Fitness, exercise and MY DOG...HELP!!! How do you do it :/

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Replies

  • STLBADGIRL
    STLBADGIRL Posts: 1,693 Member
    Katiebear_81 wrote: »
    What a handsome dog! Very nice. :)

    Oh thank you...I think he likes taking pictures....lol
  • SammyD242
    SammyD242 Posts: 48 Member
    My puppy is a Great Pyrenees, 9 months old and 90 lbs. Her breed is known to be very stubborn and hard to train.

    I take her to our local leash-free dog park. Its 14 acres with hills, shade, a water source, and usually a few other dogs for her to connect with. The perimeter path is exactly 1 km, so I put my headphones on and start walking. Rèmy is free to run and play but likes to stay in sight of me so she always catches up if i get too far ahead of her.

    She gets to run free and socialize, i get in a good workout with 3 or 4 laps, and I have none of the usual problems associated with leash walking.
  • STLBADGIRL
    STLBADGIRL Posts: 1,693 Member
    SammyD242 wrote: »
    My puppy is a Great Pyrenees, 9 months old and 90 lbs. Her breed is known to be very stubborn and hard to train.

    I take her to our local leash-free dog park. Its 14 acres with hills, shade, a water source, and usually a few other dogs for her to connect with. The perimeter path is exactly 1 km, so I put my headphones on and start walking. Rèmy is free to run and play but likes to stay in sight of me so she always catches up if i get too far ahead of her.

    She gets to run free and socialize, i get in a good workout with 3 or 4 laps, and I have none of the usual problems associated with leash walking.

    Thanks for your response @SammyD242 I'm not totally comfy with other dogs yet though to be in an open unleashed park...but my daughter could do that all day long and be in heaven.
  • KymbaKhan
    KymbaKhan Posts: 10 Member
    (It's never too early to take them for a car ride.)
    I've got a hyoooge Lab, 110lbs at 1 year 2 months. He's just so GOOFY I was having the worst time - walks are stop and sniff doggy interest time, and to be honest that's what the morning walks were for - I didn't want to deprive him of his dog-mail on the pee tree and experiences outside the house. I'd gotten pretty good about "now we're walking with purpose" vs "now take your time" cues. But if I started to jog? 100% chance he'd just TEAR OFF like YEAH HERE WE GO! This was after his puppy training class. 9_9
    So - for the past two weeks in the morning before we walk, we do jogging laps on leash in the backyard. It's small, small circles but we do it. Started with 5 laps, now (I'm) we're up to 10 laps each way. His behavior has changed onleash. The circles mean he has to watch his position. He's stopped BOLTING if I hustle when we walk out in the world, now.
    It's a small exercise that might help a lot, so I recommend: jog in a small controlled place that isn't where you normally walk him, get you and him coordinated and comfortable, in sync.
  • antennachick
    antennachick Posts: 464 Member
    edited September 2016
    I have to laugh about the suggestions on here...;) I train dogs part time and I use to have 4 dogs heeling by my side, went to outlet malls everywhere with them. 2 of which I trained to the highest level of competitive obedience. So I know a little ;)
    1) he is 9 months old...Even an obedience trained dog isnt going to be perfect at that age
    2) Get a good obedience instructor in your area. Dont just do petsmart. Ask around, look up kennel clubs in your area and call and ask for dog obedience trainers. but he needs alot of socialization at this age.
    3) teach your dog to heel. Pleanty of youtube clips on that. Reward for walking beside you with a loose leash.
    4) start using a command when its time to go potty. I always used just go potty and let him sniff around on a lose lead and pretty much do what he wants. However, keep in mind males like to pee...on everything including your leg lol
    5) be the boss. When its time to walk then say heel and go. Stop a few times and allow the dog to sniff and relieve himself (especially at the beginning! )

