Exercise, Fitness And Your Dog

[Salukifan]

Just wanted to start a discussion thread about canine fitness and exercise programs. As a former agility trialler I was always interested in canine fitness and as a showie, I think it plays an important part in soundness and movement.

My research and speaking with canine health professionals has led me to place an emphasis on road work over free running. The advice I've received suggests no matter the size, age or build of the dog that road work is a crucial factor in canine muscle fitness although clearly the length of the work will vary. I also like to give my dogs some offlead time per week.

My young adult dogs would get about an hour of road work about 4 times a week and a couple of half hour offlead times if I can. The oldies get 20 minutes of "road work" which is basically me escorting them from one sniff and pee spot to the next but they still get out.

What do others do, and why?

Edited March 5, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Living on acreage with a very large fenced area we mostly do free running unless there is a specific problem that makes roadwork the best option. Can't claim to be an expert, but I guess the one thing that you do have to compensate for with free running are the ones that would prefer to read peemail or sit and survey their domain than to run. Some dogs are more self-exercising than others, and for those that are a bit inherently less active some other interactive fitness work is important. Usually for those ones I go out there with them and do recall/releases, slipping etc.

We have a few lazy oldies, and while I'd like to do more work with them time and daylight are issues. I think the key there is not to ask them to do things their level of fitness can't handle. Nothing makes me cringe more than seeing a dog being asked to do something they aren't cut out to do (whether as a result of structure/condition or both)

[RiverStar-Aura]

My guys' exercise routines are primarily free running -- they're highly reactive on lead so it's easier for me to take them out for off leash exercise at the moment.

HW, could you explain how roadwork (I'm assuming this means going on walks etc) is more beneficial. Zeus is a complete nutso runner when off lead -- he does nothing but run at two speeds: hooning and über hooning. To me, this seems like fantastic exercise, but am I missing out by not taking them out on lead for walks too?

[Esky the husky]

Yours sounds like a good program, can I ask what's makes road work better than free running?

I don't do a great deal of free running, there doesn't usually end up being much running involved, just a lot of sniffing then a bit of a trot around, and if I'm lucky some zoomies.

Currently we're in our first stage of training.

We sled race, so excercise is fairly dormant over summer, she's still walked as long as weather allows, but it's nothing strenuous.

Occasionally we'll swim her too.

At the moment we're trying to build up fitness and endurance.

Whenever it's cold enough, I've been taking her up to the forest for a training run on trails. Been recording all the runs with runtracker/ endomondo to keep tabs on progress. Aiming to build fitness up to about 7-9 km of pulling in front of the scooter at moderate pace.

In a month or two I'll drop the distance back down and start working on more speed with some interval training and then eventually to running race distances at race speed.

At the moment averaging 1-2 forest runs per week, and supplementing with hand walking or cycling with her so she's trotting 3-4 nights.

With at least 1 full rest day a week. I've never had a real training program before, so I'm hoping this will work for us :D

[megan_]

Rsa - walking onlead forces a dog to use their hind legs, and so builds strength. If you look at a dog if full flight they tend to use their front legs to pull the forward and the back legs go along for the ride. Walking on leash at the beach is especially beneficial. That said, off leash runs are good too so they can stretch out and twist and turn.

I use a peanut and balance disks to build strength too. We all need to do more intense exercise though. Mine get o. Leash walks every day (about 1/2 an hour) and ferrous gets off leash about 2 -3 times a week. Lucys issues means she is only off leash on private property. Fergs does agility 1 - 2 a week (classses) and they both get some form of evening training.My next aim is to build up resistance to working in mild heat, provided that the physio clears verge for agility.

[megan_]

I wish mine loved the water because swimming is such great exercise but both of the hate the water so much and refuse to even try to swim.

[Salukifan]

A few have asked why the emphasis on roadwork so I'll explain as best I can.

Both a canine massage therapist and a Bowen therapist have told me that repetitive, lower stress exercise like road work is better for gradually building muscle and for preventing and repairing muscle injury.

With a breed like Whippets, their running style is explosive, extremely high speed and hard on muscles and body. They don't just trot or canter around. With roadwork replacing free running as the usual exercise I have seen an early ligament issue on my youngest dog resolve itself and I understand that these kinds of issues can be both common and chronic in racing dogs.

In essence, its more gentle and less stressful as a 'usual' method of exercise for my dogs. I appreciate that it's not practical for everyone. I'll see if I can find some science to back this up.

I do believe its important for a dog's balance and coordination to give them some free running on uneven ground.

Edited March 5, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[Staffyluv]

I walk Zig on lead each morning for about 30 minutes and we also do about 15 minutes of on leash training (in a place where there is distraction).

