kamuzz Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Our dog Jatz needs more exercise than we are currently giving her, and the trainer suggested getting her a backpack that we can add weight to (e.g. water bottles) so she works harder over the same distance. Can anyone suggest where to find a backpack like this? She is a GSD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Our dog Jatz needs more exercise than we are currently giving her, and the trainer suggested getting her a backpack that we can add weight to (e.g. water bottles) so she works harder over the same distance.Can anyone suggest where to find a backpack like this? She is a GSD. Black dog sell them http://www.blackdog.net.au and look under shopping then accesories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charli73 Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Hi Kamuzz, Is that going to put extra pressure on her hips and other joints or is that only a concern if you have a puppy (like our 10mnth GSD)? Ive never heard of these before... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Hi Kamuzz,Is that going to put extra pressure on her hips and other joints or is that only a concern if you have a puppy (like our 10mnth GSD)? Ive never heard of these before... I'd be discussing the idea with your vet first. Dogs really aren't designed to carry weight.. you'd be better off getting her to tow it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PooMother Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Im not sure but do the GSD club in Newcastle sell them? Think they use them for something or other, sorry not too sure but I also think www.petnetwork.com.au may sell them. Our dog Jatz needs more exercise than we are currently giving her, and the trainer suggested getting her a backpack that we can add weight to (e.g. water bottles) so she works harder over the same distance.Can anyone suggest where to find a backpack like this? She is a GSD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 These guys also sell them and have info on backpacking. http://www.windchill.com.au/backpacking2.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitKat Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 There was a thread in the general forum about backpacks....with links and people saying what they liked about the packs they got etc - might be worth searching as well? I got mind O/S and it worked out cheaper importing it then buying it here - will dig up the name and post it here when i get home from work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusky Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 I am not sure I would put one on a GSD. I have one for Rusky but she is a malamute and she only carries light stuff anyway which wouldn't really increase the load. I only use it in winter. You can get them here, look at link http://www.ozpetshop.com.au/product_info.p...roducts_id/1754 It doesn't take too long to throw a ball in the backyard. I think it would be a much better idea. Your dog should be fully developed for the breed. I think that is age 2 for a GSD but as I say I wouldn't put one on a GSD, I would ask some other experienced owners of the breed before you buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamuzz Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 It doesn't take too long to throw a ball in the backyard. I think it would be a much better idea. Your dog should be fully developed for the breed. I think that is age 2 for a GSD but as I say I wouldn't put one on a GSD, I would ask some other experienced owners of the breed before you buy. Thanks for the link. Jatz is two years old. She is not all ball or toy orientated, which makes trying to think of ways to exercise her harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 It doesn't take too long to throw a ball in the backyard. I think it would be a much better idea. Your dog should be fully developed for the breed. I think that is age 2 for a GSD but as I say I wouldn't put one on a GSD, I would ask some other experienced owners of the breed before you buy. Thanks for the link. Jatz is two years old. She is not all ball or toy orientated, which makes trying to think of ways to exercise her harder. What about sledding? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 There is someone along my street who has his two dogs pull him on a scooter - it looks so cool! You'd need some decent control though You need a scooter obviously and a proper harness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusky Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 ok I thought about this question after I had replied to it for ages and eventually emailed a very experienced and very well known breeder, trainer, judge, specialty judge of GSD. Whilst she agrees that a back pack is brillant for your dog it must be (hopefully from a breeder) Xrayed at one year? So if not from a breeder then take to the vet first. A pack will strengthen muscles and improve fitness...however you will have to match it as your dog becomes fitter and stronger here is an excerpt from the email If the GSD was purchased from a reputable breeder, then the owner will have been told that at 12 months the dog needs to be X Rayed, for it is not only HIS or HER dog, but a part of the huge GSD population and in order to keep the GSD where it is at present, one of the few breeds with very little problems of HD, it is important to have every GSD Xrayed at we months or, if the person is in America at 18 months or 2 years, depending on which scheme they are using. It is only through monitoring the breeding stock and all its offspring, that we can keep the breed on the high level of soundness that it has reached.We are so lucky that the ANKC has honoured the requests of the many Breed Clubs, and has put breeding requirements into place for many of the breeds where the clubs are working to combat hereditary problems. No dog should be campaigned in Agility for instance, unless the owner has some idea of the hip status