    Good luck to you! Your dog will love it! Another great activity is Agility, if you want to do something active for both of you ;)
  • JeepHair77
    JeepHair77 Posts: 1,291 Member
    antennachick wrote: »
    I have to laugh about the suggestions on here...;) I train dogs part time and I use to have 4 dogs heeling by my side, went to outlet malls everywhere with them. 2 of which I trained to the highest level of competitive obedience. So I know a little ;)
    1) he is 9 months old...Even an obedience trained dog isnt going to be perfect at that age
    2) Get a good obedience instructor in your area. Dont just do petsmart. Ask around, look up kennel clubs in your area and call and ask for dog obedience trainers. but he needs alot of socialization at this age.
    3) teach your dog to heel. Pleanty of youtube clips on that. Reward for walking beside you with a loose leash.
    4) start using a command when its time to go potty. I always used just go potty and let him sniff around on a lose lead and pretty much do what he wants. However, keep in mind males like to pee...on everything including your leg lol
    5) be the boss. When its time to walk then say heel and go. Stop a few times and allow the dog to sniff and relieve himself (especially at the beginning! )

    Good luck to you! Your dog will love it! Another great activity is Agility, if you want to do something active for both of you ;)

    This made me laugh - I accidentally taught my dog to pee on command. She's a rescue and was terrified of EVERYTHING when we first adopted her, and she was very shy about going potty on the leash. I'd take her out on her leash and we'd walk around forever and ever until she'd finally go, and whenever she did, I'd praise the heck out of her - telling her she was such a good girl for going potty. I guess I used the word "potty" a lot.

    Somewhere along the way, I realized that when I said the word "potty," she'd squat and squeeze out a few drops whether she needed to go or not, and she'd look up at me expectantly, waiting for her "good girl."

    Just remember that with great power comes great responsibility.
  • smile_laughter
    smile_laughter Posts: 3,682 Member
    I just finished my first 6 week dog obedience class with my 2 dogs. I did it with my first dog who passed last year. Both experiences are SO worth it. One of my dogs is great with the chest harness. The 9 mo old does not. She will not stop pulling, sniffing, etc. So, I went to the one that is a nose leash (someone mentioned it in an earlier post). It has been a life savior for my sanity and our walks.

    If you put the time, dedication and training into your dog.....it is SO worth it. You will have a great companion. The one that passed away last year was the best dog ever. I put a lot of time in working with her, though. Now....just have to do that all over again with my 2 new ones. It's already paying off.
  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
    You have a beautiful boy! Big yes to the obedience classes. I have had a few strong personalitied dogs over the years and if you have no experience training then a class will be a big help! Large breeds should not be run hard for long time frames before full growth. Things at low speed are fine. Things that keep them walking, trotting(like while you run) for short distances, and short bursts of speed like when they chase a ball are fine. People that run their animals hard(human on bicycle, pet on leash), or let the dog out of the vehicle and drive with dog running beside(I have seen this way too many times) before the animal is full grown have a huge chance of causing damage to joints that can plague an animal for life. I am a huge advocate of also leaving animals intact until they are full size before a neuter/spay. That is so worth a convo with your vet. The theory is that their joints and bones have the opportunity to come to full development utilizing all of their hormones to aid the process before they are fixed.

    With some training and age he will learn that calm walks are the time to pee/sniff everything and runs are the time to focus. He will get better at your verbal comands to ignore the other humans and animals nearby, and he will become a great workout buddy. This is a huge time commitment for you of course but so worth it! Also, talk to the trainer you choose about all of your options to help with the pulling. A head/nose leash worked awesomely for my rottie/lab psycho high energy dog, but a slip collar was the best choice for my husky/collie. A trainer may have options for you to try without having to purchase every one. Enjoy your pup!

    Eta: I currently have adopted an aged german shepherd that refuses to learn any new tricks that are not her idea, and I have a Pyrenees who is for herd protection only. He gets minor training as he will retire to a pet when older but for now he thinks he is a sheep. Lol.
  • valerialeek
    valerialeek Posts: 65 Member
    My dog is exactly the same. I don't exercise with her, it's her walk
  • Flab2Fab27
    Flab2Fab27 Posts: 461 Member
    There's so many opinions when it comes to dog training, especially on the internet. Find a certified dog trainer in your area to get instructions on how to address these issues. Loose leash walking isn't difficult but it does take time on your part (and a lot of patience) to teach your dog what behaviour you're looking for.

    https://positively.com/dog-behavior/basic-cues/loose-leash-walking/

    https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer

  • STLBADGIRL
    STLBADGIRL Posts: 1,693 Member
    Thanks all I really appreciate the feedback!!!!
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    Halti-type (over the nose, when you gently pull on it it pulls the dogs head down and they physically can't go forward) restraints are great, pull- collars or choke chains not so - a dog like yours will build such powerful neck muscles in time he'll barely feel it.