He also gets about 10-15 minutes of off lead play - mainly fetch, unless there are other dogs, then he likes to play with them.

He gets a quick dunk in the local pond after this because he is usually pretty hot.

We obedience training each Sunday for an hour - we go about 20 minutes early and he has some off lead time with a few of the trainers dogs.

Our obedience club has a casual (non competitive) fly ball and agility section at the same place that we do the obedience training.

I really want to get Zig into this as I think it will really challenge him and he loves a challenge.

He really loves to swim and I would love to get him a pool big enough to have a bit of a swim in - he lays in his clam shell on his side and puts his head under the water but it is not the same as going right under at the pond..

[Salukifan]

Some interesting information on conditioning programs Edited March 5, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[Esky the husky]

interesting article, maybe I'll cut my sessions down. 4 is do-able, 2 x sessions of racing 2 x race training :)

[Staffyluv]

I just wanted to add a bit more.

I used to run Zig for a couple of hours a few times a week and I just couldn't wear him out...

It was the behaviourist that we were using who told me that I am not wearing him out, I am just creating an uber fit dog. The more exercise he got, the more he wanted. He would run flat out and see something an turn really sharply, even I could see that wasn't great on his legs.

So over a couple of months with her guidance his exercise was cut down to more controlled exercise (not just running and running). We walk at a decent pace and also include small hills and lots of turns in different directions for most of our walks. A couple of times a week it is just around the local park, which is flat and when here we incorporate a fair bit if training, stops, stays, sit, drop, wait etc.

He is still pretty easily distracted but there has been a really big improvement and I think it is because his exercise is more structured. It has purpose instead of just being a free for all run..

[Daisys Mum]

I take my two for a 30 minute on lead walk every evening.. But during the day they get a fair bit of free running in the back yard, it's quite a big space, big enough for Kelpie zoomies :) I do some ball work with them as well.

[espinay2]

Here it is lots of free running. I too have acres -with undulating ground and the dogs do lots of patrolling (walking and trotting) and running mostly in the early morning and evenings. They rest when they want, have bursts of speed and are quite athletic with good muscle. IMO this had helped significantly to keep them free from injury with no general need for chiro etc.

In large breeds activity such as repetitive walking, particularly when young (under 2 ) can be damaging to growing bones and joints. It puts stress on growth plates and can potentially lead to issues such as increase in HD. Free running on an undulating surface is generally considered ideal for growing large breed dogs.

[sheena]

Our routine basically is this, (we are on lots of acres)....in the mornings we take them for an on lead walk down to our agility park, where they do a bit of training, then we go to another paddock where we play with the frisby. We then come back to the agility park, where we line them up, take off their collars & ready, set, go...they race off to the dam, launch themselves off the jetty & swim. We then recall & send them back down..we do this a couple of times. Then they run back up to the house, where we let them into the pool for another swim for about 1/2 hour. Then it's rest time before they have their turkey neck. In the afternoon they just get taken for a walk. It's very routine as they seem to like it this way & if things change they get very confused. :laugh:

[RallyValley]

At the moment Zora gets at least 5kms road work a day, if weather permits she will get another 5km session. Usually this is in the form of a walk and the second session if she has one will be a bike ride. We live on acreage and Zora uses it so would have in excess of 30mins free running too. The length of the cycle leg of our exercise is slowly increasing too.

We do lots of rear end awareness stuff too - which I think helps.

Why - I am conditioning her for field season, so she will need good endurance to hunt for several hours when we have training sessions.

I'm happy with her condition, she is maybe carrying a little excess for an agility dog but that's calorie and not exercise related.

[wuffles]

My sports dog gets a 40 minute walk 5 days a week which includes 10 minutes on leash and 30 minutes off leash. She gets at least two ~15-30 minutes free running sessions with a group of dogs (she is a little feral so this is often quite intense exercise) per week. And one session per week of 45 minutes road work. In reality, she doesn't get all that much on leash exercise.

In addition, she gets rally and/or obedience training at least two sessions of 30 minutes each week, plus extra each day.

She's very fit and well muscled even though, for her breed, she doesn't really get that much exercise. However, I think the rally and obedience exercises which include rear end awareness and balance games, contribute to her muscling quite a bit.

My senior pet dog gets 20 minutes of roadwork 5 days a week and at least one session a week of free running/play. To be honest I think that he needs more free running but as he's not good off leash, that is limited. I do make sure he gets that at least once a week though, as I think it's important to keep his joints moving.