of the dog, but not many owners think of that, do they! So, to build up muscle power and gradually work the dog up to a high level of fitness, working with a back pack, correctly fitted, or dragging a weight like a tyre, or swimming for increasing times and distances is ideal, and it would only be a short time, short distance power work out. Even so, the dog gets more and more fit, and can handle more and more exercise. The down side of course is, that such an athletic dog will need more and more exercise time to utilise all this carefully built up stamina and muscle power! Train the dog up with exercise and he must have that exercise kept going or else he goes bonkers, barking or digging or jumping around the apple tree or uprooting the lemon tree or what ever exercise he can find to eat up the tremendous energy capacity that has been built up with the power training! The power training can be used to build up the stamina of the working dog or the show dog, for it makes ordinary running without carrying any weight, for 10 or 20 Ks easy and enjoyable with those well tuned muscles, and lets the show dog float and fly through the ring! please pay particular attention to the down side next bit from the email, as I asked her about play for your dog My advice is like yours, Rusky, play ball to give the dog something to do physically, and remembering that a tired dog is a good dog, we need to tire him out mentally as much as physically! So before playing ball, which will exhaust the dog quickly enough, we need to give him some mental stimulation. Any little obedience exercises taught with +R training are ideal. They are equally enjoyable for dog and owner, and some nose games, such as hide a ball and sent the dog to retrieve it, are great!. Finish off the session with physical work, concluding with proper retrieves, and the dog should be able to curl up and sleep for hours!Dogs will also exhaust themselves playing with smart toys, such as the Kong or balls stuffed with food, as these will take hours of work and chewing and pawing and bouncing and more chewing to get all the morsels out, so that’s a good daily solution, but it does not lessen the requirement for exercise. Exercises is needed for body and mind, the dogs character and temperament will be stunted without socialisation and exercise. So, the play sessions in the yard, wearing him out physically and mentally will certainly help. I hope this has been of some help to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamuzz Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 What does +R mean? as in "Any little obedience exercises taught with +R training are ideal." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitKat Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 Just thought i'd say...i have GSD's and my guys love the packs - even when they have water in the bladders of the packs. I'm aiming to srtart putting my Sunday work stuff in the dogs pack and Bronx can carry it too and from the car...lol - i have to carry the gear we have bought and the crate so it's only fair he carries something! And the brand of pack i have is Ruffwear The one with the water bladders inside of it. These would be perfect for the weight trainign as the harness it sits on is great plus you can slowly build her up to carry the pack and weight as you can slowly top up the bladders and know she's carrying the weight evenly ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusky Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 What does +R mean? as in "Any little obedience exercises taught with +R training are ideal." positive reinforcement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 Sorry to throw another spanner into the works, but exercise such as ball throwing (to tire a dog out as opposed to being a part of training) can be a real contributer to HD. My Dally is very intense and I find that a short walk to the park and 20 mins of solid +R training tires him out more than anything. He really does spend the rest of the day curled up in his bed whilst I study. Good luck with whatever you decide! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitKat Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 (edited) Working their brain tired them out quicker then just working out the body...however using a dog pack often makes the dog feel they are doing a job as well as going for a walk...so yeah...tires them quicker and settles them on the walk quicker. I did that for a while with my hyper GSD - i put the pack on him now and he immediately settles to have it put on etc and is very proud of his pack ETA - some pics Bronx - Sabre - Edited April 10, 2008 by KitKat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swain Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 We have windchill....they can make to order Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamuzz Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 And the brand of pack i have is Ruffwear The one with the water bladders inside of it. These would be perfect for the weight trainign as the harness it sits on is great plus you can slowly build her up to carry the pack and weight as you can slowly top up the bladders and know she's carrying the weight evenly Looks great in that photo. Do you think it is this one, even though they seem to come only in red? Any idea what size yours is? My GSD is a little toughie, she weighs just on 30kgs. She was bred by Karen Hedburg and we know her hips are good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitKat Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 That's the one They may have changed it slightly and so don't do it in blue anymore...lol. I've got the large one - and my boys are roughly 45kg's lean weight - so perhaps the medium size one for your girl? The pack itself undoes from the framework which is the Webmaster Harness - seriously fab harness and seriously fab pack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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