How Fast Can Small Dogs Run?
Smaller dog breeds have less lung capacity and a smaller heart and generally will not run as fast.
Take a chihuahua, for example; they are slow because of their size; their legs don’t move far or fast enough! Smaller dog breeds also have smaller lungs, cannot maintain the required breathing rate, and usually exhaust quickly.
A Shih Tzu, for example, can run an average of only about 6 miles per hour as opposed to an average dog that can maintain an average speed of 15-20 miles per hour and walk for long extended periods.
A small dog’s limbs are not designed to propel them forward rapidly, and their skeletal structure is not built to run fast except for a few exceptions, such as the Jack Russell terrier.
Why Do Dogs Run So Fast (According to Science)
Why do dogs run so fast? Research states dogs can go from a steady walk to a rapid sprint thanks to limbs maximized for locomotion.
According to the Merck Manual Veterinary Manual, humans and dogs have most of the same muscles, tendons, joints, and ligaments.
Let’s consider an elite sprinter who can apply peak forces of 800 to 1,000 pounds with a single limb during each sprinting step. Just like a runner, dogs are probably operating at (or near) the force limits of their muscles and limbs.
A study published in PLOS Genetics discovered that a “mutation in a gene that codes for a muscle protein known as Myostatin can increase muscle mass and enhance racing performance in whippets.” The findings explain why some whippets run even faster than dogs and validate why muscle mass directly correlates with how fast certain dog breeds can run.
In humans, the running speed limits are set by the contractile speed of the muscle, with muscle fibers contractile speeds setting the limit on how quickly the runner’s limb can apply force to the running surface. The same applies to dogs; the top speed dogs can reach may come down to how quickly muscles in the body can move.
Another reason our furry friends can run fast is that their ancestral skeleton provides the ability to run and leap. Their legs have been designed to propel them forward rapidly to chase and overcome prey.
A recent paper by The University of California, Santa Cruz, compared the running prowess of retrievers, hounds, and northern breeds and found that dog breeds that have remained closest to their wolves ancestors (northern breeds) have higher levels of athleticism and endurance when running compared to other breeds.
The reason may be that the angle of the head and the rear leg are more wolf-like. These features may assist in storing and re-using energy efficiently from stride to stride.
Now that you understand how and why dogs run so fast, let’s learn how fast the average dog can run.
Your average healthy house dog (with no training or conditioning) can run at a speed of about 15-20 mph. However, as we saw before, a dog’s top speed depends primarily on the size, body shape, breed, leg length, age, health, and physical condition.
Some breeds are a lot slower than the average dog speed, while others are capable of much faster speeds.
So, who are these dog breeds? And, is there a limit to how fast dogs can run?
The answer lies in the Greyhound dog breed. These canine athletes are the fastest dogs in the World, with a top speed of about 45 miles per hour. The highest verified speed is 41.8 miles per hour set by a greyhound in Wyong, Australia, in 1994.
You are also probably wondering, how fast is the fastest dog? An unofficial record by another Australian greyhound of 50.5 miles per hour is the fastest dog ever to run.
How fast is the average dog? In general, the average speed of a dog is between 15–20 miles per hour for short distances regardless of their breed.
The average dog running speed for longer distances sits between 20-30 miles per hour. However, some breeds are a lot slower than that, while others are capable of much faster speeds.
The average dog top speed is typically associated with running dog breeds like the Greyhounds, Salukis, and Afghan hounds. Top speed fluctuates between 30-45 miles per hour.
Variety of Walking and Running Gaits
A dog’s gait is the pattern of movements that their limbs make when they are moving along (locomotion). Dogs have a variety of gaits that they can use, depending on how fast they want to travel. These are the walk, amble, pace, cantor, trot and gallop.
The fastest is the gallop. It’s called a four-time gait with suspension which means that all four limbs are lifted off the ground at the same time. All dogs have a single suspension gallop which is an asymmetrical sequence. The dog uses the power of all four legs and flexes their spine and abdomen. This drives the forelimbs back and the rear limbs forward. Then, they extend their spine and abdomen and this brings the rear limbs back and the forelimbs forward.
However, dogs that can run very fast have an extra running gait! This is called the double suspension gait and is only found in dogs like Greyhounds and Whippets. In this gait, the dog achieves full extension so the rear feet actually overtake the front. Because the dog’s whole body leaves the ground twice, they can cover a lot of ground in a short space of time. However, it’s not a gait that can be maintained for long so it is not found in dogs with high endurance. It’s swings and roundabouts when it comes to dog running gaits!
Dogs use four limbs to generate power compared to us using just two. So, bear this in mind when you try to chase a dog that wants to get away from you. With most breeds you are unlikely to win and this is why you need to teach a strong recall command from a young age.
Additional power is provided by a flexible spine and very strong abdominal muscles. Finally, dogs have long loin muscles (lumbus) which are the muscles on the side of the body between the lower ribs and pelvis.
So, now we know that dogs have bodies that are capable or running fast. But how fast can dogs run?
This depends on the dog and running speeds are very variable. On average, dogs can run at around 15-20 miles per hour for a short time. However, that is a generalization. Some dogs are a lot faster and some are a lot slower.
For any individual dog, their speed will depend on their body composition, their health and their breed.