Deweybagger
New member
Does anyone have recommendations on roading speed and distance to start and where is a good place to end or maintain.
Roading
- Thread starter Deweybagger
- Start date
Dakotazeb
Well-known member
Kind of depends on how you plan to road your dog. Bicycle, 4-wheeler, etc. I've always roaded my Brittany with my bicycle. Been doing it for about 6 years. And she loves it. During the summer we go approx. 6 miles on the bike path and she pulls me the majority of the time. We average about 12 mph. There are times she pulls me as fast as 15 mph. At the halfway (turn around) mark we stop at the lake and I let her take a quick swim to cool off. I do this 3-4 times per week to maintain conditioning. As we get closer to to hunting or trial season I'll work in some free running on the off days. A trainer I know roads his dogs with a 4-wheeler at 8-10 mph and eventually build them up to 1 hour. Everyone may have their own method but you really have to do what works best for your dog. I'm a believer in not over training and conditioning as I think the dogs need some days off to recoup.
quail hound
Moderator
When I used to road mine I'd go a half mile at about 5mph to loosen them up, one mile at 10, one mile at 15 and then turn around and and work down from 15 to 10 to 5 for the last half mile and end with some swimming and free running.
Deweybagger
New member
He is working from a 4 wheeler, he started a couple weeks ago only about twice a week as we were going through this extremely hot and humid weather.
Today was my first day running him, the guys that were running him the other days said he was pulling hard at 12-13 mph and they wanted to build onto the distance as the weeks progressed and were able to run more. So I put the gps on the wheeler today and I was going 10 mph on the speedo and when I was done the average speed was almost 15 mph on the gps, so with that I am a little concerned that he was running at 17-18 mph for 3-4 miles with almost no conditioning prior while they thought they were going 12-13.
He seems to enjoy it but I'm concerned for his long term well being, I'm thinking of going down to 10 mph gps for longer while he's building up.
Today was my first day running him, the guys that were running him the other days said he was pulling hard at 12-13 mph and they wanted to build onto the distance as the weeks progressed and were able to run more. So I put the gps on the wheeler today and I was going 10 mph on the speedo and when I was done the average speed was almost 15 mph on the gps, so with that I am a little concerned that he was running at 17-18 mph for 3-4 miles with almost no conditioning prior while they thought they were going 12-13.
He seems to enjoy it but I'm concerned for his long term well being, I'm thinking of going down to 10 mph gps for longer while he's building up.
David0311
May be a little different option here--in addition to regular training to keep them in shape I do,do a some training with a four wheeler for pad toughness as well as conditioning--
But because I Have labs I prefer to swim them as a important part of conditioning as much as two miles a day as season approaches I prefer swimming to extreme road work to ease wear and tear on joints--
Obviously not a option for everyone but works for me--JMO.
May be a little different option here--in addition to regular training to keep them in shape I do,do a some training with a four wheeler for pad toughness as well as conditioning--
But because I Have labs I prefer to swim them as a important part of conditioning as much as two miles a day as season approaches I prefer swimming to extreme road work to ease wear and tear on joints--
Obviously not a option for everyone but works for me--JMO.
Deweybagger
New member
May be a little different option here--in addition to regular training to keep them in shape I do,do a some training with a four wheeler for pad toughness as well as conditioning--
But because I Have labs I prefer to swim them as a important part of conditioning as much as two miles a day as season approaches I prefer swimming to extreme road work to ease wear and tear on joints--
Obviously not a option for everyone but works for me--JMO.
I like this idea, he has been swimming when to hot for roading but only water work, like long marks of 100-150 yards and probably only for 20-30 minutes.
Are you just doing fun retrieves to get the swimming in?
I should mention that he is a lab also
David0311
I'm fortunate to have excellent training areas--one in particular allows me to do up to 300 to 400 marks and blinds I use both or a combination of both to keep their interest up--will also use five or six fun bumpers at a time as both a excercise and marking up to a half hour or more in rapid succession --normally after completion of regular training and swimming--
IMO just letting Them swim on their own will not do much for conditioning--
Give it a try think you might like it.
I'm fortunate to have excellent training areas--one in particular allows me to do up to 300 to 400 marks and blinds I use both or a combination of both to keep their interest up--will also use five or six fun bumpers at a time as both a excercise and marking up to a half hour or more in rapid succession --normally after completion of regular training and swimming--
IMO just letting Them swim on their own will not do much for conditioning--
Give it a try think you might like it.
Deweybagger
New member
I'm not sure what brand they are using at the trainer but Gundog Supply has several different ones.