It is important that you outfit yourself with good quality shoes that match the way you run. THE store in my area for getting your feet analyzed and fitted is Road Runner Sports. The staff there are all runners themselves and I have never left there disappointed. Just as it is important to take care of your feet, it is equally important to take care of your dawg's feet. Unlike you, your dawg is going to be doing all this running barefoot.
Dawgs are born with soft, smooth paw pads - not unlike an infant's feet. It takes time for your dawg to build up the tough calloused pads that he will need for running. If you push too far, too fast, you will end up with a dawg that has cracked, skinned and bleeding paws. I cobbled together my "Plan C" training schedule in part to accommodate this portion of my new puppy's development and it worked well.
When you are out and about, watch the terrain for hazards. I have had to stop and change direction more than once to prevent the dawg from running through broken glass. Fox tails (those irritating weeds that burrow into your socks) have the potential to be pretty nasty if your dawg ends up with one between his toes.
Also be mindful of heat. You may be fine in your high-tech shoes and socks running on that black-top road but remember that your dawg may not. If you find your dawg pulling you into the shade, the ground may be too hot for his paws or he may just be too hot in general.
Even though your dawg may have good established paw pads, it is a good idea to check his feet at least once a week - you never know what he may have gotten himself into when your head was turned.
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