the sport.
Clare shares that philosophy wholeheartedly. Her rescue dogs have taken her all the way to representing her country, but they’re still, first and foremost, her family. They adventure, explore, learn, sniff, sofa-surf and live full lives far beyond the start and finish tape.
So, as Clare prepares to pull on the Team GB kit and take on some of the biggest races in our sport, we handed over the Pickles blog to her to talk about something we think matters enormously:
When ambition grows, how do we make sure we never lose sight of the dog at the end of the line?
Over to you, Clare… 🇬🇧🐾
I would hazard a guess that for most people, the route into dog sports follows a common path. You start with a dog who is high-energy, unable to be off-lead, reactive, or simply in need of an outlet. The love of running isn't necessarily the primary driver. Usually, it is a big contributing factor, but by and large; it seems to be driven by the need for a dog to have a job or a purpose.
Fast-forward a year or two, and you’ve got some canicross miles under your belt. You get faster. You start chasing PBs. You progress from local races to higher-level competitions, maybe even reaching national level, and then you decide you want to compete internationally.
Then, somewhere along the way, a shift happens. You decide your dog is no longer quite right for what you want:
They aren’t fast enough.
They aren’t big enough.
They don’t have enough drive.
Their breeding isn’t up to spec.
So, you start looking for a purpose-bred Greyster or Eurohound, because that seems to be what everyone else has. Maybe you move to bikejoring, or perhaps you stay an avid canicrosser.
But at what point do we lose sight of the dog? Why do we assume getting a bigger, purpose-bred animal is the only way to achieve our goals? And why do we fall into the trap of only training in harness, day after day?
My dogs are proof that there are other ways to excel in this sport while keeping the "pet" aspect at the absolute forefront. They may not be winning World Championships (that's down to me!), but they are my world. I know for a fact they are the happiest dogs. Representing GB on the world stage, but also absolute sofa surfers given the opportunity!
We need to remind ourselves why we got into this sport in the first place: the pet dog we started with (normally a rescue for a large percentage of people in the sport), the dog we shared our first trails with, and the partner who introduced us to the thrill of working as a team and who gave us incredible friendships.
All too often, dogs in sport start to be treated like commodities; something to buy, train, and race, where the partnership is reduced entirely to performance.
For me, my dogs are pets first. I fully accept that everyone’s priorities differ, but performance will always come second to their everyday well-being.
The non-negotiables!
As rescues, both of my dogs had less-than-ideal starts to life. Both came with their own challenges and quirks, and I have invested a lot of time, effort, sweat, and tears into them becoming the dogs they are today. Because of that, their happiness and quality of life take priority over any medal or placing. Daily training focuses on building desirable behaviors, balance, and socialization to ensure they are confident and happy in the real world; and can be off lead on runs and walks and around other dogs in any situation we encounter.
Canicross is an activity we share to strengthen our bond; it is not the reason they exist.
We climb mountains, go on adventures, visit the beach, walk with friends, paddleboard, and go for coffee. Afterward, they come home to a calm space where they can sleep, recover, and cuddle on the sofa. Real-world exposure and solid boundaries allow us to travel anywhere together, making them a complete joy to take on the road and to coexist at home.
Dogs Have No Concept of PBs
Dogs don't care about podium places, medals, or whether a 5k takes 15 minutes or 55 minutes. They care about being out with their pack, running the trails, and sharing the experience. Pushing constantly for faster times is driven by human ego and runs the risk of trapping dogs in a lifestyle where they only ever run in harness to satisfy our agenda.
They miss out on the simple joy of walks with us, where they can sniff, explore, and move at their own pace.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to get faster. I'm competitive, and I absolutely understand the thrill of chasing a PB and the journey of growing and learning together, but our ambitions shouldn't come at the expense of their lives outside of sport.
Getting to Know Them Beyond Racing
When did you last just be with your dog? No goals, no plans; just coexisting and observing how they interact with the world? Seeing your dog as a companion rather than an athlete or a machine. What other things outside of racing keep them fulfilled? Scent work, obedience, agility, gundog work, swimming... whatever you decide to try allows you to get to know them and ensures your relationship isn't built solely on putting a harness on them and expecting them to run hard. Every single day.
Would They Still Be Happy If We Never Raced Again?
If racing disappeared tomorrow, would your dog still have a fulfilled life? I can, hand on heart, say yes. From holidays in Wales to trips across Europe and sunrise walks on the Malvern's, to naps in front of the fire, Their lives are full of variety and adventure.
On the topic of racing, my two dogs couldn't be more different:
Loki has the drive, speed, and work ethic. With a 16:49 5k PB, he is just starting his canicross career, and he has a bright future ahead. Rex has the desire for about two kilometers! After that, he’d much rather just trot along beside me and enjoy the adventure.
When Loki joined us, people asked if Rex would be jealous that he was no longer racing, which baffled me because I would never just stop giving Rex a fulfilled life. Rex is the king of the trails in his own way. Just not in harness. He doesn't have the same drive to pull; he loves a short spin in harness now and again, but on the whole, we don't force it on him. Instead, we ensure he gets to do what he does love. Anyone who has come on a long trail run with Rex and I can vouch for the fact he’s a trail legend! He never leaves your side (except maybe occasionally for a squirrel chase!) and will trot for hours and hours. That's his happy place, but that took years of hard work, patience (and tears) to build. It also meant that I had to look long and hard at the role I played in putting my needs above his for a period. We shouldn'texpect every dog to fulfill a role because we THINK they should.
They both absolutely love to run, but equally, if we never ever raced again, BOTH dogs would still have an incredibly fulfilled life and wouldn’t care.
Our Pets
What I believe ultimately makes you a better team on race day is the bond you build outside of those 30 to 60 minutes in harness when you’re training. It’s built on respect, trust, understanding. Time together as a pack doing fun things, and the days where you don't ask anything of them at all.
Being a competitive race dog and being a loved pet are not mutually exclusive. They are all part of having a happy, well-balanced dog who is fulfilled mentally, physically, and emotionally. Our time with them is short; love them unconditionally, put their needs first, and never forget to keep it fun.
A little note from Pickles…
And THAT is exactly why Clare is one of our people. 💚
Competitive? Absolutely. Ambitious? You bet. Heading off to represent Team GB on the world and European stage? HELL YES. 🇬🇧
But underneath the race kit, PBs and start lines are two rescue dogs who are family first — runners, adventurers, sofa surfers and occasionally squirrel enthusiasts second.
We’re incredibly proud to have Clare and her boys as part of our Pickles community (and quietly rather chuffed that RunningDog will be fuelling some of those adventures along the way!).
So from all of us at Pickles: good luck in Poland and Sweden, Clare. Go run hard, make memories, enjoy every second — and whatever the stopwatch says, come home with the very best dogs. 🐾💚
Pets first. Athletes second. Always.
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