how do you get your dogs fit

[chris hickling 14]

ps Chris what kennel gate is it? :11:

 

 

 

sent you a pm mate , good luck

 

 

chris

[Guest JOEB]

Dont look much wrong with that dog mate, as the chaps say rest and exercise in equal amounts.

Some dogs are just not built to be ripling muscles, my bitch has a fair amount of saluki in her and no matter what you feed she wiil not bulk up.

She gets the job done like a good un mind , she has all the muscles she needs where she needs em.

JOEB

[MIKE 18]

The diet I have my dog's on is very different to your's ,I will not feed any complete food due to all the shit thats put into it .In my opinion the best diet to get your dog running the best and looking it's best is the BARF diet ,there are different variations on barf but generally a good quality meat fed with wholemeal bread, veg, pasta, fish,and some oils bring out the best in your dog .There is plenty of advice on the barf diet out there if you look.What crosss is your dog ? different crosses can look very different when it comes to muscle definition .I have a kelpie cross that is well defined and quite muscular but then I have a bull cross that looks like she has been carved out of granite so the type of lurcher could affect the way the dog looks.If I were you fella I would do a bit of research on the BARF diet and give it a go if you can ,try it for a month and if there is no difference in the appearance of your dog (I would be surprised if this was the case) then you can revert back to what you were feeding before .

All the best

Mike

[Guest buster]

The diet I have my dog's on is very different to your's ,I will not feed any complete food due to all the shit thats put into it .In my opinion the best diet to get your dog running the best and looking it's best is the BARF diet ,there are different variations on barf but generally a good quality meat fed with wholemeal bread, veg, pasta, fish,and some oils bring out the best in your dog .There is plenty of advice on the barf diet out there if you look.What crosss is your dog ? different crosses can look very different when it comes to muscle definition .I have a kelpie cross that is well defined and quite muscular but then I have a bull cross that looks like she has been carved out of granite so the type of lurcher could affect the way the dog looks.If I were you fella I would do a bit of research on the BARF diet and give it a go if you can ,try it for a month and if there is no difference in the appearance of your dog (I would be surprised if this was the case) then you can revert back to what you were feeding before .

All the best

Mike

The barf diet isnt all that good they used to feed the whippet and greyhounds on that years ago now they have come up with redmills and other different racing foods they dont use this diet no more.

[Guest JOEB]

This dog has been working 5 nights a week up to last week (when it got hot & dry again) and been putting away between 2 and 3 lbs of raw meat a day

Still bony as feck, I even keep the feed up when resting with 1 fasting night a week.

Its just how she is..............

As someone else said, not all of em can look like they are carved out of stone.

JOEB

 

 

[MIKE 18]

The diet I have my dog's on is very different to your's ,I will not feed any complete food due to all the shit thats put into it .In my opinion the best diet to get your dog running the best and looking it's best is the BARF diet ,there are different variations on barf but generally a good quality meat fed with wholemeal bread, veg, pasta, fish,and some oils bring out the best in your dog .There is plenty of advice on the barf diet out there if you look.What crosss is your dog ? different crosses can look very different when it comes to muscle definition .I have a kelpie cross that is well defined and quite muscular but then I have a bull cross that looks like she has been carved out of granite so the type of lurcher could affect the way the dog looks.If I were you fella I would do a bit of research on the BARF diet and give it a go if you can ,try it for a month and if there is no difference in the appearance of your dog (I would be surprised if this was the case) then you can revert back to what you were feeding before .

All the best

Mike

The barf diet isnt all that good they used to feed the whippet and greyhounds on that years ago now they have come up with redmills and other different racing foods they dont use this diet no more.