[The Spotted Devil]

There's very little science specific to dogs unfortunately. I plan fitness work around what they like doing, strengths, weaknesses and competition plans. I also try to do something different with them every day - cross training if you would! I think it helps with attitude and avoids overtraining particular joints/muscles. So if we work on jumps/weaving on one day, the next day I'll stretch them out with a run or a swim. When I'm away Mr TSD walks them and runs Em on the very steep back block.

Ziggy - 6.5 year old, entire male Dalmatian. Competes in agility mainly with obedience on the side. Plans for endurance test this year if the planets align.

• Moderate drive
  
• Training sessions need to be short and sharp to maintain focus
  
• Loves long walks, runs and fun swim sessions
  
• Definitely a natural "front wheel drive" so lots of perch work, tugging and swimming with a life jacket on
  

Em - 2.5 year old, entire female field bred ESS. Competes in retrieving mainly with agility on the side. Trains for obedience and could put together a DWD routine if we had the time.

• High drive
  
• Has 2 speeds: Couch or Fast. Can maintain either speed for several hours straight.
  
• Loves training and ignores all other game. Would train all day if I let her.
  
• Can't stand walking on leash as she's constantly distracted by hunting options. Similarly, needs to be watched when free running.
  
• Her training sessions are her exercise. We both enjoy it and it keeps her and other critters safe. The beauty of retrieving training is she gets to run fast and hard but without the twisting and turning you get when throwing a tennis ball for a dog at the park.
  
• Has always had amazing rear end awareness and drives from the rear even around the house.
  

Typical week....it's been warm so not fitting in as much training as usual. Usually there's random weave pole work, rear end work for their dinner etc.

Sunday: Em at a retrieving training day - probably 9 land retrieves during the session across very tough terrain. Some play in the water/mud followed by 3 water retrieves to cool down. 3 shorter land retrieves to practice a concept. Then 2 reasonable swims as pick up dog. Zig had a long walk with Mr TSD in the forest.

Monday: Zig and Em returned to agility after several months away. Limited runs although they were both keen. Associated tugging and warm up tricks.

Tuesday: Both had a day off

Wednesday: Water training session. Zig got to run and swim as he pleased but it was work time for Em. Land, across water and in water retrieves. Quite a lot. She could have gone for another hour but I'd had it!

Thursday: Took Zig out with the bike - just a training session to trot and not sniff - so reasonably slow for about 45 min. Em will run retrieving drills tonight and then act as demo dog for a games class so lots of rear end work.

Friday: Em will spend the morning retrieving training. Zig will probably get a long walk/run with Mr TSD

Saturday: Probably agility first thing in the morning while it's cool.

[RubyStar]

By road work, do you mean onlead walks on varying surfaces, or actually footpath/road walking on lead?

I find this interesting as I was always under the impression that too much exercise on hard surfaces like footpaths and roads could promote injury. I would love to take mine out on jogs with me but I don't do many as I'd like as I don't want to bring about unnecessary injury (that and we have an issue with moron dog owners around here, too many off lead and it scares me).

Mine don't get walked very often at all, there is the lack of time - when there is time they usually get a bit of a free run at the training grounds, or are just being trained (obedience/agility). Mine certainly could have their fitness improved which is why I'd like to take them out with me jogging more often, build them up slowly. When we do go, it's anywhere from 30-50 mins usually. Nothing overly excessive like running a marathon!

Would half hour of jogging a few times a week on footpaths be classed as good or bad for them? I realise jogging on ovals would be better for probably both of us, but I prefer to hit the road! They are both Labs who are definitely not overweight or lazy, just lack a bit of fitness due to only getting small free runs after training. They spend their day snoozing inside while I'm at work!

[Esky the husky]

Well by roadwork I meant riding with dog trotting beside. I try to limit the pavement much as I can. I ride as close to the edge of the bike path and she has the option to run on the dirt / grass. Things like the springer or walky dog are great for this as they keep the dog a set distance from.the bike.

Rs do you have anywhere aimilar that you can run on paths but let your dogs run somewhere softer

[RubyStar]

Rs do you have anywhere aimilar that you can run on paths but let your dogs run somewhere softer

Probably, but that would include running in the same area. I like to jog the 'burbs and take in the sights I like checking out all the local parks/grassed areas, they provide nice visual stimulation during the boring slog

Taking into account my personal preference for footpaths, is twice a week for about 40 minutes excessive for a dog to get injuries? They are 6 years old if that means anything, with no known injuries (except one gets bowen every so often, she gets a bit sore apparently but no actual known injuries/problems if that makes sense? Oh and this is the one who appears fitter!)

Edited March 7, 2013 by RubyStar