An inaugural half marathon received a surprise entrant when a bloodhound accidently joined the race after being let out to go to the toilet.

Two-and-a-half year old Ludivane mingled with runners at the start of the Elkmont Trackless Train Treck Half Marathon in Canada after escaping from her back garden when her owner let her out to pee.

When the starting gun fired Ludivane set off with the athletes, proceeding to run the entire 13.1 mile circuit and cross the finish line in just over an hour and a half, finishing in seventh place and even receiving a medal for her efforts.

Working on results...Wanted to share this photo of that was sent to me after the race. This is Ludivane - she ran the entire half marathon and finished 7th overall with a time of 1:32.56 Posted by Elkmont Half Marathon - The Trackless Train Trek on Sunday, 17 January 2016

Ludivane completed the race despite stopping to sniff a dead rabbit at the two-mile mark and deserting the track to investigate a stream and play with cows in a nearby field.

“All I did was open the door, and she ran the race of her own accord,” her owner April Hamlin, 43, told Runner’s World.

Ms Hamlin said she only discovered Ludivane’s achievement after receiving texts and photos from friends volunteering at the event.

According to her owner, Ludivane is fond of going on unaccompanied strolls through her hometown, so race organisers were not surprised she had left home again.

Jim Clemens, 48, who finished fourth in the half marathon said: “Every time I thought she had dropped off to go back home, I would hear her coming back up to me and she would race past me up to the two leaders.

Ludivane the two-and-a-half year old bloodhound Facebook (Elkmont Half Marathon/ Facebook)

When the starting gun fired Ludivane set off with the athletes Facebook (Elkmont Half Marathon/ Facebook)

“She would run off to romp through the streams and into yards to sniff around for a while.”

Ms Hamiln did express some surprise her dog had managed to complete the race.