# Gaining Muscle



## frillint1 (Sep 2, 2010)

This may seem like a dumb question, but I was wondering on some ways to help Chief gain some muscles in his hind legs and shoulders. His weight is good he is right about 80lbs and I think it's a good weight and he isn't acting so hungry and I can see his ribs a little less than before which I thin was a bit to much. You can bbairly see them now, but I can feel them. I just think he could use a little more muscle in his hind and shoulders. Thanks.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Are you exercising him and, if so, what kind and how much?


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## frillint1 (Sep 2, 2010)

Just normal walking. He does not fetch and isn't much of a toy playing dog. He will play tug sometimes, but not much.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

If you are serious about his conditioning:

-what is his diet like? Give him the best chance to pack on muscle and mass with good high quality, protein rich diet, My show bitch is on 38% protein and packs on muscle with hardly any effort. 
-start hiking and work your way up to longer distances and harder trails. Uphill is great for building chest and arms. Put the dog on a fursaver or flat collar and let him pull ahead of you. Great for chest
-start doing road work. Start running and biking him. Get a walky dog attachment and start biking every other day. Excellent way to build up his overall stamina and develop those trotting muscles. Start slow and work your way up. If your dog is not used to heavy exercise and not used to running on gravel/road, your dog can get hurt so start this with caution.
-get a rag, bite pillow or jute tug. Play small games of tug whenever you get the chance. Resist and struggle with him. Help develop those muscles
-swimming is excellent. Really conditions the entire body and easy on the joints
-keep him lean so you can see the last 2 ribs and a visible tuck. The less fat your dog carries, the easier it will be to see muscle development
-if you really want him to pull and build up his muscles, do what we do for show training. Have someone else hold him on a flat collar and you run up ahead calling him. If he has any drive, he will pull and fight to get to you. Good way to condition and get strength training in.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

lots of walking, jogging and hiking. pay attention to his food, start oof slowly and build up training times.


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## frillint1 (Sep 2, 2010)

I feed him evo red meat dog food with a spoonful of yogurt in each mean and he gets an egg with shell on Tuesday's and Saturdays. I normally just walk him a half hour twice a day. He pulls, so I have been working on him not pulling. I don't have a bike and I'm pretty sure he would pull me right off. I'm still working out his kinks he is around 3 and I adopted him from an abusive family 7 or 8 months ago. He could definitely use some chest muscles to. I dont want him to be super bulk or anything, just a little extra muscle in those areas.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Half hour walks are going to do nothing to develop muscle on an adult male in his prime. He needs more exercise and conditioning if you want to build mass.


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## frillint1 (Sep 2, 2010)

Wouldn't biking or running on flat ground slim him down more? I would love to take him swimming, but it's to cold out right now. He is certainly not use to heavy exercise. I run with him sometimes or have him on a 20ft lead have him sit stay I back up make him wait until I say yes and he com's running he gets tired quick, but not completely wore out. Before I got him he was on pedigree dog food. He was super skinny and his coat was atrocious, now his coat is so shiny, soft, and don't shed that much.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

No biking will not lean a dog out entirely. If done right, the dog will get conditioned and build up his crucial trotting/gaiting muscles. The GSD is build for long distances are a trot - his body is primed for this type of work. 

I saw this dog go through his conditioning (hiking/bike/running) before he placed VA this year. Does he look thin? 









Look at his chest, arm, legs, overall muscle/condition. This was done through road work combined with proper strength training. Took a couple months, but the diligence paid off. 

I'm not sure what kind of answer you are looking for. If you want to pack on muscle and condition your dog, you will have to inconvenience yourself and work towards that goal. I got home from work at 10PM last night and by 10:15, I was out on the road biking with Wiva!


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## frillint1 (Sep 2, 2010)

He is beautiful. I didnt know there was a right and wrong way of doing it. Heress a thread of pictures of my boy. http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/pictures-pictures-pictures/190904-chief-pictures-overload.html


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Does treadmill do this ? And if so, what is the recommended regimen?


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

I have a walky dog type bike attachment, it connects under the seat. Because that's where all the weight is, the dog can't pull it over. It doesn't take very long for the dog to learn to run beside the bike.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

I personally wouldn't let a dog pull on a flat collar and especially not a fursaver. :/ That sounds like a great way to damage the neck/trachea. I'd put it on a harness if it's going to be doing any pulling, it'll still build muscle without risking any damage.

Besides what has already been said as far as swimming, hiking/doing hills, biking, ect you might want to look into weight pull. You don't have to COMPETE or anything, but have a harness made for your dog and a sled can be made out of a plain piece of wood at home for next to nothing if not free! Throw on big rocks or regular bar weights (Removed from the bar of course) for the dog to pull around. Doesn't have to learn to pull cars or anything but even pulling around half of it's body weight (After being worked up to that much!!) will be great for putting on muscle.