 

I know quite few people who do feed the Barf diet and it's a damn site better than redmills IN MY OPINION but you feed what you feel is the best .Most of the greyhound people I know don't touch the complete foods with a barg pole ,they have secret recipes handed down for years

[Guest buster]

The diet I have my dog's on is very different to your's ,I will not feed any complete food due to all the shit thats put into it .In my opinion the best diet to get your dog running the best and looking it's best is the BARF diet ,there are different variations on barf but generally a good quality meat fed with wholemeal bread, veg, pasta, fish,and some oils bring out the best in your dog .There is plenty of advice on the barf diet out there if you look.What crosss is your dog ? different crosses can look very different when it comes to muscle definition .I have a kelpie cross that is well defined and quite muscular but then I have a bull cross that looks like she has been carved out of granite so the type of lurcher could affect the way the dog looks.If I were you fella I would do a bit of research on the BARF diet and give it a go if you can ,try it for a month and if there is no difference in the appearance of your dog (I would be surprised if this was the case) then you can revert back to what you were feeding before .

All the best

Mike

The barf diet isnt all that good they used to feed the whippet and greyhounds on that years ago now they have come up with redmills and other different racing foods they dont use this diet no more.

 

I know quite few people who do feed the Barf diet and it's a damn site better than redmills IN MY OPINION but you feed what you feel is the best .Most of the greyhound people I know don't touch the complete foods with a barg pole ,they have secret recipes handed down for years

I have had alot to do with whippet racing, and know alot of people what do so, and they swear by redmills racer, redmills excell, with the barf diet you have got to bang loads of vitimins in with it, i have tried this diet myself and wasnt happy with it. :whistle:

 

This dog has been working 5 nights a week up to last week (when it got hot & dry again) and been putting away between 2 and 3 lbs of raw meat a day

Still bony as feck, I even keep the feed up when resting with 1 fasting night a week.

Its just how she is..............

As someone else said, not all of em can look like they are carved out of stone.

JOEB

 

very fit dog mate

Edited September 12, 2006 by buster

[Rabbithunter 456]

I once heard a guy say rest is as good as training when getting the dog fit..............they need both!!

 

I read as far as the above quote, so forgive me if anything has already been mentioned

 

from what i can remember when i used to do weight's, many years ago, (weather its the same for dog's, i dont know) is that after training, your body goes into "recovery/repair" mode. i would imagine it probably is the same for dogs. 5-6 hours of exercise every day, would mean the body is not getting a chance to "recover/repair" properly.

 

I personally walk the pup every day after work. as if i was to walk her in the morning it would mean getting up a lot earlier, so i can set off for work at quarter to 8. Weekend's, she is usually out in the morning.

 

Her walk is basically just a lap around the local fields, usually i will let her roam free half way, and lead walk the other half. Once or twice a week i will take her out a bit further for a bit longer. Since she won't be getting run till about 12months old, she doesnt need to be at full fitness. She seems to have a lot of stamina.

 

i feed her on a mix of dried biccy's, mince rabbit or mackerel, pasta, and starting to introduce a bit of veg for the extra vitamins.

 

I would imagine, that the breeding of a dog plays a part in the fitness. The pup of mine has 1/8 collie, and it shows a lot in her, from the way she acts, to her stamina.

 

basically, the right exercise, and the right diet will bring out the full fitness of your dog, whatever the breeding in it may be. There is no way that a 3/4bull 1/4greyhound is going to be as fit as a minshaw (also damn hard to acquire (spelling???) a minshaw :11: )

 

Hope this helps

[Guest MOLLY]

There is a dog i know who can work all night, and i mean all night. He has the most stamina ive ever seen. Yet to look at he has very little muscle definition, a good covering of flesh on the ribs. If i were to see him at a show id think...theres a pet lurcher

Looks can be deceiving.

MOLL.

[Vermin Dropper 2]

The barf diet isnt all that good they used to feed the whippet and greyhounds on that years ago now they have come up with redmills and other different racing foods they dont use this diet no more.

 

Thats bull mate....... people feed complete feeds for conveinience or they may "believe" that it contains everything needed for the dog's well being, what they don't usually know is all the rubbish that is added to complete feed to bulk and colour it etc. :sick:

 

Those that know (and that can be bothered) feed BARF, its THE ONLY natural complete food that there is, simple as!

