German Shepherd Speed? - Page 3

I agree that at top speeed (not average speed for a short sprint) Usain Bolt (specifically, between the 50 and 75 meter mark) runs over 27 mph.  That is, indeed, the better comparison to a dog measured by a radar gun at top speed, and not timed over a specific distance from a standing start.

Bob Hayes' incredible 1964 Olympic anchor was not as fast as Bolt at top speed, but he was close to Greene.

So I agree that the 23.3 mph estimate of a human from a standing start is not the best measure of human potential.

I have coached high school track for a few years and I have not had many hs boys who ran much faster than 20mph, I should add.

Good gsds who run 25-30 mph are clearly much faster.

I also think water resistance costs a lot, although a diving dog can go a little faster than a dog paddling dog.  4-5 mph? I only swim 50 y in about 29 seconds, yet I have never had a dog keep up with me.

And I agree completely that 35 mph for a gsd is probably aboslutely top end.  Can a top mal go that fast, btw?

* "Can a top mal go that fast, btw?" *

-- Hey, I was waiting for this question. Ha Ha 

Anyone know ? LOL

I used to have an old camaro, it would run about 25mph with you foot off the gas.  I left for work and my dog jumped the kennel run and caught me at the end of the block and jumped thru the open window of the car. She was a really really fast dog.  

Not sure what she topped out at but  she had no problem catching  me.

After I changed my shorts I put a roof on the kennel 

Jeff

Slamdunc,
I am confused.  26 mph jogging back with the ball, while another gsd is sprinting at 26 mph?  26 mph is just 5 mph less than 31 mph. meaning the dog is returning on a jog at a really high rate of speed.  I have no problem with the 31 mph sprint, but the 26 mph return does not make sense to me unless the dogs I have owned are jogging extremely slow on the return.  Usually I would say they take at least  twice as long to come back with the ball.  This would make their jogging speed about 15 mph.  They jog back at a steady run, but no where near the speed in which they tear after the ball.

  This reminds me of a time I was watching a ball game and they were inadvertantly catching the time of  the catcher throwing the ball back to the pitcher and his speed almost equaled the pitchers speed, which it obviously did not.  Is it possible that the radar is not working properly on the return?
Thanks

I bike my dogs circa 3 times a week and have a digital speedo and odometer to monitor distance and speed.  My GSD CAN trot at around 12 mph however I do not feel comfortable doing this speed on a bike with him and we generally average about 8.5 mph over a few miles; I do not want him going ALL OUT that is not the purpose of the exercise..........

* "They jog back at a steady run, but no where near the speed in which they tear after the ball." *

Hummmmm.  But, here's where it's gets tricky, some animals like dogs and horses can adjust their mechanics to switch from back speed to front speed (overdrive). This is true.

A dog or deer can do this much better than a horse, a deer because of the split hoof and a dog because of toes. People can't do this much I'm assuming because of only two legs .. but then an Ostrich can. LOL  Must be in the feet or maybe shoes.

I've found out doing what I do, if the dog is willing to keep speed it will toe it and switch to his/her front by default. Meaning, the dog wants to keep speed (for whatever reason) by directing flight instead of creating it. Not all dogs will do this, though. I train my dogs to do this for my own reasons.

With slamdunk, this could very well be the case, IF, the dog had at least an acre to adjust his mechanics and of course wanted to keep speed and did get the toy airborn. If so, smart dog. Then I would have to agree with the radar. LOL

The dog would have had to turn to return on recall, this is where the land is important, assuming the dog got the toy in the air. If he didn't get the toy from the air, the dog couldn't possibly maintain speed on a gallop with return on anything less than plenty land and a second starting point. The dog would have to continue speed from the starting point or a first gear start to get what's posted above. Or start a second (2) starting point, then everything I'm saying would be void.

If, the dog used a second starting point .. then the change of body mechanics never happened @ all. Void. Then, I would agree with the quote at the top of this post.

He threw me off saying trot (jog) ... it sounds more like a gallop on return if anything.

A trained dog or a very smart dog who mechanically wants to keep speed from one (1) starting point and has enough acreage .. can and does adjust accordingly to retain most of his speed. No toys involved.

This thread has given me an idea for the weekend. LOL

JMO.

.. now about the Mals. LOL

Baby Eagles,
Not meaning to be difficult, but a dog, any dog swiming 7-8 mph is more than amazing to me.  If one can time themselves at this speed, then think about a dog swimming this fast is difficult to imagine.  7-8 mph is much faster then one realizes.  I excersize my dogs in a lake, chasing balls that float.  My female screams all the way out, like a dog trying to run faster in a bad dream, she wants to get to the ball soooo bad but is hindered by her lack of speed in the water.  I know she is good at this and gives it her all, but I would put her no where near 7-8 mph.

I don't know if this was covered regarding Bob Hayes amazing anker against the Russians in 64, but his time of 8.5 began at a running start on the hand off.  Personally I still think for his day Bob was something special, perhaps even more so than Bolt considering how far Bob left his competition behind.   The only fair way to measure an athletes greatness is to compare him to the competition of his day, not 50 years later when so many advances have been made in training, clothing, foot wear, equipment etc. etc.

Well all I can say is you guys have some damn fast GSD's.

I have seen dozens (and participated in a few myself) "Fastest dog competitions" all clocked by police radar guns.

My old competiton Mal (who was not slow by any means) never topped 27 MPH. The fastest GSD to my recollection was 28 MPH. I can count on one hand the number of dogs I remember hitting 30. All of them were Mals. Scratch that one was a Border Collie.

Anything over 25 MPH I consider fast.

* "Not meaning to be difficult, but a dog, any dog swiming 7-8 mph is more than amazing to me." *

-- isn't it though ? Aвуук сфт ыцшт 12-13 ьзр цфеук екуфвюю Not enough credit where credit is due, I think.

At least I know a dog is a dog is a dog.  LOL