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Author Topic:   Exercising With Your Dog
winnie
Member

Posts: 107
From:sherman oaks,california,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 03-08-2004 07:00 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for winnie     Edit/Delete Message
Hello...Lately I have been exercising with my Lab (16 months). We used to go on an hour walk but now we have been going to 2 hour walks. I like to go early cause it has been getting warmer over here and my baby has a black coat so I dont want her overheating. I leave around 8am. The thing is I dont have the pockets to carry a disposable bowl or a waterbottle. I also like to run and its hard holding the leash and a water bottle. Does anyone else exercise with their dogs? 2 hours is too long for her to go without water right? I get so worried about her but I was wondering what others do, maybe I can get some ideas. As of late towards the end of our run/walk I will purchase a water bottle at a vending machine and give it to her but a lot of the water falls on the floor, I also like pouring some water on her head. Maybe I should hose her off so she is all wet then exercise with her???Any suggestions would be appriciated...thanks

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NewLabOwnr
Member

Posts: 169
From:New York, USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 03-08-2004 08:24 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for NewLabOwnr     Edit/Delete Message
Eastern Mountain Sports (Don't know if you have them) sells a water bottle carrier that you wear around your waist. My brother-in-law wears his running, so it must be pretty comfortable. At the Discovery Channel store (again don't know if you have them) I purchased I water bottle carrier that is on a strap like a purse that has a portable bowl that folds up so it's pretty tiny. I bet that combined with the waist bottle
holder would solve all your problems. Now if only you can find that stuff


www.ems.com - search for Ultimate Direction
shopping.discovery.com/stores - search for walk water

[This message has been edited by NewLabOwnr (edited 03-08-2004).]

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Maisey
Member

Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 03-08-2004 09:21 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Maisey     Edit/Delete Message
You can buy handy water bottles with a small bowl attached at PetsMart, I think they also attach to your belt loop. You can also get her a doggie backpack and slip a 20 oz bottle of water on one side a fabric bowl on the other and some baggies for pooper scooping. Make sure the weight is even on both sides. You may have to put a bottle of water on each side to keep it balanced.
I am ordering this leash that is hands free.... http://www.buddysys.com/

there are others out there. Alpine Outfitters sells one too... http://www.alpineoutfitters.net/Secure/Scripts/default.asp

When using these hands free belts w/leashes, make sure you keep the belt around your hips, NOT your waist. If the dog jerks on you, your hips are more solid and you'll be less likely to injure your back. I have been using two leashes, I put one through the belt loops on my jeans, run the snap end through the handle and connect the snap to a belt loop. Then I run the dogs leash through the leash around my waist before connecting it to the dog, it's make-shift, but it's been working for me until I order the other one. My dog wears a pack and carries his own water and fabric bowl and usually my camera. I chose to buy OutwardHound packs because I liked the design and they were more affordable then some of them. Wolfpacks are great too. OutwardHound products can be bought at PetsMart and many other places. Here's a link to Wolfpacks... http://www.wolfpacks.com/

There are a ALOT of products out there for people and their dogs who like to be active, do a search and be amazed. Conditioning your dog should be a slow process, it sounds like you have worked your way up to the two hour walks, if she shows no signs of stress, pain or overheating go for it.

A few more links for you to check out:
http://www.mickiesplace.com/doggear.htm
http://www.greatoutdoorsdepot.com/canine-packs.html

This lady is local to me, my daughter and dog are pictured on her site somewhere "modelling" her bags LOL. http://www.augiebag.com/
http://store.yahoo.com/doggles/home.html
http://www.callingalldogs.com/products/strolling/

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Maisey
Member

Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 03-08-2004 09:23 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Maisey     Edit/Delete Message
One more thing...a fishing vest works well too for lots of pockets and it leaves your hands free for the leash.

