GSD growth, nutrition and exercise type ( free roam or willful ); What's your observations? - Page 6

No what's funny u say u are right but won't post a pic and prove yourself right. Now that not like u . You always try to prove others wrong in most threads so why not this one

What in the bloody hell? LOL

Where did Madox come into this? Mr. Darcy, I think it's pretty obvious this is nothing more than the usual suspects playing the usual games.

Google is your friend, guys. Google is your friend.

I was really hoping this would be on topic because I was hoping some of the following would be discussed:

Personally, I think that free roam dogs can get lazy and develop bad habits from boredom, so I like willful exercise. If anybody has an exercise plan they're willing to share, I'm all ears.

As far as nutrition, do you think free feeding or scheduled feeding is better? I know of a dog that is fat that is free fed, but the owner says, "My dog knows what she needs!"

Do you think under feeding causes stunted growth?

My free range dogs are not lazy. They take their territorial responsibilities seriously. Covering the total perimeter of 1.25 acres on a slight hill incline requires constant physical effort, trotting and running etc. That doesn't mean they don't also get structured play or exercise, too, because they do.

Kenneled dogs probably develop worse habits from boredom, that is my theory.

Reliya, I totally agree and was going to start another thread with the REAL topic. Might do it later today.

I agree with Beetree except it depends on the definition of "kennel" dogs. I think there is nothing worse (not even a chain) than a 5x5 kennel being a dog's daily enclosure. However, dogs can be kept in smaller yards that some might still call kennels and do extremely well, being able to exercise freely, not in a space small enough to create neurotic tendencies. I'm trying to slowly divide our acreage to create several yards so dogs who are not friends can be outside when it's not their house rotation time w/out developing kennel habits.

When I meant lazy dogs, I mean in a single dog household. I've seen dogs with wide roaming range that would rather lay down all day and wait for their owners to acknowledge their existence or they would rather chew on, dig, and tear things up to get their frustration out. My neighbor's dog developed obnoxious barking, but they've added two puppies to their family and I see them running all day now.

Reckon its a matter of balance and common sense, as in most things. There are dogs - in single dog households, and otherwise - whose owners think because they have a bloody great field as a backyard (I am sure Americans are more familiar with this than those of us packed into this little island LOL) they never have to take their dog anywhere, or do anything with it other than let it play football with their kids every few days. Their dogs may not be heavily obese, but if you check their muscular condition, they're as soft as butter. Dogs can be quite lazy, left entirely to their own devices. You need to add to this, that the dog is also missing out on all sorts of other stuff too, by only living its life out in its yard; dogs need to get out and about, meet with new smells & experiences, get a proper chance to chase rabbits etc, for their mental wellbeing as well as their bodyweight.

The dogs at the kennel I used to manage were kennelled in daytime, and left loose to their own devices all night, every night, in large areas. But we still woke them and exercised them over the owner's own extensive fields and woods, and often took them individually outside the estate for walks, (as well as moving them for training sessions) on a regular daily basis. Never in 12 years had a problem with unfit or obese dogs. Even though my boss liked a more 'well-covered' look than I subscribe to myself !

 

PS  Mithuna, I don't post pix of dogs owned by other people.

Any how J78
A prominent person in the DDR community told me that & months before he was brought to the USA Durbas had no title; then he came to the USA as Sch 3, and the person thinks the title is suspect.

 This will ^^^  get the thread locked and Mithuna will have avoided showing us a current picture of his tubby dog.