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by Jenni78 on 23 January 2017 - 18:01
So, Mithuna, since you started this thread, when are you going to show us what you mean about exercise and nutrition in the form of photo of your dog?
by Koots on 23 January 2017 - 18:01
My dog gets many hours a day outside (accompanied) on our 5 acre property, with several interval sessions of chuckit, and lots of rock-jumping and turkey chasing. He is fit, lean, dry and muscular with a weight of around 70ish lbs (maybe more now as he is maturing/bulking), but he is on the lower end of the standard for height. His nutrition has consisted of premium kibble (Acana Sport & Agility, made in Canada, for the last year), or market-ready whole-diet raw (Pets-go-raw, made locally). He also gets supplemented with table scraps/sardines/etc.
He has always been dry and fit, and if you look at his puppy pics on his ped you can see his physical development. Our property is a natural obstacle/agility course, and we use it as such to build muscle, endurance and keep him fit.
Thor v Ron: http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=2054751-thor-vom-ron
by Jenni78 on 23 January 2017 - 18:01
by yogidog on 23 January 2017 - 19:01
4year old female 27kg6and a half yeat male 42kg
by yogidog on 23 January 2017 - 19:01
by susie on 23 January 2017 - 20:01
I am lazy, that said I always fed
- any dry food my dogs tolerated well, but
- out of experience low protein, no "puppy" food ( too high percentage of any ingredients )
- 3 - 4 times / week fresh meat ( mostly green tripe )
- 2 times / week fresh bones
- no supplements during the last 2 decades ( the dog food became much better )
- playing ( ball, with other dogs, whatever ) every day
- walking / pulling on leash from day one / every day according to the age ( I walk any adult dog at least one hour / day )
- club training / bite work at least 3 times / week
- tracking at least once / week ( I am lazy, should be more )
- obedience almost every day ( according to age )
- show training at least 2 times / week ( starting at around 6 month )
- condition training starting after x-rays ( 12 months ) 2 times / week ( pulling a sled, riding bicycle )
This may sound like a lot of work, but it´s normal procedure in my country for everybody involved in IPO.
We don´t even think about it.
by susie on 23 January 2017 - 20:01
Sorry, forgot about the "observations" ...
"Dry food only" = not good
"Puppy food" = not good
"Free roam" = not able to develop muscles as I want to see them in a working dog
by beetree on 23 January 2017 - 21:01
Specific muscle building targets for bulk are just that, ask Arnold!
Fit is fit, if they do the job.
by susie on 23 January 2017 - 22:01
I have seen too many dogs falling apart during a trial ( six blinds, followed by regular bitework ), the BH ( 20 km bicycle ), or a regional/national show event - all of them "fit" dogs, but not fit enough for "that moment".
Don´t underrate the physical ( and psychical ) efforts the dogs have to go through - a lot of dogs do fail ( or don´t get the rating they could achieve ) just because they are not trained well.
In a perfect world dogs would live in packs / social systems, running free, hunting for their food, playing with each other, but that´s not the case.
by Hundmutter on 24 January 2017 - 06:01
Exactly ... free range wolves move. They have to run down their own food. They have to cope with all terrains. They have to run away when disturbed or threatened. Of course their muscle tone is fine.
No comparison to a domestic dog shut in on even a couple of acres of flattish 'garden' all day, if no other work is put into exercising them. (You can compare with zoo-park kept wolves, though. LOL)
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