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Jamiya
Member

Posts: 1392
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 03-08-2004 09:29 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jamiya     Edit/Delete Message
Great info! Now if someone can just tell me how to get Nala to stop crossing in front of me when I try to jog with her - I am going to trip over her and kill both of us! That and she thinks if I start to run she can go full speed - NOT!


Jamiya

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Maisey
Member

Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 03-08-2004 10:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Maisey     Edit/Delete Message
Stop trying to avoid her toes...when she cuts in at you, step on her. I know it sounds mean, but she will quit doing it. You can also teach her "right side" "left side", any command you choose...."come by" for the right "away to me" for the left. That will teach her which side you want her on. Dooley does this to Shawn all the time. Dooley will stay on whatever side I put him on, but he crowds me. Shawn trips and gets grouchy about it. I tell him "over". The difference in the two of us is that When Shawn walks Dooley he lets him move out in front of him, I do not. I expect him to keep a heel at my side, when he moves too close to me I tell him over, if he isn't paying attention he gets stepped on. Dooley watches my feet! It may sound mean but after you have tripped and eaten dirt a few times it seems less mean and more a lesson that only takes once or twice.

Also if she is in a heel at your leg, when she gets too close, use your leg as it comes forward while walking to sweep out and push her over, saying "over" at the same time.

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honeybear
Member

Posts: 926
From:
Registered: May 2003

posted 03-08-2004 10:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for honeybear     Edit/Delete Message
Winnie, Jake my yellow lab cant go without water for any length of time when we go on walks. He really needs to live in the N pole. we hit 80 yesterday I thought he was going to melt. I would get something like some of the suggestions here. I carry a water bottle in a carry thing kind of like a purse and have a collapsable nylon bowl that attaches to my belt. Because when it just gets in the 70s and we go for an hour walk - he will drink a quart of water along the way
honeybear

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Jamiya
Member

Posts: 1392
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 03-08-2004 11:01 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jamiya     Edit/Delete Message
Thanks, Maisey, I'll give it a try. Ever since she hurt her leg at the park when she was a baby, I have been afraid of hurting her!

She actually did very well on our walk the other day - the first one we have gone on in a long time. She didn't zing around willy nilly. My husband lets her go wherever she wants to, but they are usually at the park when he does it. I walk her around the neighborhood and while I don't expect her to heel, I don't let her pull on the leash.

This last time, she remained focused enough to realize I had treats in my hand, so she stayed pretty close to my side. If she started to forge ahead, I could make a soft clicking noise with my tongue and she'd slow down and look up at me - progress! Amazing what a few months can do.


Jamiya

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Maisey
Member

Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 03-08-2004 01:59 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Maisey     Edit/Delete Message
Yay Jimaya, I love to hear you are moving forward with her. You know your dog best too....just cause that worked with Dooley doesn't mean it's the right thing for her. Dooley picks things up very quickly, I can make an icky face at him and he will stop and think about it..like what did I just do that she doesn't like? He is pretty easy to correct on things. (except peeing on things in my garden!)Witt is the one who wants to walk on top of me the most, he always has to be in my pocket, but with him it depends where we are and what we are doing...I think the dog likes to be complicated!

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winnie
Member

Posts: 107
From:sherman oaks,california,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 03-08-2004 08:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for winnie     Edit/Delete Message
Thank you guys for all the great replies...I will go to Petsmart first thing tomorow and get one of those bottles with the dish attached...thanks agian!!!Its so hot here lately I feel so bad for Winnie since she has a black coat...poor thing must get really hot. Maybe i will hose her before we exercise too!

[This message has been edited by winnie (edited 03-08-2004).]

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goob
Member

Posts: 552
From:
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 03-08-2004 11:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for goob     Edit/Delete Message
Hosing a dog down in hot weather can actually make them hotter, because the water will act as insulation over/among the fur and skin and trap more heat inside. It's usually better to wet spots with little hair, the belly, insides of legs, ears, and throat than to just douse the whole dog.

