# Need suggestions for low impact activities



## dheck (May 24, 2016)

Please help us! Our 5 month old GSD Luka has just been diagnosed with hypertrophic osteodystrophy, an inflammation in the bones. It's extremely painful and requires him to have very limited activity, especially during flare ups, like right now. However, we will still need to keep him contained once he begins to feel better, limiting him to nothing more than walks for several months.
While he is recovering, We are trying to prepare ourselves for handling this long term. One need we have is any and all suggestions to keep him busy/ challenge him. These activities must be low impact so his legs can continue to rest.
Thank you in advance for your advice.


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

Nosework, tracking, swimming


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

ausdland said:


> Nosework, tracking, swimming


Great suggestions all!

You can make the tracking progressively more and more challenging once he has the hang of it. GSDs often really enjoy using their noses.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Didn't @Fodder have a dog with this condition last year?


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

Swimming with a life vest. 
We've wanted to do low impact exercise for our dog too for different reasons, she's had two TPLO surgeries. She's liked water but never wanted to swim.
My daughter bought her a swim vest earlier this year, and finally taught her to swim. Lately we've been swimming in a nearby river and we've noticed our dog seems less exhausted and glides through the water almost effortlessly with the vest on vs vest off seems more stressful.

You may also want to invest in a doggy stroller. We have a DutchDog Doggy Ride stroller. You can push like a baby stroller or make adaptions to pull behind a bicycle. This way your dog can still go out for walks. You can walk him to a park, take him out to enjoy the grass or something and push him home.


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## LittleBear (Apr 1, 2016)

Jax08 said:


> Didn't @Fodder have a dog with this condition last year?


More recently I recall some posts from wolfy dog on their ongoing experiences with their dog....


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## LittleBear (Apr 1, 2016)

You can try water treadmill therapy, that's a nice way to get exercise with low impact. I recall the therapist told me it was something like 6 minutes on the treadmill was the equivalent of a good outdoor run of around 30-45 minutes depending on the speed of the treadmill. The one I went to with my old GSD had a ramp to go in, he just walked right up into the tank, the ramp comes up, the tank fills with water to about his chest, then they start the treadmill. He loved it!


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Definitely swimming. One of our local pet stores has a pool. It is by appt., provides life vests, and only your dog/dogs swim the appointed time.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

LittleBear said:


> More recently I recall some posts from wolfy dog on their ongoing experiences with their dog....


thankfully not me!


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

Stevenzachsmom said:


> Definitely swimming. One of our local pet stores has a pool. It is by appt., provides life vests, and only your dog/dogs swim the appointed time.


How much time do they allot per swim? Just trying to gauge how much I should let my pup swim.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

ausdland said:


> How much time do they allot per swim? Just trying to gauge how much I should let my pup swim.


Sorry, I had to look it up. Sessions are 15 minutes. $20 a session.


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