    Harnesses are all but useless on a dog that wants to go somewhere you don't want it to.

    Definitely training classes. Socialising safely with other dogs is critical. Don't forget, it's not just the dog being trained in the class - and you need to be consistent with what you learn.

    Neutering really can help reduce any potential aggression, and is a no-brainer if you aren't planning to breed (spaying even more important, why go through all that hassle each time?!!!!)

    He looks gorgeous, but without proper instruction you and he are going to struggle to get along. I hate hearing people just yelling at their pets when they haven't learnt to control them, frustrating for both owner and dog. You'll both be happier when you understand the rules.
  • jo_nz
    jo_nz Posts: 548 Member
    Sounds like things are going pretty well!!

    We are finding obedience classes great - the rest of my family have never had dogs before, so some basic knowledge and understanding of how they tick has been great for getting them on board, not just the actual training/obedience stuff.

    My pup is still a bit "badly behaved" when meeting/passing people (I don't actually think it's bad behaviour, just still learning).
    Our girl lived on a farm before we got her, so the sights and sounds of suburbia are a bit overwhelming sometimes, although she is getting better.
    One tip from the class was that, during walks, they don't get a chance to really process all the new sights and sounds etc (because you are walking them - they just have to keep going), so it can be helpful to take them somewhere (eg outdoor cafe) where they can be on the lead and you just sit and ignore them. They will be on high alert watching and taking in everything. You will know when they are done processing as they will relax and probably sit or lie down (my girl doesn't, but she does start ignoring it all and just sniffing around my feet instead - she'd a beagle so all about sniffing!) - then give them some attention and tell them how good they are (ignore all excited behaviour).

    I have done that near home, and it seems to have sorted most of the traffic jumpiness she had. Still working on the people part - hard part is when we go out, people want to talk to her and meet her, which interrupts her "processing" so that's ongoing.
    I walk her with the kids to school every day, so she is getting more used to passing people without a fuss.

    We also have two different leads. We have a short walking lead for on the footpaths. When we use this, I expect reasonably good behaviour, and nice walking. When we get to the park or beach she gets her extendable lead and has a bit more freedom to explore. As soon as we walk through the gate to the park she waits to be switched to the other lead!

    Oh, and our girl gets carsick too. If we know we are going out, especially for a long ride, we will feed her less breakfast (or none until we get there if we are travelling early). She gets a bit stressed and quite dribbly, but usually only pukes on longer rides. I think she is getting better as she gets used to driving.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,230 Member
    Sounds like things are really going well! We're at a stage with our pup that walks are more walks than random meandering. It's really good!
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    My Samoyed is a lazy turd. I tried to get her to run with me in the past and she just sits on the trail and refuses to move so I gave up and run by my lonesome!
  • comptonelizabeth
    comptonelizabeth Posts: 1,701 Member
    Your dog is still a puppy so it's different, I know, but to be honest I've stopped seeing dog walking as a fitness thing. Dogs like to stop and sniff etc and I found that constantly trying to get her to keep up with me and yanking on her lead was frustrating for me and not fair on her - she's 12 years old. So now I take her for walks at her pace, and do fitness walking separately.
  • STLBADGIRL
    STLBADGIRL Posts: 1,693 Member
    girlinahat wrote: »
    Halti-type (over the nose, when you gently pull on it it pulls the dogs head down and they physically can't go forward) restraints are great, pull- collars or choke chains not so - a dog like yours will build such powerful neck muscles in time he'll barely feel it.

    Harnesses are all but useless on a dog that wants to go somewhere you don't want it to.

    Definitely training classes. Socialising safely with other dogs is critical. Don't forget, it's not just the dog being trained in the class - and you need to be consistent with what you learn.

    Neutering really can help reduce any potential aggression, and is a no-brainer if you aren't planning to breed (spaying even more important, why go through all that hassle each time?!!!!)

    He looks gorgeous, but without proper instruction you and he are going to struggle to get along. I hate hearing people just yelling at their pets when they haven't learnt to control them, frustrating for both owner and dog. You'll both be happier when you understand the rules.

