What's Your Opinion

To those of you who weightpull or who don't, I just want some opinions.


I was at at UKC weight pull this past weekend in Centerville Michigan. There were some people from all over the country. PA, IA, TN, TX, etc. Anyhow, one of the guys from TN, stated the following:


' Man, that dog was hungry. I have not fed her for 3 days so she could make weight'


Do you think this is good for the dog? Not eating for 3 days? You think she had the strength that day to pull? Is it REALLLLLLLLLLLLLY that important to not feed your dog for 3 days just to make a freaking weight class and win a 3 cent ribbon? I think the guy is a jackass anyway. He's one of those know-it-alls. Claims his dogs pull this amount of weight at home, then when he gets to 'our pulls' they pull like 1/3 the amount he states.

Anyway, what do you all think about not feeding like that before a competition?

Andrew

 

Damn 3 days? Some people take this show and weight pull stuff too extreme. When we attended the show I made sure my boy gets his feed and water (a lot of water) during the show and keeping your dogs healthy is a lot more rewarding for me than some ribbons because without the dog there would be no ribbons.

 

Damn, either he was trying to pull the dog at too light a weight or he wasn't the most savvy trainer. For anyone, human or dog pulling weight (dropping weight for an event) is very tough. I hope he had her on some good supplements if he didn't feed her for 3 days.


You want the dog (or human) to compete at the lowest weight they can still be strong at. IMO it is real easy to do it in such a way that an athlete doesnt come in strong. Not eating for 3 days sounds excessive to me.

 

He is a idiot....lol....

If a dog dont eat for 3 days he will be weak...

 

I can understand withholding food a few hours to one night prior to a major show or sporting event, but not allowing the poor dog to eat for 3 days in ridiculous.

I see that a lot in the show ring, people came up short on their conditioning program and will just starve the dog down a size. You can always tell who really worked their dogs though...

 

yea thats definately a bad move, i can understand not feeding 12 hours before the show but not 3 days, he's a dick for putting the dog under that much stress. How can an animal possibly be strong if it doesn't receive any nutrients for 3 days, its impossible, unless ofcourse he pumps the dog full of all types of supplement crap

 

Withholding food for 3 days is ludacris..Anyone with any type of expirience will tell you to withhold food 24hrs,and water 12hrs from showtime..I couldnt imagine a dog having any strength after not having eaten for 72hrs..
People who have to starve down their dog to make weight are extremly lazy and usually dont fair so well when competing against someone who is dedicated to a conditioning program,and anyone with just a little bit of expirience can tell the difference between a conditioned athlete and a food deprived athlete..

 

Yeah, it seems he is defeating the purpose by not feeding her for three days. Maybe that dog could pull all the weight he says, but is so weak by the show it doesn't happen.

 

He is one of those guys who also, likes to talk about how 'game' his dogs are. I met him at a rails pull, in Leslie, Michigan about 1.5 years ago or so. I had NEVER even heard the word game.


Some of you may know this guy. He travels everywhere. He has dogs named:Cheyenne, Tennessee, heck, I can't remember the others.


He's one of those guys who wants to increase increments on a 54 pound dog by like 500 pounds a increment. He is an idiot.

I don't feed the morning of or water the morning of, but after that, I want them to drink, drink, drink.

Andrew

 

As a competitive weight puller of 20+yrs and an ADBA Sanctioned Conformation Judge 12yrs. I can tell you that I have NEVER withheld food/water from a working animal. This is totally COUNTERPRODUCTIVE...I can tell when I am out in the ring judging which dogs have had their food and or water cutback or with held. To the trained eye this is PAINFULLY OBVIOUS....when thinking of canine conditioning think of the body of Sugar Ray Lenorad or Jackie Joyner or UFC welterweight fighter Georges St. Pierre. These are bodies that are built to take punishment, yet lean, well muscled and full of power. This is the type of body a conditioned American Pit Bull Terrier should have. NOT A STARVED DOWN, DEHYDRATED shell of what it should be!!
On the track I can guarantee you that a dog that has had food withheld for that long WILL NOT have the energy or fat reserves needed to compete at a top level and will more than likely get beat soundly. We have had many National Champion weight pull and conformation dogs. They are fed on their regular schedule of twice daily even before any event. We don't feed the morning of the weigh in , but as soon as they have been weighed in they are given their food. Water is not restriced at all...it is needed to keep the dog hydrated and to keep the muscles & kidneys functioning properly by flushing toxins out of the body.

MoPulldogs
(Michelle V.)

 

MoPulldogs: So you feed after the weigh in,but before they actually start pulling?.Your dogs pull on a full stomach?. Not debating,just inquiering..

 

many of the ignorant will attempt to condition a dog by cutting feed and water before a show, it is a testament to the fact they have no clue what the hell they are doing.

 

MO:

I hear ya. I feed, 1 cup after we weigh in and before they pull. After they're done pulling, they get their addition cup or 1.25 cups.

I am SURE some of you know this guy. If I knew his name, I would post it just to call him out, but I don't know it I may get into trouble (from mods) if I posted it as well, so I am glad I don't know it.

 

If they are pulling within an hour or so of weighing in then they will get half of their morning ration and some plain yogurt then the rest of their morning ration as soon as they are done pulling. If they aren't pulling for several hours after weigh in...then yes they get a full ration. This is the way we and alot of other highly competitive pullers have always done it to each their own I know ...There are many other idiots in pulling like the ones Peabody observed over the weekend :rolleyes:

 

MO: Why the yougurt? Does that do something energy wise or? From what I know, doesn't yogart settle the stomach?

Andrew

 

We only feed yogurt with live and active cultures...they improve digestive function and benefit the immune system. It is also a very good source of animal protein...ie - provides energy (9 grams in 6 ounces) plus calcium, vitamin B-2, B-12, potassium, and magnesium.

 

no wonder he only pulled a 3rd of his normal weight, he hadn't eaten in 3 days! if he pulled that much anyway.

 

Some like the bigger dog,but 3 days without food just to make weight,should have to the owner something and it should have told you something about the owner,it would seem that it was about him and not the dog.Way to much stress for the dog,and the dog had to be weaker....