 

as already said by plenty......... Good food, good exercise + lots of rest = a happy fit dog,

as a body builder once told me.............eat like a horse, train like an animal & sleep like a baby,

Edited September 12, 2006 by Vermin Dropper

[Fledge 0]

Witton your dog looks good ' as said not all dogs will have ripling mussles i have one that gets the execise of all my other dogs put together but to look at her she looks just normal but i know she is very fit and does not consume alot of food either

 

Have a read of this article and try and aply some of it to what your doing you will see a difference espetially try the work % over a week useing the rest/recovery days its very important

 

you can look at nutrition too and read up on how your dogs system works and uses the feuls your feeding .

 

 

 

 

 

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A Conditioning Program Using the Cycle & Step Ladder Technique Incorporating Amino Acids, Complex Carbohydrates and Vitamin/ Mineral/Trace Elements

 

The Cycles:

 

This program is by no means entirely my own idea, but is one that I have used in the past with outstanding results. It consists of 5 separate cycles;

 

 

1. The Transition Cycle 1 Week

2. The Load Cycle 3 Weeks

3. The Recovery Cycle 1 Week

4. The Peak Cycle 3 Weeks

5. The Taper Cycle 1 Week

 

The Step Ladder

The Step Ladder allows us to work our dogs longer and harder, without rest days and without overworking them. This is achieved by allowing your dog what is termed "active rest". By this, we mean that the dog is resting but is still doing a light workout. Steadiness is the key here, if your dog shows any sign of trouble then stop immediately, let your dog recover and start again. Step Ladder Example:

 

 

DAY Mon Tues Weds Thur Fri Sat Sun

 

EFFORT 100% 70% 60% 100% 70% 60% 60%

 

Gradually your dog's 100% effort will increase with fitness.

 

 

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Amino Acids, Complex Carbohydrates, Vitamin/Mineral/Trace Element Supplements. (Nutrient Mix)

The use of this nutrient mix plays a major part in this program. Complex carbohydrates give the dog the energy he requires whilst under stress and helps to prevent soreness in the muscles. Amino acids help in muscle development by aiding protein digestion and conversion. The quality of the food you use is vitally important. It needs to be fully balanced and not just high in proteins. There are many commercial brands available and some people still prefer to use their own ideas. I personally use a dried food called "Eukanuba Premium", which can seem to be an expensive food, but less is used simply because of its high digestibility, so in the long run it balances out. It is a chicken based food with some of the best vitamin and mineral content available. This in itself removes the need to add supplements of this kind to the nutrient mix.

 

Feeding

 

During this program you will be working and feeding your dog twice a day. In between this, we will be introducing the nutrient mix which consists of complex carbohydrates, amino acids and vitamin/mineral/trace element supplements.( n.b. Too much vitamins, etc can be just as bad as not enough - Take Care). For complex carbohydrates I use "Maxim" powder and for the amino acids "Aminobol" tablets, which I grind to a powder for mixing. All of these products should be available in your local Health Store, Chemist, etc. If you are having trouble obtaining supplies you local Gym/Health Club should be able to help. These products are gauged on body weight, so with a bit of basic mathematics you should be able to calculate how much to use for your dog.

 

The nutrient mix should be given to your dog about an hour before each workout and preferably on an empty stomach. So when your dog gets up in the morning to empty out, feed him the mix. Then an hour later work your dog. After the workout, cool him down with a gentle walk and give him a good rub down. After this, feed him half of his normal daily food and put him in his kennel or somewhere quiet where he won't be disturbed. For the afternoon workout, allow your dog to empty out and feed them the nutrient mix one hour before the start of exercise. Once again, after the workout cool him down with a gentle walk and give him a rub down. You can then feed him the second half of his daily food and allow him to settle him down for the night. Try not to disturb the dog during these rest periods, as he needs to recover and build up his strength. Although this may seem a bit long-winded it becomes clearer as you get used to the routine. Routine and timing are very important and your dog will soon let you know when it is time to play.

