Comments on: Staircases build better dog butts http://dogtrainerslog.com/2010/01/staircases-build-better-dog-butts/ Training Out Loud Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:03:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: dogagilitytrainingequipment http://dogtrainerslog.com/2010/01/staircases-build-better-dog-butts/comment-page-1/#comment-60 dogagilitytrainingequipment Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:09:32 +0000 http://dogtrainerslog.com/?p=186#comment-60 It does thanks so much. I have a desire to purchase a mult-story home but am concerned how Haley, my little girl will handle the stairs as she gets older. You've helped me feel more comfortable about it knowing that if I work with her, she should be okay with them. Thanks again. Give Madi a hug for me and high paw from Haley. It does thanks so much. I have a desire to purchase a mult-story home but am concerned how Haley, my little girl will handle the stairs as she gets older. You’ve helped me feel more comfortable about it knowing that if I work with her, she should be okay with them. Thanks again.

Give Madi a hug for me and high paw from Haley.

]]> By: PAS http://dogtrainerslog.com/2010/01/staircases-build-better-dog-butts/comment-page-1/#comment-58 PAS Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:34:39 +0000 http://dogtrainerslog.com/?p=186#comment-58 I am always very concerned about joint (and back) health - and stair work can lead to stresses and strains if the human end of the leash isn't careful. It's extremely important to teach your dog to do this exercise one.stair.at.a.time - no bounding up the stairs or crashing down them! M. used to throw herself at the stairs. I put a light show lead on her, something strong enough so that I could leverage her to be more deliberate about he climbs and descents. Lucky for me she's a chowhound, and she would happily slow down her climb to grab the puffed cheese curls she saw on the steps. It took her about three tries to realize that when you're busy looking left and right for snacks, you get treats. Since that slowed her down naturally, I could reinforce what I wanted right from the beginning. You could also bait the stairs with toys. And yeah, I've done this same exercise with gordon setters twice times M.'s shoulder height. That took more time, but it did happen. I would start with one climb up and one down - nor more than a run of 15 steps in either direction. And if your dog is truly not in good shape, overweight or already experiencing hip or shoulder trouble, half that, done a couple times every day, is the way to start. M. will soemtimes do the stairs three or four times in a row - on her own. I have a rule that I'll let a dog do that kinds of exercise as often as s/he willingly chooses it without any prompt from me. But I will only send a dog at that kind of exercise one or two times in a training session. If I have three five minute training sessions spread out over the day, I may do one set of stairs (once up, once down) in each of those training sessions. Hope that helps. I am always very concerned about joint (and back) health – and stair work can lead to stresses and strains if the human end of the leash isn’t careful. It’s extremely important to teach your dog to do this exercise one.stair.at.a.time – no bounding up the stairs or crashing down them!
M. used to throw herself at the stairs. I put a light show lead on her, something strong enough so that I could leverage her to be more deliberate about he climbs and descents. Lucky for me she’s a chowhound, and she would happily slow down her climb to grab the puffed cheese curls she saw on the steps. It took her about three tries to realize that when you’re busy looking left and right for snacks, you get treats. Since that slowed her down naturally, I could reinforce what I wanted right from the beginning.
You could also bait the stairs with toys.
And yeah, I’ve done this same exercise with gordon setters twice times M.’s shoulder height.
That took more time, but it did happen.
I would start with one climb up and one down – nor more than a run of 15 steps in either direction. And if your dog is truly not in good shape, overweight or already experiencing hip or shoulder trouble, half that, done a couple times every day, is the way to start.
M. will soemtimes do the stairs three or four times in a row – on her own. I have a rule that I’ll let a dog do that kinds of exercise as often as s/he willingly chooses it without any prompt from me. But I will only send a dog at that kind of exercise one or two times in a training session. If I have three five minute training sessions spread out over the day, I may do one set of stairs (once up, once down) in each of those training sessions.
Hope that helps.

]]> By: dogagilitytrainingequipment http://dogtrainerslog.com/2010/01/staircases-build-better-dog-butts/comment-page-1/#comment-57 dogagilitytrainingequipment Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:09:40 +0000 http://dogtrainerslog.com/?p=186#comment-57 Hey great post. I loved the wording and I think you're onto something here with your own version of homemade agility training equipment. I had a question regarding the stair climbing though related to a dog's health. I have a chocolate lab and I'm always concerned about her hips staying strong and healthy. How would you regulate the amount of exercise climbing stairs gives to be positive health wise and not detrimental? What would you use as a gauge? Thanks for the advice. Hey great post. I loved the wording and I think you’re onto something here with your own version of homemade agility training equipment. I had a question regarding the stair climbing though related to a dog’s health. I have a chocolate lab and I’m always concerned about her hips staying strong and healthy. How would you regulate the amount of exercise climbing stairs gives to be positive health wise and not detrimental? What would you use as a gauge? Thanks for the advice.

]]> By: Tweets that mention Staircases build better dog butts - Dog Trainer's Log -- Topsy.com http://dogtrainerslog.com/2010/01/staircases-build-better-dog-butts/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Tweets that mention Staircases build better dog butts - Dog Trainer's Log -- Topsy.com Sat, 16 Jan 2010 02:32:35 +0000 http://dogtrainerslog.com/?p=186#comment-32 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by PAS, PAS. PAS said: RT @admin: Staircases build better dog butts http://bit.ly/7flVQW [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by PAS, PAS. PAS said: RT @admin: Staircases build better dog butts http://bit.ly/7flVQW [...]

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