    Thank you! Yes it was frustrating getting pretty frustrating at first. And sometimes he is stubborn and do not want to react on first command. I know he understands me because if I have a treat he will do it on first command. Also it has been a learning curve for me. Although he is getting bigger and he looks like and adult dog (to me)...he is still a pup....and I've never raised a dog so learning a lot about dogs helped me out a lot.

    However, I still think it is petty to mark your territory and pee over other dogs pee....lol
  • jostrander75
    jostrander75 Posts: 3 Member
    Hi, sorry, I only read a small part of this thread... But I have a 9 week old German Shepherd puppy and we're starting training in 2 weeks - it helps immensely and gives you both something to do and some bonding time. I loved training with our Shepherd, Max (she passed away in July). I have an issue though. My only time to exercise is first thing in the morning and right now Ava (the puppy) is too little for fitness walks. I used to do aerobics, indoor walking videos, etc... But now I have to spend 100% of my time watching her and even if she's right next to me, when I try to exercise she thinks it's a game and she tries to nip or bite. Any way of exercising with a small puppy? I really need to get back to working out and I'm at a loss! Help!
  • comptonelizabeth
    comptonelizabeth Posts: 1,701 Member
    This made me smile (I love puppies)but I get that it's not funny for you. Do you use a crate? I've never used one but some people swear by them. Then she could watch you without getting in your way?
  • jostrander75
    jostrander75 Posts: 3 Member
    comptonelizabeth wrote: »
    This made me smile (I love puppies)but I get that it's not funny for you. Do you use a crate? I've never used one but some people swear by them. Then she could watch you without getting in your way?

    I do have a crate and thought that since I leave her gated in the kitchen for about 4 hours when I leave for work, I thought it would be mean to crate her for a 30 minute workout, but maybe it's the way to go! And I can keep her in the room with me - great idea! Thank you!
  • MadDogManor
    MadDogManor Posts: 1,530 Member
    5tg2uupnw1tk.jpg

    There's hundreds more pics where this came from lol. All these dogs are under 2 years old, and it's crazy for sure. Lots of formal training for everybody. Haven't tried a formal dog walk yet.
  • STLBADGIRL
    STLBADGIRL Posts: 1,693 Member
    MadDogManor wrote: »
    5tg2uupnw1tk.jpg

    There's hundreds more pics where this came from lol. All these dogs are under 2 years old, and it's crazy for sure. Lots of formal training for everybody. Haven't tried a formal dog walk yet.
    nice picture. I can't deal with this one. I know I COULD NOT do more than one.

  • STLBADGIRL
    STLBADGIRL Posts: 1,693 Member
    Wanted to give you all an update. Rhino finally was 'fixed' YAY! And it was only 25 bucks. But before his neutering he was improving. I think we just needed to understand each other's communication, but he is still busy like a 2 year old toddler.

    I'm glad we got him fixed though, because the marking of territory was OUT OF CONTROL and it was a female dog in heat in the neighborhood and he could not rest.

    HE HAD TO GET ONE LAST FLIRT IN BEFORE HIS APPOINTMENT
  • mgalovic01
    mgalovic01 Posts: 388 Member
    Rein in the leash, so he's by your side with only a little slack. Get a remote shock collar. They work wonders. You can put it on the lowest, effective setting. Warn once in an assertive tone when he pulls. Then, shock if he pulls again. He can sniff around when you let him off leash somewhere. It'll take some time to break the bad habits he's developed, so be patient, yet responsive.
    For those who don't like putting a shock collar on their dog, I used to be you. The shock collar is just temporary until the dog develops the desired habit. It's to be used responsibly. It's better than developing a bad relationship and being miserable.
  • tahxirez
    tahxirez Posts: 270 Member
    STLBADGIRL wrote: »
    cmriverside wrote: »
    He's adorable, but I grew up with pitties and if you don't get some help with him now, you will have quite a problem very soon. They are great dogs, but have very strong bodies and personalities and he WILL take charge if you don't. Pitties require a strong owner and a consistent firm hand. Don't treat him like your baby, he's a powerful animal.

    Yes, this is what I am learning....I was treating him like my baby. And he is the sweetest dog, but as soon as he hit outside - big sigh....

