Roading/Conditioning

Toad

Toad

Active member
I was thinking about starting my dogs on a more disciplined exercise program. I was thinking about roading them, which I have seen done on TV but don't know anybody who actually does it. I've got access to a golf cart, and I've been shopping for UTVs.

Anybody have an exercise program that they would be willing to share or a link to some helpful information? My dogs and I would greatly appreciate it. They enjoy walking, but I'm sure they would rather RUN or pull.:D

I have an over-the-hill golden retriever that could use some light duty exercise and a GWP in the prime of her life that needs to have the pizz run out of her. She got a little beefy this summer since we had a baby and I didn't exercise her like I should have. She will trim down during hunting season, but I want to keep her lean and strong next summer.

Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Previous Thread

There was a lengthy thread on here this summer on this very topic.

I'm sure someone here can post up a link- I can't right now- I'm going hunting!!:D

NB
 
It's probably in the above link but I started "Roading" my dog with my bicycle. I live less than a mile from the country gravel roads so from my house I put a long cord on the dog and she pulls me on the pavement for the first 3/4 mile. Then I release her and off we go. I generally pedal about 10-12 mph and have a difficult time keeping up with her. When I first started we were going 3-5 miles and worked up to 7-9 miles. I tried to do this 3 days a week. Make sure you road the dog on gravel as extended roading on pavement or asphalt can do damage to the pad on their feet. I know from experience. The first time out I ran her about 3.5 miles on the bike path and she came home with bloody feet.
 
roading

I had a pro trainer of pointing dogs who used to road extensively off an ATV modified with booms to hold more dogs. I found that the dogs tend to pull and strain, both against each other, and the weight of the machine as it varies in forward motion from terrain providing a real jolt as bumps along, if you doubt this get in the harness yourself. If you do this daily and you start with a dog with OFA good hips, you will end up, shortly with a dog built like a weightlifter, with OFA fair hips, or worse, and which still wears out before the end of an hour stake. What I'm saying is that there are no short cuts, if you want an all age dog who runs for 3 hours, you better have access to the grounds, and a horse to push him/her with. If you want an Arnold Swarzenneger dog, who looks the part, with bad joints, road off an ATV. Just my experience, with before and after radiographs, and vet bills to prove it.
 
Thanks for the links and the info.:thumbsup: I figured this topic had come up before.

I'll have to start looking for some good backroads. Thanks oldandnew for the warning about the dog's joints. That's something I would want to avoid for sure.
 
Fillmore's pads have heeled well, and we're back at it - 3 days a week. Unfortunately, our route is mostly concrete. She seems fine, but after her first big burst of energy, she seems to slow down a fair amount. We've got a just under 2 mile loop we knock out about 3 times a week at least. But I see you guys going 4, 5, 9 miles with the dog charging the whole way. Filli seems almost bored, but I guess it could be tired. After lots of this conditioning, she should be plenty fit. She's sure not overweight (and she'll be 2yo next week)

I'm wondering 2 things –– do you think the concrete is wearing her out? Her feet seem fine, but I know if I run on concrete I sure feel it. Maybe that's what slows her down?

OR

Food. We went from the 30/20 blend (Eukanuba pro performance) last year down to a 28/18 (active performance). I wonder if there's much a difference in her energy level just from this small difference?
 
I don't think the concrete is wearing her down and I certainly don't think the switch in food has anything to do with it. Some dogs just don't like to run with the bike. I have two Brittanys and my field trial bred dog loves it and can't get enough. My other Britt just won't run with the bike. Take her to a field and she will run like crazy but I can't get her to go with me on the bike.

2 miles should be no problem. In fact I don't think 2 miles 3 days a week will get her in real good hunting condition. I'd try working her up to 5-6 miles at about a 10 mph pace, if she will do it.

My Brittany and I went 8 miles this morning and she maintains a 12-15 mph pace the entire distance. But she's bred to run. I wouldn't expect that of your Springer.
 
When I go to work, sometimes I take my dogs. So I just use my truck. I Drop all my dogs out on the back roads and drive a few miles, water them and load them back up.

I like doing this as the dogs get exercised, I get to spend time with the dogs and go hunting during lunch and on my wayhome from work.
 
C_D it could be she is not excited about running on the concrete. When I take mine out for a mountain bike ride they refuse to run at full speed on the road portion of our route. They will actually avoid the road and run full speed through the forest. Amazing to watch them jumping and dodging their way through the forest.
 
blueweim said:
C_D it could be she is not excited about running on the concrete. When I take mine out for a mountain bike ride they refuse to run at full speed on the road portion of our route. They will actually avoid the road and run full speed through the forest. Amazing to watch them jumping and dodging their way through the forest.
Click to expand...

I haven't taken her with me on any mtb rides yet, but when we head out to hike, it's just like you said. full tilt through the forest. must be so fun for them.

Typically, the first mile is a full sprint, then slows down to a trot. Maybe I need to keep her from that first sprint so she doesn't just wear herself out?

She may just not be into it. I'm thinking I might try a harness on her. Maybe tht's just the mental trick she needs to keep it rolling.
 
oldandnew said:
I had a pro trainer of pointing dogs who used to road extensively off an ATV modified with booms to hold more dogs. I found that the dogs tend to pull and strain, both against each other, and the weight of the machine as it varies in forward motion from terrain providing a real jolt as bumps along, if you doubt this get in the harness yourself. If you do this daily and you start with a dog with OFA good hips, you will end up, shortly with a dog built like a weightlifter, with OFA fair hips, or worse, and which still wears out before the end of an hour stake. What I'm saying is that there are no short cuts, if you want an all age dog who runs for 3 hours, you better have access to the grounds, and a horse to push him/her with. If you want an Arnold Swarzenneger dog, who looks the part, with bad joints, road off an ATV. Just my experience, with before and after radiographs, and vet bills to prove it.
Click to expand...

