# Roadworking



## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

How much and how far do you go when road working a dog for the conformation ring? 

My friend thinks she golf carts for about a mile. I am riding a bike. 

Hogan prefers to run on the pavement. I tried riding in the grass but it is harder on me. Do you run your dogs on pavement or grass? I worry about the pounding on hard surface.


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

I used to work my dogs off a bike. I had my older dogs (2+ years) up to 2 miles 3 days a week. And I always worked on pavement -- that was all I had.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Thanks for the input. I will try to alternate pavement and grass. The grass areas worry me because there might be a hole. I am going to check out some more terrain in te morning.

It is so blazing hot already this is a challenge!


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## Achielles UD (May 26, 2001)

What about the big park? Where you can ride on the sidewalk and he can run in the grass? I'd go with you... but it's pretty hilly....


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

In a couple of sessions I taught him to run in the grass. Come out to Brewer with your bike. It is flat!

I tried going down the road a bit with Hogan. I can say "grass" and he will move to running on the grass area alongside now. I noticed a mailbox coming up, said "road" and he moved to pavement missing the box. 

I am becoming an excellent rabbit hunter! I can spot them better than Hogan now. If one jumps right in front of him his prey drive sparks. Now, i see them first and say "bunny,leave it". He is then prepared for the bunny blasting and controls himself. Hogan is turning out to be a good bike buddy.

Minnie went biking today. She did great with it as she has had lots of golf carting in the past. Hopefully this will work to keep her in shape for the National. Hate to send her away for conditioning.


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## mthurston0001 (Jul 12, 2009)

The show guys that I know like to bike on asphalt or running trails. Also they do a lot of swimming.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Swimming would be great. I want a pool! There are different things the roadwork, hill work, swimming etc address. I can't remember how that was described to me by handlers though.

Today there are so many cicadas out my bug phobia would keep me out of it. It has been a tough year in MO already.....tornadoes, swarm of locusts and today an earthquake woke us up around 3 a.m.


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

I have a scooter that I also used to work dogs from. It is electric and pretty quiet.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I like that scooter!


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## mthurston0001 (Jul 12, 2009)

Samba said:


> Swimming would be great. I want a pool! There are different things the roadwork, hill work, swimming etc address. I can't remember how that was described to me by handlers though.
> 
> Today there are so many cicadas out my bug phobia would keep me out of it. It has been a tough year in MO already.....tornadoes, swarm of locusts and today an earthquake woke us up around 3 a.m.


Well, I know that swimming at least forces them to gait in the water. As opposed to pacing.


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## krisk (Oct 11, 2010)

I used to bike my dogs, and I would like to do so again (just need to invest in a new bike, but that is not in the budget this year as I would like a really good one). I have a treadmill that the female I have will use, it's not bad but doesn't allow for full stride (as it is a human, not dog one). My male just has too much stride to be comfortable on it, but he gaits the yard instead.

I have biked them on cement and grass (which is one of the reasons I want a good quality mountain bike), I live in the city and well there is just more cement then grass and if we leave from the house we bike on cooncrete to get to the grass. Just be carefull that you build up the distance and speed slowly (watch for wearing on the pads of your dogs feet).

krisk


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

We are going slowly in the distance build up. I keep checking pads too. The dogs appear to respond quickly and are hardening up. 

Now, how to build muscle? Will the running get them ripped or shold they do some pulling?


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

A little weight training wouldn't hurt. I take a 2 liter soda bottle and fill up about half way. Tie it to the end of the leash, then hook the leash to the dead ring of the collar. You can then get the dog to follow you around for a while. This is good for the off days from roadwork. My schedule was roadwork MWF, then pulling on TT, and the weekends were for showing!


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