Athletic Training
Any type of training with your dog should be fun & safe, never more so than if you are asking your dog to do that little bit more than an hour walk down the park, vary what you are doing, make sure the dog is having fun & check regularly that there are no injuries to pads, teeth or claws
We are often asked about routines & work out's, we live by a rule that as long as the dog enjoys it & the person working the dog is having fun then your doing it right, safety must be a top priority when doing anything with your dogs
Mould the training to suit your dog & you & have fun!!!!!
Springpull/Sprinpole
We have now got a gallows style spring pull it is as easy as it looks to put it together, you need to use a good 4 x 4 wood that has been treated so it can be outdoors in all weathers, dig a hole 2 feet into the ground keeping the hole as narrow as you can, put the frame together before you cement the post in the ground, place the 8 ft post in the ground & pour in the dry mix cement, bang it down hard, fill to the top again, water & leave for at least 24 hours before using, we have used a spring supplied to us by Cosmos Staffords & we are extremely happy with it, its hard wearing & the dogs love it!!! click the link below to email Cosmos Stafford's about their springs
A spring pull can be easily put together, we used to use an old children's swing for a long time, attaching a spring of some sort to the top of the swing, then to that attach a good rope or some hide, make sure its secure & cant topple over, most Stafford's love the spring pull
Spring pull is an excellent all over body work out for dogs, its especially good to get a dog nice & tucked up in the belly region & build strength & muscle in the back legs
Working 2 dogs at the same time requires extra vigilance, keep an eye on body language & the noises the dogs are making, they can get very excited when doing this sort of work
Flirt Pole
I haven't met a Stafford yet that doesn't like a flirt pole, in fact there are not many dogs that ignore their prey drive
The brilliant thing about the flirt pole is they are so easy to make & use, you need a bamboo cane of about 4 - 5 ft & a piece of rope or fur to attach to the end, I have even used the fur off the kids old winter coats, honestly once you get the main idea of what they are used for the amount of ways you can make one is endless
Another good aspect to the flirt pole is that any age dog can do it, if I have pups I have them on it at 5 weeks old, they love it & it wears them out brilliantly If you are ever working more than one dog at once you have to be very vigilant, listen and look for changes in behaviour as they get worked up really easily
A Frame
Above is Nathan doing flirt pole off the A Frame, again something most Stafford's love to do
The A Frame is not hard to make I have made mine out of scrap wood from my old bed, using the slats of the bed as the leverage the dog needs to power itself up, others have used pub signs with carpet over them for the leverage & others purpose cuts of wood, make sure if your doing one yourself you use out door hinges & that the end product is sturdy with no chance of falling or swaying
You must think of the dogs safety & make sure it has a good soft landing, this A Frame is on grass others use crash mats, at indoor events crash mats are always used
Keep the dog going for as long as its keen, this exercise can be done at any age but with dogs under 12 months keep them on just up & over, no jumping
As you can also see from the pictures above & below the A Frame has been made lower for the pups to use
Weight Pull
Above is Cosmos Stafford's IKC Ch Pup who weight pulled per lb of dog ratio is the best weight pull dog in the country at this present time
Weight pull is an advanced exercise, not to be used on dogs too young, some dogs will take to it, some wont, we advice the use of a good harness rather than on the collar as then your putting no extra pressure on the neck/throat
It is a good idea to start weight pull with a light weight, a tyre or chains that cant roll and bump into the dog as having something dragging behind your dog may be a little unnerving for the them at the start & having something clipping its legs will put it off for sure, build up the weight as the dog improves
We tend to do weight pull coming up to a show to get the dogs in tip top condition but it is something you could do every day if you so wished
Doing weight pull on grass creates more resistance, gradient is a factor you should consider also, pulling on concrete or paving does wonders for the dogs nails but can be tough on the pads
Above all else as with all exercise with your dog, enjoy the time you spend with the dog and have safety in mind at all times
Click the link below to take you to a site that has much more information for the serious weight pull enthusiast as well as information on sanctioned weight pull events, they also make the made to measure harnesses designed for the weight pull events
General Training
I recommend apart from all the usual paraphernalia you need when you get a dog that you purchase a crate, these are fabulous for puppies, its a good aid for house training & also keeping your puppy & your house safe while you are not around, put a nice thick duvet or blanket in there & leave the crate door open, you will find your dog actually likes it, closing it when you go out should be no problem, purchase a book called the Dog Listener written by Jan Fennell, this book gives you an insight into dog psychology & is an eye opener as to how clever dogs actually are, how to raise a puppy you can live with by Clarice Rutherford & David Neil is a great read, solving many of the day to day problems we encounter, another good basic book is a book called Doglopaedia by J.M Evans & Kay White, this tells you almost all you need to know about caring for dogs & the mishaps they might have
Socialisation is always good, with other dogs and people, get them out as much as you can to as many different places as you can, enjoy your dog
You can only mould your dogs personality & behaviour , not completely change it, remember this in training
Shouldnt matter if its raining or snowing dogs need to go out!
Good manners on the lead are a must, its nice to walk down the road rather than be pulled, regular walks & respect from your dog will create a great bond
Rhea on her jumping tree, she normally jumps over it rather than walking along it, again a variation of a different exercise
Getting puppies used to other family pets is a must, watch them & introduce them slowly, it is a very important time, other pets will need to know where they & the new arrival fits in to the family hierarchy
Nathan & our rescue bitch, she is getting on some now & will live out her life in our loving family home
Be firm but fair with your puppy or dog, start as you mean to go on, set the rules for yourself & your dog & dont break them! Dont be worried about asking advice, there are plenty of people who are willing to help