Flirt poles and spring poles are also excellent for building muscle, especially in the rear.  They too can be made for cheap/free. I paid like $25 for the lunge whip and a 5 pack of bandannas (To use as the lure, old toys can be tied on too to save money) to make Gretchen's flirt pole and her spring pole was made for free out of bungee rope and an old tug toy that I already had.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

ChancetheGSD said:


> *I personally wouldn't let a dog pull on a flat collar and especially not a fursaver.* :/ That sounds like a great way to damage the neck/trachea. I'd put it on a harness if it's going to be doing any pulling, it'll still build muscle without risking any damage.


This is news to everyone participating in the SV show world.


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## frillint1 (Sep 2, 2010)

I would love to do flirt pole with him, he just doesn't have the drive to any of that.


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

qbchottu said:


> This is news to everyone participating in the SV show world.


I think the poster meant 'pulling' as in muscle building training that involves pulling, like weight pulling or sled pulling.


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## frillint1 (Sep 2, 2010)

I think that actually might be counter productive right now as I am trying to teach him not to pull while on the lead.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

How so? You have an issue of training and proper behavior modification. Wiva will pull your arm off in the ring, but she can do a focused heel next to me, gait next to a bike, or have a child walk her around the block. You have a training and behavior problem. Any dog with the right training and clear head can differentiate behaviors based on the situation and what is asked of the dog. My dog will bite the helper on the field, but would never dream of taking a live bite. My point is that you should get a trainer so you can control and manage the dog. It will be a great bonding experience. As you start increasing his exercise, he will also gain more stamina over time and it will be beneficial to both of you. But just because you let a dog pull and exercise up a hill for conditioning does not mean it will do the same thing on the sidewalk, if it is properly trained of course.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Sunflowers said:


> Does treadmill do this ? And if so, what is the recommended regimen?


Yes I am sure you could. But just imo, I like to switch it up for the dog so I like taking the dog out for hikes, runs and biking in different environments/trails. 
Here is the guide I use:
Sirius Dog

I also think going slower up a steeper incline develops the dog in added manner so I do that in addition to flat road work with the bike and running.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

I have a friend who had his GSD neutered at 6 months old and he said that this is the reason his dog doesn't build up muscle. (He is three years old and gets good exercise).
True?


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

I think neutering definitely has something to with it. Neutered males tend to be lankier with less masculine characteristics, but of course, this is not an ironclad rule (don't come after me msvette2u ). 

But any dog can benefit from good conditioning and cardio/aerobic exercise. Looks are only an added bonus. I want my dog in shape so she can gait in the ring, have the stamina to last training, be an active member of my family, and be in the best possible physical condition. The fact that she will look better is just icing on top of all the health and lifestyle benefits.


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## jchilders04 (Jan 11, 2011)

My female has extremely good muscle definition, which I attribute to two things:
1. I am very fitness minded myself so she always goes on runs with me, and I make sure that she gets her exercise regardless of myself.
2. Part of her exercise is a dead sprint straight up a hill behind my house. I stand at bottom with chuck-it; and send her sprint straight up to the top, repeat.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

It could be his physique is just longer and leaner......do you have a picture? I know sit to stand and walking up and down steps and hills both help build muscle mass some. Maybe you can see if you can build whatever ball drive IS there, if any, with the two ball game (google "two squeakies")......maybe you can spark some level of interest. Is there anything that gets the dog excited?


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## frillint1 (Sep 2, 2010)

Here is a thread of pictures of him http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/pictures-pictures-pictures/190904-chief-pictures-overload.html


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

He looks to me to have adequate muscles... I don't think you are going to turn him into a blocky Czech or DDR type dog...but he definitely could use a lot more excercise.


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## ILoveBella478 (Mar 13, 2015)

Does bella look like she's on the right path to muscle gain ? We do fetch everyday we go on walks three days out of the week she's only 6 months that's why


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## John C. (Mar 6, 2013)

jchilders04 said:


> My female has extremely good muscle definition, which I attribute to two things:
> 1. I am very fitness minded myself so she always goes on runs with me, and I make sure that she gets her exercise regardless of myself.
> 2. Part of her exercise is a dead sprint straight up a hill behind my house. I stand at bottom with chuck-it; and send her sprint straight up to the top, repeat.


This. I used to go on regular runs with my last GSD (on trails only, so no concrete). About 2/3rds of the way through our run (usually about 3-4 miles in) we came to a fairly steep hill. I'd stop to catch my breath and throw a frisbee 15-30 times to top of the hill. My GSD would run up the hill, usually catching the frisbee on the fly, and then jog back down. Then we'd finish run. Great workout and after a couple of months of this my dog was as strong as an ox.

However, you need to build up slowly, like over a month or two minimum. Also, wouldn't recommend this on really hot days. We'd usually do this early morning so it was cool. If temp was above high 70's we'd take it easy.


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

Suggest you research a dog back pack for Chief.


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