    But I will research obedience schools now.... Thanks for the feedback, because if he was going to have to find a new home...

    Most dogs do not want to take the lead. They do it because they feel they must. He wants you to be the strong, dominant owner and will fall into line once he is secure that you are stepping up to the job. Definitely get into obedience classes ASAP and if he has not had proper socialization, introduction to stimulus, people, etc you need to get that going right away before he starts to have negative associations with external stimulus and the behavior gets wayyy worse. Good luck :) love pitties!
  • LanaKane2014
    LanaKane2014 Posts: 1 Member
    Hi STLBADGIRL. I'm quite late to this post, but will agree with other posters that obedience training is a must (especially for those who are new to dog ownership). Dogs perform much better with a consistent routine. My dog was a terror as a pup but all of that changed at ~18 months of age. I'll share a few tips from my obedience training classes (I attended 3)...but, be forewarned, you will look rather silly to outsiders while doing the leash training. The dog should be on a 6' non-retractable leash and you should be in an area with as little distractions (interesting smells, etc.) as possible. For reference, I did this on the street in front of my house (I lived on a quiet dead end street and pavement doesn't have as many interesting smells). Start with your dog by your side but a little bit behind you. If your dog is on your right side, hold the end of the leash in your left hand and use your right hand to grip the leash and take up the slack. Now, comes the fun part. Start walking and the minute he gets in front of you, turn around and immediately start walking the other direction while saying "heel" (so you will be in front of him again...as you should be). Keep turning around every time he gets in front of you. In the beginning, you will only get one or two steps into the 'walk' before you have to turn around. Did I mentioned that you will look silly to ooutsiders? Don't worry, over time the distance should get longer and longer and, eventually, he should get it. I don't remember how long it took my dog to perform well on a leash...but I don't think it was that long after I started using this training technique. As for dominance issues (which my dog also had), I would roll him on to his back and pin him there until he would go limp (i.e. give in) and, because my dog was highly food motivated, I made him sit and wait until I 'released' him to eat for each meal. These were other techniques that my trainer suggested and they worked well for me. As an aside, I would suggest neutering your dog (unless you want to breed him) as it has an positive effect on behavior. I know it seems like a lot of work...but they are worth it! I wish you the best of luck.
  • STLBADGIRL
    STLBADGIRL Posts: 1,693 Member
    LanaKane2014 wrote: »
    Hi STLBADGIRL. I'm quite late to this post, but will agree with other posters that obedience training is a must (especially for those who are new to dog ownership). Dogs perform much better with a consistent routine. My dog was a terror as a pup but all of that changed at ~18 months of age. I'll share a few tips from my obedience training classes (I attended 3)...but, be forewarned, you will look rather silly to outsiders while doing the leash training. The dog should be on a 6' non-retractable leash and you should be in an area with as little distractions (interesting smells, etc.) as possible. For reference, I did this on the street in front of my house (I lived on a quiet dead end street and pavement doesn't have as many interesting smells). Start with your dog by your side but a little bit behind you. If your dog is on your right side, hold the end of the leash in your left hand and use your right hand to grip the leash and take up the slack. Now, comes the fun part. Start walking and the minute he gets in front of you, turn around and immediately start walking the other direction while saying "heel" (so you will be in front of him again...as you should be). Keep turning around every time he gets in front of you. In the beginning, you will only get one or two steps into the 'walk' before you have to turn around. Did I mentioned that you will look silly to ooutsiders? Don't worry, over time the distance should get longer and longer and, eventually, he should get it. I don't remember how long it took my dog to perform well on a leash...but I don't think it was that long after I started using this training technique. As for dominance issues (which my dog also had), I would roll him on to his back and pin him there until he would go limp (i.e. give in) and, because my dog was highly food motivated, I made him sit and wait until I 'released' him to eat for each meal. These were other techniques that my trainer suggested and they worked well for me. As an aside, I would suggest neutering your dog (unless you want to breed him) as it has an positive effect on behavior. I know it seems like a lot of work...but they are worth it! I wish you the best of luck.

    Thanks for your input....because my dog is a handful and he is getting better and better. @LanaKane2014 I just got him neutered and it will be a week on Weds. So happy for that move.
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