Thats interesting. Ive seen 100% the opposite of what you stated. My trainer roads extensively off ATV's and from what Ive seen, there has been no issue with dogs running an hour+. Heck, the father of my dog finally retired at over 11 years old from the circuit. Hell, they didn't retire him because he couldn't run and had bad hips, they retired him because he was going blind and losing his hearing, he still ran like a bat out of hell and never did slow down. Bad hearing and going blind isn't a good combo for a dog perfectly happy at 800+ yards. As a matter of fact, I don't know of any of his dogs that had to retire from roading abuse. Most stoped trialing because they were 10+ years old and it was just time. They had one dog who was still running at nearly 12 years old. They didn't realize how old she was because they had sort of lost track. When they pulled up her papers because they knew she was getting close, they said "crap, we should have retired her 2 years ago". I think roading is like anything else. You have to be careful and not push the dogs too much.

When my dog is home from the trial circuit I road her off my bike in our housing development. I road her 2-3 times per week for 5-10 miles at about 10 miles an hour. I don't overdo it and I really watch her pads. So far there hasn't been a single issue, but Im also not getting her in shape, Im just keeping her in shape. In the beginning, she trys to pull but settles down pretty quick. It only took 1 or 2 rides before she figured it all out. But thankfully, I wasn't teaching her how to road off the bike since she already knew what roading was about. BTW.. I have The Springer bike attachment and it works pretty well. Not perfect, but for $35 with the bike off craigslist, I couldn't go wrong.
 
I just started roading Mojo some on the bike paths in the area.

If you are going to be on concrete make sure to keep the dog's nails trimmed - Mojo broke one out running - what a bloody mess. I started with 1/2 mile and worked up to 3 or 4 miles and everything seemed fine until the one day he after 3 miles he broke the nail and also had some pad wear - and now will have to dial it back and/or find another spot to run that has gravel.

Does anyone have something they might recommend to help the pads heal and toughen up if they are worn from roading? Would something like Vitamin E oil help? you want them to heal - but not become soft.......

Thanks
Chuck
 
Dakotazeb said:
I don't think the concrete is wearing her down and I certainly don't think the switch in food has anything to do with it. Some dogs just don't like to run with the bike. I have two Brittanys and my field trial bred dog loves it and can't get enough. My other Britt just won't run with the bike. Take her to a field and she will run like crazy but I can't get her to go with me on the bike.

2 miles should be no problem. In fact I don't think 2 miles 3 days a week will get her in real good hunting condition. I'd try working her up to 5-6 miles at about a 10 mph pace, if she will do it.

My Brittany and I went 8 miles this morning and she maintains a 12-15 mph pace the entire distance. But she's bred to run. I wouldn't expect that of your Springer.
Click to expand...

Zeb a few of questions.

- is the gravel hard on their pads?

- Have you ever been pulled off the bike because the dog wanted to suddenly go 90 degrees on ya?

- Are you just holding a check cord or something similar with your hand or do you have something attached to the bike. I would think it could be an accident waiting to happen if attached to the bike??
 
birdshooter said:
Zeb a few of questions.

- is the gravel hard on their pads?

- Have you ever been pulled off the bike because the dog wanted to suddenly go 90 degrees on ya?

- Are you just holding a check cord or something similar with your hand or do you have something attached to the bike. I would think it could be an accident waiting to happen if attached to the bike??
Click to expand...

you should look at it as- if you are going to run your dog on a bike- you need the dog to understand- training to run on a bike leash

you attach any of mine to a bike- you are going to soon experience road rash- if you train yours to be calm and run on a leash without constantly pulling like a mad man- you could have a dog that would run attached to a lead on a bike

1st time experience is an "oh shit" experience- not for the faint of heart

nope- I'll free run mine- but I'll tip my hat to anyone who runs theirs off a bike
 
Well my experience with roading dogs from a bike is quite different that stated above.

We live in a private sub with paved roads and grass/ road gravel on the shoulders. I started two summers ago after a knee operation. I use a "Walky Dog" bike attachment which comes off the seat stem. The dogs go in a roading harness. I keep them right by my right knee and ride along with the direstion of traffic (actually very little). They luv the work. :) They pull hard for the first few minutes and then settle into a ground eating trot. Like with anything, they need to be trained. One took to the drill immediately and the other one took some time.

This time of year, we alternate with free running in the field. ALL of the top field trial trainers I know, use roading of one sort or another to condition/ maintain condition in their trial dogs.

And in two years, hundreds of hours, no "road rash" yet. Not even close.:10sign: And this despite the best efforts of bunnies, grouse, doves, songbirds, squirrels, chipmunks, columns of deer, 'yotes and other critters to get me down on the asphalt.:)

NB
 
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I just plant birds in a field and road them out there with a 12GA.:D Too fat to bike, and they don't like running by a car. Last time River hit the breaks so I had to let the rope go. By the time I turned around she ran a mile the other direction. I find 1/4ing and training at the same time in the field keeps them in shape. Mix in some water work and were good.
 
I got a retractable leash and I actually hold it in one hand, that way - I have been able to drop it a couple times when he stopped and I was going really fast, I can also press the button to keep him close if I desire.

Shadow is right on. At first I went 100 yards slowly and worked up to some speed. I have been teaching a "Turn" command that means we are getting ready to turn off to a side road, and a "Slow Down" when coming to a stop sign. Seems to work pretty well for me. I have been on bike paths mainly on the outskirts of town.

Chuck
 
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