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We exercise our dogs twice a day. Dogs are generally more manageable when they recieve adequate exercise. We are not experts but we know what has worked for us.
1/ Lead walking alone is not adequate exercise for most dogs.
2/ Rowdy, destructive behaviour in dogs is often due to not recieving enough exercise.
3/ If you have 2 or more bullbreed dogs it is vital you keep them tired if you keep them together. This is particularly important if the dogs are left alone for several hours at a time. BORED FRUSTRATED DOGS WILL FIGHT.
Our dogs are calm and manageable all day as their main 'workout' is done first thing in the morning. If they have surplus energy we let them use the SPRING POLE for a while. We also put them in the yard with a BOOMERBALL which is a great way to exercise bullbreed dogs. In the evening we may give a lead walk or go to the beach or park for a while. We prefer fit athletic dogs, Clio can run for miles, catch rabbits, go swimming and always looks lean and fit, however owning such dogs requires committment as they are high maintenance in terms of exercise.Some prefer a lively but more manageable dog which is why we breed our Bulldogges. We will be breeding three different types of Bulldogge. Details of our Bulldogges will be updated soon.
SPRING POLE
The Concept of the Spring Pole
Concept: A springy mechanism attached to a toy or "bite surface" assembled in a way that a dog can grab and hold the toy and at the same time tug while the spring provides resistance.
How to Build One: Get a spring and attach a toy to it. This may seem ultra simple. Well, it is.
They do not cause aggression or any dog to "snap" if a dog does that, it was unsound to begin with.
For safety, keep it semi low to the ground so your dog can touch their back feet. If you have a serious hang time dog and they have proven to be good solid hangers, raise it up a bit.
Consult your vet before starting. I can't say this enough, always, always, get your dog looked at before you put them on something that works them out hard. Joints, good lungs, no heart problems, and over all health are good starting points for your vet to look at.
These pictures are not of our dogs or their training equipment. Pictures of our own dogs will be added in the future.
The spring pole should be low enough for the dogs back legs to be able to reach the ground at all times. They shouldn't be able to dangle off the floor as they may lose their grip and fall injuring themselves. Make sure there's enough room around the spring pole so your dog doesn't injure himself by banging into something as they swing around.
If used correctly the spring pole will work the muscles in your dogs jaw, neck, shoulders and back as he tugs and shakes the toy. However it will only work these muscles if the back legs are on the floor at all times. You should always supervise your dog exercising to prevent accidents or over exertion. You need to decide when your dog has had enough.
After exercising it is a good idea to rub your dog down, gently massaging him from front to rear and let him cool down first before allowing him to drink.
BOOMER BALL
The Boomer Ball is a great way to exercise Bull Breeds, Staffs and English Bull Terriers love them. They come in a variety of sizes and can be ordered from any good pet shop. The correct size is a little larger than the dog can fit in it's mouth,10-12" (about the size of a football is best)
BUILDING A DOG TREADMILL
BUILDING THE FRAME
For helpful dimensions for your size dog, see Grand Carpet Mill
The frame is usually built out of wood and can involve a base with side rails. Notches may be added to set the apparatus at different inclines (similar to an Adirondack chair). The frame can have rollers attached through an axle and bearings or consist of a separate shell set independently over the roller system.
The frame can also be built out of metal, either using parts from an old human-powered treadmill or welding or bolting together pieces of aluminum or steel pipe. If weight is a consideration, aluminum is the obvious choice.
It may be possible to go without a frame if you can get your dog to stay on the treadmill.
THE ROLLERS
One design we read about calls for attaching a roller at each end of the frame made out of a steel axle and bearings, covered with insulating foam, that is then placed inside a 2-inch PVC pipe. Polyurethane plastic is then placed over the rollers for the base. See this post in the Pitbull forum for more information.
A simpler process may be to purchase a gravity roller conveyor section off eBay or ask about used sections from a conveyor company. Be sure to check on shipping costs before you make a purchase though. One $75 section had a $225 shipping cost!
You’ll want a width of between 15 and 18 inches. The frame can take up to 3 inches of the total width so make sure you get a section wide enough for your dog. The sections often come in 5 or 10-foot lengths and usually cost at least $75 without shipping. You may wish to check your local scrap metal yard or craigslist first.
THE BELT
When you build a dog treadmill, you'll need to set up or modify your roller system so at least one side or a couple of the rollers can be removed to slip on the belt. You can purchase belts from Grand Carpet Mill for around $60 with free shipping (April 2008 price). They have great tips for how to extend belt life in their FAQs section. Of course, sizing is important since you don’t want a belt that is too slack or too tight.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Another company that sells a belt-powered dog treadmill but uses top pile carpeting is Colby's Noiseless Treadmills.
You can possibly build a dog treadmill using wooden slats attached to a flexible material to create the belt. This belt then wraps around a spool on either end. Texas Tough Treadmills has good photos of the ones they sell.
For good advice about getting a dog used to a treadmill, see The Use of a Human Treadmill in Conditioning Dogs.
We hope to uncover further information on various ways to build a dog treadmill of the manual variety. In the meantime, we trust some of the above information was helpful to you.
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