# best way to build muscle?



## atravis (Sep 24, 2008)

Mulder's put some extra weight on since getting the new foster (failure) dog, so I've been working on a strict exercise/feeding rutine to get him back to his absolute ideal. 

He already has a pretty good muscle mass, but seeing as I'm already stepping up the activity to get this extra weight off, I might as well work on more muscle building.

Most of his activities involve walking/jogging/running/hiking. I've considered maybe doing some kind of weight pull activity, but I don't really know how any of that works, and I'd be afraid to put too much on him and potentially cause a problem. 

Any suggestions? No "quick fixes"... just effective, appropriate muscle building?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

swimming, uphill type hiking, games of tug
diet plays into this, what are you feeding?


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## atravis (Sep 24, 2008)

TOTW/Innova, 4 cups a day.

I do tug and hiking (not all uphill, though). And I'd love to do more swimming, but its snake season


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## Andy-jr. (Mar 1, 2010)

Maybe cut back to 3-1/2 cups of food and I agree, swimming is great for the dogs.


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## Ludogg (Mar 8, 2010)

I was going to have Luke pull me on my long_board... is that too strenuous?? 
( I prob didn't spell that right)


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## atravis (Sep 24, 2008)

I'd love to do more swimming, but I really reserve that at as a Fall activity.

Too cold in the Winter, too many snakes in the Spring/Summer.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

how old is your dog?

my dog will be 3 yrs old in June.
i feed him 2 cups a day. there's always
something mixed in with the kibble, chicken,
ground beef, fish, veggies, fruit, can food.

our dog just had his yearly check up and 
he weighs 92 lbs. he's now on a diet. 

i never did anything special for muscle build up.
we play tug, he swims, hikes (5 miles max),
dog park and retrieve games, jumps on the bed
and sofa, jumps in and out of the car.



atravis said:


> TOTW/Innova, 4 cups a day.
> 
> I do tug and hiking (not all uphill, though). And I'd love to do more swimming, but its snake season


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

I'd be more scared of gators than snakes! No beach nearby? Local pool? 

Even though you feed a high quality dry food, you could supplement with some fresh high protein ingredients like eggs and meat. You can look up the calories of the foods here, http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ and replace equal calories if you were worried about overfeeding.

Also simple exercises like weaving, sit to stands and cavaletties can help build muscle.


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## chezza1981 (Apr 5, 2010)

hello this may sound stran but my dog goes on my children old trampaline and he is lookin amizin it really as helped with his muscles very well side broke and he now uses it every dat with 3 jugs ov dry dogfood and a rool ov meat 1 big pan i feed him on a morning and he lookin great


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Exercise and good food is your best bet. If you can combine long distance endurance jogging with short distance speed like playing with a chuck it, that's going to build both types of muscle. Also, any kind of agility training is great too.


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## M&J (Nov 16, 2002)

I hear you on the snakes.  No thanks. Won't catch me by the water. My next pet will be a mongoose.


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