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Muscle building

Discussion in 'Health & Nutrition' started by Euro, Mar 18, 2020.

  1. Euro

    Euro Big Dog

    what would be best muscle building activities for a dog? i never did more than running and walking with weighted vests with my ol dogs, but i also heard spring poles, tire hanging and weight pulling are good.

    anyone got any suggestions on exercising and supplements for dogs?
     
    david63 likes this.
  2. slim12

    slim12 Super Moderator Staff Member

    I'm not much on building muscle per se, but I do like to tone what they have.

    Any of the above you mentioned will work.

    Add flirt pole. It may be the most under rated tool in the shed.

    Then the next ideal is to use whatever the dog likes to do to your advantage. The best dog is that dog that does not know he is working.

    S
     
    Sleep, david63, oldguy and 2 others like this.
  3. Euro

    Euro Big Dog

    True, would be dragging large tires also help? i have a really good harness suitable for that and other equipment parts

    RF1 is also supposed to be a great supplement, do you recommend it*?
     
    david63 likes this.
  4. slim12

    slim12 Super Moderator Staff Member

    Pulling weight will build mass.

    I am not a big fan of commercial supplementation. I prefer to read the ingredients of the big names, buy the primary ingredients in bulk and make my own.

    For the price of RF-1 you can buy the ingredients separately and have maybe 6-8-10 times the amount for the same money.

    S
     
  5. Box Bulldog

    Box Bulldog Top Dog

    Dragging chains, Flirt pole, lots off walking works well for my weight pull dog. RF1 does help, I don't use it but know a few that have. For supplements while in training for pulls I add creatine, glutamine, a little raw honey and ginseng to good feed. Seems to work as good as any for my pull dog.
     
    david63 and oldguy like this.
  6. Sleep

    Sleep Big Dog

    i find that swimming in the summer time for my dogs does there body great full body workout and helping them conteol breathing...just my opinion tho...but all the other comments were great as well...i have a hard time with the spring pole dogs not to interested in it for some reason...any suggestions to help on springpole?
     
    david63 and Euro like this.
  7. Euro

    Euro Big Dog

    Thank you on the feedback! I considered adding some sprinting/treadmill running with a weighted vest too. That and combo of raw diet and RF1
     
  8. pulling either on bike , chain etc
    two short things
    building strength is a continuous process so u might want to take 8 week sup 2 down 4 up 1 down 3 up 4 days down etc till comp
    dont settle for the 8 weeks keep
    I would reccomend like 4 months before significant improvement
    also from what the little I know about weight-pulling is that regular weightpull sets will help
    I think roids definetly would give a huge advantage since u dont need to worry to much about running hot
    but its not my area of expertise
     
    david63 likes this.
  9. Euro

    Euro Big Dog

    i thought about making an exercise plan, i myself go to the gym and do heavy lifts 3 to 4 times a week for about 2 hours, something along those lines might work on a dog too.

    roids do sound a bit too much for me tho
     
  10. GK1

    GK1 Big Dog

    quoting my mentor who has trained 1000s of personal and service dogs over decades: “you must go along with the dog!”.. Meaning train to the capabilities of the individual dog in front of you. Not all dogs will take to the flirt, just as all won’t go for the frisbee, spring pole, ball, or pull consistently on leash. Others won’t water retrieve, dislike swimming. Then there are some driven ones which will do all the above. The reward is the journey - figuring out what works, and increasing your knowledge with each dog you work.

    Speaking in generalities..many of the bully lines have the denser and impressive looking muscle tissue whereas as the game lines tend to be more structured for endurance.

    Heavy lifting, low rep workouts etc.. I guess a similar program can be adapted to a dog with weighted vest, tow chain. But is this the model of developing fighting fitness? I would think an adaption of CrossFit, or combat sport conditioning would be the ideal direction to go.

    Regarding RF-1 and similar supplements...so-called ‘superfoods’. IMO nothing synthetically produced and chemically preserved to sit on the shelf for months/years (let alone delivered from a syringe), can compare with whole, live foods..which are loaded with enzymes and easily assimilated nutrients.
     
    corvettedex, Sleep and david63 like this.
  11. Euro

    Euro Big Dog

    would it not make sense for game dogs to have more dense and less voluminous muscles? sorta like MMA fighters do, higher ration of fast twitch dense muscle fibers compared to a powerlifter who have more volume in muscle but their muscles are slow twitch
    IMO, such foods should be supplementary to normal diet, the same way you wont see a human athlete eating only protein powder and creatine, majority of nutrients should come from meat, fat and organs while stuff like RF1 can be pre-workout

    but then again i am speaking from the standpoint of human physiology, no clue how that adapts to canines
     
  12. david63

    david63 CH Dog

    I tried the bicycle and dog training just once. that dam dog about killed me.
     
    corvettedex and Capt. Roxy like this.
  13. GK1

    GK1 Big Dog

    ripped.jpg

    buck.jpg

    which dog has the superior working structure, musculature?

    what does hydrolyzed whey protein, or processed creatine have in terms of accessible nutrition (aminos, enzymes) that natural foods such as eggs, fish, meat, kefir yogurt do not?
     
    corvettedex and david63 like this.
  14. Euro

    Euro Big Dog

    lmao attaching a dog to bicycle can be dangerous, pits are strong af
     
    david63 likes this.
  15. Euro

    Euro Big Dog

    those two dogs are not same breed tho, first one is a staffy/bully mix

    and they have more creatine which is important energy source, and they tend to have higher percentage of protein (whey protein is most easily digestible)
     
  16. GK1

    GK1 Big Dog

    I tried the bicycle and dog training just once. that dam dog about killed me.

    Lol I no longer attach the larger dogs to my bike. Even so, the 45-55 pounders have taken me down a couple times on asphalt. Usually a rabbit, or cat popping out somewhere off to the side.
     
    Sleep and david63 like this.
  17. david63

    david63 CH Dog

    That what happened to me No more asphalt rash for me.
     
  18. GK1

    GK1 Big Dog

    Euro, yes of course different breeds. My point is genetics can't be changed. Buck is perfect as depicted...

    I've been working out over 35 years, literally. My morning session today was 20 x 100 yard sprints. I'll do an agility/strength and flexibility workout later today. I'm 50.

    Nothing in a fancy can industrially processed has been more effective for my recovery and lifetime wellness than live foods. I cannot see the same NOT applying to our dogs. JMO..
     
    david63 likes this.
  19. Euro

    Euro Big Dog

    they can tho? a game breed APBT wont have same genetics as some show breed staffy or bully, APBT has been made to be athletic, strong and full of endurance, bullies are aesthetic breed for wannabe tough guys
    to each of their own, there are different levels/types of athletic performance that require different recovery materials
     
  20. slim12

    slim12 Super Moderator Staff Member

    If fed a properly balanced meal there is no real need for supplementation until the dog is in an extreme exercise routine.

    Adjusting the fat content in the diet to match the work load will be about as much any dog will need. The dog will acclimate to the high fat content and the proteins in his diet will then be used more for recovery.

    I would go that route before I started wasting money on supplements.

    S
     
    Jusi, Flipside, oldguy and 2 others like this.

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