performance enhancing drugs for dog sports - Page 1

eg steroids - no doubt this exists and evidently is not uncommon. my question is how wide-spread and discussion on ethics/health. i guess the discussion would mirror those in human use of such drugs, the departure with dogs i guess they are not voluntary participants, they have no recourse and there is more room for creativity and experimentation, worst happens; the dog dies a horrible death, not so easy to get away with when doing the same thing to a human.

no i have no need or desire to juice my dog up, sedate the F'er so i can get a minutes peace maybe. 

thoughts? please do not reveal your naivety by being shocked at this topic.

I've never heard of it.

I have seen some malinois, that look more muscular than any dog should....others seem to be on a daily dose of metamphetamines. I would not be surprised that this kind of thing goes on, but its impossible to prove this conjecture. It does seem that when comparing with old videos from the 50's, 60's, 70's etc at a time when we believe the gsd's were top dogs, the overall drive and speed of the current dogs is much faster/higher. Before I get shot down over this statement, I realize that a lot of selection for high prey drive has been going on in sport dogs and hopefully the evils of doping have spared this sport.

Can't say I've seen it...but I know one couple who would stoop low enough if it meant an additional point.
I have been told of coke being used on equines in pulling contests. In dog racing, drug testing is mandatory, same for horse racing, so it could be tested for in "sport" dogs.

I've seen it, but not in German Shepherds. I had some friends who were into the bully-breed world (American Bullies, APBTs, etc. more the type and look than a spefic breed). Anabolic steroids are used by some competitors to give their dogs "the look" that conditioning alone generally cannot achieve. These dogs though, they generally have issues when they get older. Steroid use did the dogs no favors in the end. Horse clenbuterol was also sometimes used. None of the folk I hung out with put steroids in their dogs. I wouldn't be friends with someone who would jeopardize an animal's health just to make it look impressive. But there were a few people who weren't exactly discrete about the substances used to bulk up their dogs. I consider it highly unethical, because of the long-term health affects; and the fact I think anyone who is using perfomance enhancers on a -dog!- just to win ribbons is not right in the head >_<

EPO, blood-doping, anabolics, there are a lot of things people do for their bucks.

Guddu, could there be APBT blood in those Mals? I know that's happened...could be what you're seeing when you say they're more muscular than a Mal should be. 

No, Jenni, I know for sure that these kind of things do happen.
There are several German Shepherds with a lot of muscles out there, too - and several do have a lot of red blood cells.
 

I'm not debating whether it happens or not, Susie. I'm quite sure it does. I didn't mean to reply to your post; I was just curious about Guddu's observation, as I've seen Mal/Pits (maybe only 1/4 Pit sometimes, or even less) that have had that look to them. If you didn't know that there was APBT blood in there, you'd think they were on 'roids. 

There is a certain dog trainer, who has a champion malinois. The dog is much larger than usual and extremely muscular. There is no pit bull blood in it. Dont want to get into too many specifics, but its there for all to see.