Started Lance in the Harness

Hey everyone Lance started his wieghtpull training this week, he is just a little over 6 months so we're starting out slow. We worked him for the first time thursday and he loved it. Started him out dragging 5 lbs for a little over a mile on our walks. this didn't even phase him, when we got back he wanted to go for more. so we went for two miles today and still didn't make him tired at all. Andy how long should i keep him walking with this weight, i don't want to start him out to hard and make him lose his love for pulling. Give me some tips on what i need to do from here if you can. I think he is going to make a good WP dog and don't want to mess him up. Thanks

Here is something OFK posted on weight pulling.....

Ok I have a somewhat different approach. I NEVER BAIT a dog. I want the dog to pull because it wants to. Alot of baited dogs dont pull well. When it gets heavy they shut down. The NKC doesnt even allow baiting where the ADBA does but I dont like it. The dog should pull because of its drive not because of bait.

Key points
1. Make it fun!
2. Never get mad, frustrated yes just dont show it.
3. Have your dogs well being first, not winning.
4. Remeber it takes a long time to BUILD a good dog.
5. Pulling is 95% mental!. Dont break their spirit.
6. Start slow, know your dog!!!! Quit before it does!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7. Training is just that, dont try to set records at home!!!!
8. Dont try to pull more everytime.
9. Use different routines, the same ol thing get boring even to dogs.
10. At a show dont be afraid to foul your dog. Refer to #5
11. Dont let your dog (in the begining) jump off the track
12. Dont let your dog just stand there. If it starts to pull but doesnt foul it. When it goes to pull have the cart pushed and lead it through the pull.

I cant stress #5 too much. Alot of people start with good dogs but they break them and you never see them again. I always pull my dogs up to a certain weight and then I pull them down too. Alot of times when it gets real heavy and you hook the dog back up it doesnt even try because it remembers the last weight was heavy so I mix it up. Ill take weight off and when they hit the weight again its like.....hey this isnt heavy and it keeps them trying.

ALSO WEIGHT IS NOT WHAT YOUR DOG IS PULLING AGAINST. Just because Bailey pulled 3126lbs at this last show I dont expect her to pull it at NC. There track is hard and not level. She will do good to pull 2000lbs. Your dog is pulling against resistance in the track. The weight creates the resistance. The better the track is the more weight needed to create great resistance. The track I have at home is so hard Bailey cant pull more than 600lbs. So weight is just a number, it doenst mean much. Learn to feel the resistance in the cart created by the weight.

There is alot to learn and remember such as tracks, where they tighten up, when to bring a dog in, when to pass but this should get you started.

Best thing is to know your dog, know when it will shut down and do it before he does. I can tell every time when Rebel is going to quit even before I get on the track, I know what weight is going to do it and where he is going to need help. Rebel is still in training and not yet the dog he will be, I have to constantly remind myself of this. I want to beat all the good dogs he is pulling against but I seem to forget that alot of them are 2,3 and even 4 years old!

Only you know your dog. What I look to do is I want the dog panting by the end of 1mile. 2miles isnt, in my mind, necessary. Increse the weight. Also once you learn you can feel your dogs inner thighs and feel how warm he is getting. This will let you know the degree to which you are working him.

My suggestion to get a good workout and find out where you need to be on your walks would be increase the weight to 10lbs. If at the end of the walk he isnt panting or hot do some heavier short pulls at home. Next time pull 15lbs and see if he is panting etc.

Rebel is now semi veteran and he pulls 30lbs for 1 mile. He weighs between 55-58lbs during the season. Bailey pulls 20lbs and weighs 42-45lbs. Alot of it will be feel and gut instinct as you learn your PARTICULAR dog as it will vary with each of your dogs.

Good luck, I am excited for you, Keep us posted!

Ok Dave! I want pics!!!! lol Where'd you get your harness?????

segerspits wrote:

Hey everyone Lance started his wieghtpull training this week, he is just a little over 6 months so we're starting out slow. We worked him for the first time thursday and he loved it. Started him out dragging 5 lbs for a little over a mile on our walks. this didn't even phase him, when we got back he wanted to go for more. so we went for two miles today and still didn't make him tired at all. Andy how long should i keep him walking with this weight, i don't want to start him out to hard and make him lose his love for pulling. Give me some tips on what i need to do from here if you can. I think he is going to make a good WP dog and don't want to mess him up. Thanks

CALL JAKE lol. Caine is awesome. Hey Dave are you close to Smoke and jake them? If so go pay them a visit ;-) I only say this cause they have a major setup there for those that don't know them.

Oldfort wrote:

Only you know your dog. What I look to do is I want the dog panting by the end of 1mile. 2miles isnt, in my mind, necessary. Increse the weight. Also once you learn you can feel your dogs inner thighs and feel how warm he is getting. This will let you know the degree to which you are working him.

My suggestion to get a good workout and find out where you need to be on your walks would be increase the weight to 10lbs. If at the end of the walk he isnt panting or hot do some heavier short pulls at home. Next time pull 15lbs and see if he is panting etc.

Rebel is now semi veteran and he pulls 30lbs for 1 mile. He weighs between 55-58lbs during the season. Bailey pulls 20lbs and weighs 42-45lbs. Alot of it will be feel and gut instinct as you learn your PARTICULAR dog as it will vary with each of your dogs.

Good luck, I am excited for you, Keep us posted!

I agree Andy. A real dog person really doesn't rely on bait for most anything. Even when i'm stacking I don't take bait with me. I do bait at home for pics but that's it when we are stacking or practicing I don't bait only for the pics so they will focus on that point but I shouldn't have to even use bait for that for much longer! Bait isn't allow in most event rings anyways so trianing with it is kicking your own butt so to say.

hey thanks for the tips Andy, i'll probably take his weight up a little and see what happens. Michelle we get our harnesses from cdpits she makes some pretty nice ones. And Christie we are supposed to head to Smokes house next weekend so he is going to give us some training pointers and stuff. We are having a meeting there so come on down

segerspits wrote:

hey thanks for the tips Andy, i'll probably take his weight up a little and see what happens. Michelle we get our harnesses from cdpits she makes some pretty nice ones. And Christie we are supposed to head to Smokes house next weekend so he is going to give us some training pointers and stuff. We are having a meeting there so come on down

Hey no one said anything about a meeting! Is it posted on the group site? Well hit me up with some details, I know Becky is always busy busy. I have no show till second week of Jan. so should make that meeting :-). Would love to hook sierra up to see what she's working with to!!

i wana see some pics lol

Me too!

Have you guys not seen lance before or just not in a harness?

hey christie the e-mail becky sent about the meeting says it went to you also, but if you didn't recieve it ti will be SAturday at Smoke & Gretchens house in Flora you will have to get ahold of Smoke for directions and stuff. Hope to see ya there its been awhile since we saw ewach other lol. I think we are going to try and take all the pups too, but atleast Lance and Willow

I"m definately going to shoot for making it. I'll bring Sierra and Kikie most likely (midas gets car sick) if not Kikie then Chaka Khan. Maybe she sent it to my other email let me check but I didn't get it at the one you guys always email me at. Becky does have both so no telling :-). Anybody in the area of IL and IN wanna come out hollar all are welcome we are a good group of people!! This is our adba club meeting.

I got it in my yahoo mail lol. Just dropped a line to smoke for the address.

Thats cool, hope to see ya there

redsky wrote:

Have you guys not seen lance before or just not in a harness?

I haven't seen him before. I don't think i have ....