Comments on: Fido Fitness

By: Maureen Doyle

Maureen Doyle — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:25:17 +0000

I have a 4 month old Border Collie pup, full of energy and ready to go all the time. My plan is to take him running with me when he is old enough.
I run 5km to 10km 5 times a week and one day of 10km to 20km depending on what race I am training for. I am not sure at this point if he will come with me every day but definitely not on my longer run.
Its hard to judge how much is too much exercise for him even right now because he will go and go and go I am not taking him running what so ever now but we go to the park everyday for about 20min and throw ball and another walk every evening for about 20/30min, is this too much ?
I have asked vet about when I can start him running and she said one year, but I know in the British Isles they start working the dogs before that.
Any comments opinions ???

By: Michele

Michele — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:56:22 +0000

I have a hill in my backyard and I like to throw the ball up the hill. But I know what you mean about the stop and dive to get the ball on the ground. As my dogs have tremendous drives to get the ball, I usually throw it while they are on a “down” and watch it land, then I send them. They rocket out and because dogs always mark a little short they must slow down and start searching for the ball. This way they are not diving and breaking like the maniacs they are.

By: Elise

Elise — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:47:09 +0000

I 100% agree that aerobic exercise as well as strength training is super important for dogs. My Malinois get a lot of free running, fetching, eggball work and swimming when it’s not frozen out. My ACD who has elbow dysplasia gets free running, swimming (I bought a 3′ tall pool for the basement) and eggball work.

But what about the phycho jumpers (like both my Malinois) who will jump 6-8′ high for a disc or flying object? Options are (1) hold the dog back so they are wayyyy behind and then the same facial smash will occur as a ball, but usually its worse since the disc is flat to the ground or (2) they jump to get it or (3) you happen to time your throw with your dog and the wind cooperates perfectly and the dog catches just right (obviously ideal but not something that happens a lot).

Thoughts?

By: Sue Zgol

Sue Zgol — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 03:35:02 +0000

Susan, PWD owner-husband Mike, says he requests a ‘pole’ at your next seminar here in Colorado!! LOL

Thanks so much, seminar, you, were awesome. PWD is now weaving straightline 6 weaves poles, multiple locations and we quickly shaped that ‘back up’ I desired so much.

By: Dorothy Jones

Dorothy Jones — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:31:13 +0000

Hi there,
I exercise my border collie at the park with a sort of sheep handling style. She will run the whole perimeter of the soccer park clockwise or anti clockwise and be running towards me to retrieve the ball. This way I hope to avoid the hard stop on the front legs and the sharp turn on the hips and back. She only needs about 3 runs to be well exercised for the day. I alternate directional commands and will put in some lie downs or waits every now and then. I love being able to watch her run perpendicularly to me and not just away and towards me, and she has learned to stop the ball with her chest and catch it without crashing her muzzle into the ground, and she is already slowing down by the time I throw it and she then brings it strait to me.

By: Linda G.

Linda G. — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:22:28 +0000

This chasing and pounding the ball with the front feet was the typical pattern of my Lab when he would retrieve anything. Probably explains a lot of the physical problems he has had, in addition to lack of knowledge on my part in the proper way to condition a dog for agility.

He was my first agility dog, and has paid the price for everything I have learned (the hard way). He is now retired from agility, but the time we did have on the course was awesome.

Thank you, Susan, for all you do to educate the newbies coming into the sport, and to enhance the performance of those not-so-new competitors.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:51:09 +0000

I have two collie roughs, one that has the skill of a ballet dancer when it comes to timing his pick up for the ball and the other has the skill of a rugby player in diving on the ball.
So much so that we are now getting them to run together, no ball, and then I have a game where we play ‘catch it’ and then put the ball back in my hands.
It is not ideal but I haven’t felt happy watching my high speed lunatic crash onto the ball.
Luckily, they love to run together at the park and have a huski friend who plays ’sheep’ to their ’sheep dog’ – lots of fun to watch and they are great mates.

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:16:27 +0000

Hey the article sounds great, go ahead and link it, can’t wait to see it!

By: Pat Steer (Gaelen)

Pat Steer (Gaelen) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:08:48 +0000

Susan, I think this is an outstanding focus point for people who train their dogs in performance, whether they show every week or once a year. When my dogs were city dogs, we did the stairs at a local park — now, in the suburbs, they work the hill on the soccer fields amphitheatre in the park next door.

I’d like to link it to a post I’m working on — how those of us on the other end of the leash stay in shape to run our dogs (tentatively titled ‘How to run agility without a knee brace, ankle wrap or splints!)

By: Trudie

Trudie — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:42:53 +0000

Thanks very much for this enlightening post.