You might also find that she's cooler if you take her to the groomers and have them use a force dryer to blow some of the undercoat out of her fur (it doesnt hurt them, just blows out any loose coat, which the dog doesnt need in such a warm climate).

They also make "cooler jackets" for dogs, there are several varieties, I saw them last summer and hopefully will be able to scrounge up the money for one before it gets too warm here. Someone I talked to who had bought one said that their dog had had one for several years and it worked great, so it might be worth looking into.

And anyone looking into those belts for walking can also check anyplace that sells skijoring supplies, they use a belt/harness (for people) that is similar, heavily padded, etc.

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Maisey
Member

Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 03-09-2004 12:11 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Maisey     Edit/Delete Message
My flyball captain has one of those cooler coats for her dog and I saw several people using them at the tournament last summer. The site I placed a link to above..Alpine Outfitters sells skijoring supplies including a belt for hands free activities. I am ordering a harness from them after seeing it on a dog at class, it's an awesome harness, VERY comfy for the dog and reasonably priced. They sent me a catalog....the harness is meant for people who roller blade or skateboard with their dogs! LOL, that will NOT be me, but the harness will work great for flyball.

BTW, I got that Buddy system hands free leash tonight, my captain had one in her shop that she sold me at a discount (cause I'm special)...I really like it!

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GoodboysBaddogs
Member

Posts: 409
From:Los Angeles, Ca.
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 03-09-2004 01:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for GoodboysBaddogs     Edit/Delete Message
hey Winnie,

I go jogging/hiking with my boys too.
Why don't you wear something with pockets?
That's what i do.
I usually just get an empty bottle of an original (like 8-12oz.- i'm not exactly sure how much, but you know those 99 cents ones ) evian/arrowhead or the like, and fill it up with the purified water we have here at home, and throw it in the freezer overnight or how ever long untill we go on another outing/exercise...
And i just put it in one of my pockets.
2 hours w/out H2O is kinda harsh i think.
But, it really depends on how your dog performs, under certain circumstances.
Like:
What kinda exercise.
Temperature
Terrain
For how long.

You know...


I usually like to go exercising at places where they have drinking fountains available around our routings.
Since i do the frozen water bottle thing, usually by the time i give my dogs some (depending on temperature of day) water, the water is still pretty much frozen.
So what i do is force water in by running water from the faucets (drinking fountains) into the bottle.
This will break down the ice and actually make it drinkable.
I do this over & over (sometimes barely anything comes out).
But eventually my task is done, and my boys are ready for the jog "back" to the car.
"Back" meaning, this is our good/perfect time for a nice water break.
We used to do our runs/walks in around that time (2 hours), but now we're actually doing this same route/length in an average of 40 minutes.
So if your outings are 2 hours, i'd say after an hour would be a good time to have that water break.
Again, it really depends on how your dog performs.

I also make sure to fill up one last time, before leaving the fountains when heading back to our car.
Just in case any emergency situations happen to where we'll need it.
When we finally get back to our ride, i give my boys a quick drink before they hop in the car.

I forgot to mention, that i also soak their heads up with water durring the water break.
If we accidentally get caught up in the heat (mid-day), then i'll be extra sure to saok down their whole bodies before continuing our routes (running or walking).

My Chinese Shar Pei actually does better in long distance than my American Bulldog, any day.
Can you believe that!?!
Amazing how much energy this little guy has...
If i decided to go another round (like another 40 minutes), my Pei would be able to do it w/ a smile on his face i'm sure.
My AB well, he'd rather just chill out by the car , seriously.

BUT, on cool temp days (speaking of So.Cal) like 50's - to no hotter than mid 60's, my boys could perform great (yeah, my AB smiles throughout the whole thing too!).

That's when i REALLY like going out for a run/hike...
Because i know i'll get the best outta them .

[This message has been edited by GoodboysBaddogs (edited 03-09-2004).]

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