StateOfMine
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I will start this off by saying that Flint is fine other than a tore up paw pad because the lunatic runs full tilt and then slides to a stop across hard, rocky, rough surfaces repeatedly. I took him to the vet for a foot wrap on Friday and he got it off today. He's totally fine. However, during that time of no running or playing for a few days, I started to wonder if prolonged times of laying around not exercising much would quicken the arrival of a doberman doomed to develop DCM at some point. On the flip side, could I be exercising him too much and possibly doing the same thing?
Before Flint, someone could threaten me with a cattle prod if I didn't go outside and I would opt to just endure the pain because to hell with going outside or getting away from my video games. Now that I have Flint, I am on video games for maybe 8 hours a week. I exercise Flint 2 to 3 hours a day in 30 to 45 minute increments, occasionally an hour depending on his behavior. My yard is as long as a football field but nowhere near as wide. I have a Chuck-It launcher that is used daily. I start with a few what I call "freebie" throws just to get our mindset (probably mostly mine) ready for physical activity. I just throw the ball and don't issue any commands or try to teach new things.
After a few throws, I am awake enough to start working on other commands. Using the Chuck-It launcher and ball as the reward, I keep it over my shoulder like you'd carry a huge sack of potatoes. I make him heel and we usually work with the e-collar on, so that if he forges forward I give him a quick stim and re-issue the command. I will let him know he is doing the right thing and to continue doing it with a "GooOOOoooddd!" but then "Chip!" when I throw the ball as the reward marker. We down in motion, sit in motion, practice recalls, all of it.
I am not satisfied that I have done enough with him until his tongue is all of the way out and his sides are heaving when he breathes when I put him in a "down" and I can see that he is good and truly wiped (still ready to play more though... his mind is far stronger than his body). Then we go inside and we both relax. My initial reason for doing this was because I thought it might delay DCM, even if not stop it. Is this maybe too much exercise though? Am I unintentionally shooting myself in the foot with this?
Before Flint, someone could threaten me with a cattle prod if I didn't go outside and I would opt to just endure the pain because to hell with going outside or getting away from my video games. Now that I have Flint, I am on video games for maybe 8 hours a week. I exercise Flint 2 to 3 hours a day in 30 to 45 minute increments, occasionally an hour depending on his behavior. My yard is as long as a football field but nowhere near as wide. I have a Chuck-It launcher that is used daily. I start with a few what I call "freebie" throws just to get our mindset (probably mostly mine) ready for physical activity. I just throw the ball and don't issue any commands or try to teach new things.
After a few throws, I am awake enough to start working on other commands. Using the Chuck-It launcher and ball as the reward, I keep it over my shoulder like you'd carry a huge sack of potatoes. I make him heel and we usually work with the e-collar on, so that if he forges forward I give him a quick stim and re-issue the command. I will let him know he is doing the right thing and to continue doing it with a "GooOOOoooddd!" but then "Chip!" when I throw the ball as the reward marker. We down in motion, sit in motion, practice recalls, all of it.
I am not satisfied that I have done enough with him until his tongue is all of the way out and his sides are heaving when he breathes when I put him in a "down" and I can see that he is good and truly wiped (still ready to play more though... his mind is far stronger than his body). Then we go inside and we both relax. My initial reason for doing this was because I thought it might delay DCM, even if not stop it. Is this maybe too much exercise though? Am I unintentionally shooting myself in the foot with this?