 

 

 

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The Transition Cycle ( 1 Week )

This part of the program is aimed at getting your dog used to working every day. The mileage you put in will depend on how much time you have and how capable you are. As long as the Step Ladder approach is used then the process should work. Easy walking is the only type of work done here, along with the nutrient mix and the feeding regime as described earlier.

 

 

 

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The Load Cycle ( 3 Weeks )

This cycle will be the foundation for the hard building work that will come later. The type of work undertaken should be slow, long distance walking and trotting. There is no sprint work involved at this stage, as we are aiming to develop deep wind. If you don't have access to an easy running slat mill (n.b. carpet mills are too hard to pull for this stage of work, but will be ideal for the Peak Cycle later on), then long easy bike rides or jogging will do just as well. The distances you cover are entirely up to you and your dog, though I suspect that you will tire before your dog does.

 

Step Ladder and Feeding stages are to be followed as discussed. A gradual increase in carbohydrates should be used in-line with an increase in the dogs workload. Care should be taken not to let your dog run too light, which ultimately comes down to knowing your dog. The actual time and effort you choose to put in at this stage will pay dividends later on in the tough Peak Cycle.

 

 

 

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Recovery Cycle ( 1 Week )

For three full days completely rest your dog and stop feeding the carbohydrates. Allow your dog out, only to empty out and to feed. For the rest of the week, walk your dog a little more each time and reintroduce the carbs again.

 

 

 

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Peak Cycle ( 3 Weeks )

In this cycle we use only high impact sprint and walk workouts. No long distance is needed, as by now your dog should have good deep wind ( from Load Cycle). What you are trying to do now is work on the dogs heart and lungs and their ability to recover after intense work. So on your bike or mill, have your dog run as fast as they can. As soon as they start to ease off, slow them down to a walking pace until they recover and are breathing easily again. Once they are, then off you go again, flat out then walking, flat out then walking. Step Ladder and Feeding regimes as usual during this period.

 

During this cycle, dogs can become very bored, as can their owners. Various forms of work can be undertaken, as long as the basic principles of what you're trying to achieve are adhered to. The 'A' Frame can be used for a type of flat out and sprint then walk work. Having the dog chasing a ball up and down hills is another variation. Flirt work is a great fun for both you and your dog and the spring pole can be a great strength builder.

 

 

 

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Taper Cycle ( 1 Week )

Now rest your dog for three full days, do no work and feed no carbohydrates. Then for the remaining four days, still no work, but reintroduce the carbs into your dog. If you have been doing this right, then your dog will be in the best condition that he could be. In finishing, I would just like to say that this program is offered merely as a guide. The amount of time you have available will dictate just how much work you can do with your dog. I do believe however, that greater results can be achieved by using this method.

 

 

 

PS that redmills is crap ... most of it is vegitable protein i was emailing them for along time trying to fined out the real breakdown of whats in it ' there was no way he was telling me i woder why !

[witton 6]

Thanks fledge i will read it fully as soon as i get in from school, it looks very interesting

 

Good hunting

 

David

[TOMO 26,687]

Buster you have been brain washed :11: redmils better than barf :11: :11: :11:

 

DOG= CARNIVORE = MEAT dead simple in it

 

DOG = CARNIVORE = DRIED VEGETABLE MATTER i dont think so

 

20 milloin years dogs have been eating flesh , and you think milled dried veg is what they need :11: :11:

[witton 6]

TOMO i might have to take you up on that offer during the next school holidays :whistle: :11:

[MIKE 18]

I have had alot to do with whippet racing, and know alot of people what do so, and they swear by redmills racer, redmills excell, with the barf diet you have got to bang loads of vitimins in with it, i have tried this diet myself and wasnt happy with it. :whistle:

Well all I can say is that you obviously weren't feeding the correct diet if you had to add loads of vitamins.............the reason for the veg in the barf diet is to give the vitamins ect that the dog needs for a balanced diet ..............but at the end of the day if you feel that Redmills is the stuff for you then good luck to you, but like I have said I will never feed my dog's on complete shit ever again after finding out what is in the stuff natural barf is the only way in my opinion