how to exercise dog for shows ?? - Page 1

Hi I am new to the conformation shows and all, I have done one show with my female so far and she dies great. but I would like to know if some of you have different ways of exercising your dogs besides trotting beside a bicycle...and how much exercise is good. Thanks! my female is 19 mo. old

My dogs run up hill to help strengthen their back and hind legs. I also know people who run their dogs through sand (has the same extra positive effects for your dog's conditioning as it does for people, as opposed to running on an even/flat surface all the time). Trotting is good for weight loss or maintence and overall fitness, but the dogs look good when you build up their muscle too. Good luck!

If you have a treadmill available you can use that along with putting it on a 5% incline; or try to find some hills, swim, sand etc.  BOL  Nan

hey thanks for the tips! much appreciated. This is my female www.facebook.com/katinkavomleithawald

start slowly.

you can get a bicycle jogger attachement and do some road work for endurance and length of stride. this will work the long muscles. endurance is very important becasue you don't want your dog to tire in the show ring. the speed at which to travel is determined by the gait of your dog.

you can also do tug and fetch games and short bust of speed work to work the short muscles. which will create defenition and bulk.

the combination of these two will create a dog that will not tire easily and will have muscle definition both are very important.

did i mention, start slowly and always, always stop before your dog is spent. a dog with great drive will keep going even after its muscles are burnt out and could lead to ligament and tendon injury.(been there done that and its not pretty).

as with humans, your dog will need excellent nutrition while preparing for a show. enough protein, fat and carbs.

at a show they want a dog that looks like something in between a marathon runner and a weightlifter. marathon runners are thin and sinewy and weightlifters are bulky and their muscles buldge... more on the sinewy side. its a very difficult balance to achieve.

there are many, different ways to achieve optimal fitness.......treadmills, hills, underwater treadmills, swimming......

its important that you and your dog are having fun and its a positive experience, if you intend to show, your dog must show confidence and be eager to work. a sour dog never wins and a judge will disqualify a dog in pain.
 

I do road work with the bicycle and quite a bit of swimming when I am conditioning for show, combinig endurance with short sprints to work both long and short muscles. The swimming really helps keep the dog fresh, cool down after some walking and short sips of water with electrolytes supplements after strenuous excersize and/or in very warm weather. We also do "hide and seek" training in the forest, sometimes with a helper hiding behind a tree, other times with the dog's SO behind the tree, which really brings a sour dog back to joyful work.


Never EVER give a hot dog cold water. Better to drape the dog in chilled towels.
Hope this helps.


 

thank you so much for the detailed advice Sitasmom! and also to ShelleyR. thanks so much. I showed her once and had a lot of fun and of course I loved competing :) but then my female was "a little heavy" (because I was feeding her too much) so now I learned and want to do my best, especially since this is a regional

If they like water try having them swim, it stregthens my boys muscles significantly 3 times a week in the local lake

My routine consists of trotting rather fast at 24-25 minutes to cover 3.4 miles every 72-96 hours.  (two to three days of rest in between)  I ride on my bike and my dogs trot.

Sometimes the route is more level sometimes with incline and decline (loop).

My girls are (mom 7.5 years old) 24.5 and  and (daughter 3.5 years old) 25 inches tall.

This this too much exercise, would you think?