Weird one- Teaching a dog to lunge (longe)?

[kookicat]

Or creative ideas for doggie exercise needed.

My hubby has broken his ankle at work (came off a ladder last night). He's looking at at least eight weeks before he can walk any distance.

Normally, that wouldn't be a problem, because I would be at home to walk our dogs, but I'm looking at a lot of travelling over the next 5-6 weeks because we're scrambling to find contracts and keep the ones we have at work.

Three of the dogs are fine- they run around their paddock, play with each other and generally self exercise. I'm worried that our big lazy dog (BLD) will start getting fat again. I've just got him down to a good weight. Do you think I could teach him to lunge?

I was thinking that hubby could sit on a stool and make BLD walk around him. If not, any other ideas? I've tried a treadmill before with BLD and he just refuses to move on it. I can try again, but I don't think that he 'gets it'.

I would get a dog walking service in, but I'm trying to save money at the moment.

Thanks!

[cu.at.x]

Well, there's no harm in trying.... If you succeed, be sure to take a video clip and post it here. :D

[ReSomething]

I gather that BLD doesn't like to fetch? That's always a good way to get them to run.
When I was younger there were people who would run their dogs using their cars - we had a quiet county road that lead to the stables and people would let their dogs out of the car and drive off with the dog in hot pursuit. They did this on a regular basis so it wasnt just some lowlife dumping the dog.
I know that lunging must be used by circus trainers but if the dog won't go, ie lies down on the moving treadmill and gets choked then I can't imagine he'd be amenable to moving on a circle either.
Hmmm. Any racing trainers with an automatic hot walker nearby?
I guess really the only thing I can come up with is chasing the car and that may not work for you at all. Sorry.

[kookicat]

Nope, he won't fetch at all. Just very lazy/laid back! ;)

I'd thought about using the car, but we both drive trucks, and I'm worried that he'd get hurt. Plus, hubby can't really drive anything.

I'l have to try the treadmill again. He just stands on it until it rolls him off the back. Won't walk at all.

No-one close by with a hot walker.

[vacation1]

Depending on how dog feels about water - how about using a hose? That's how I used to exercise my hyper collie mix in the summer - I basically watered the garden and she'd come around every few minutes and start stalking the stream of water, so I'd start moving it around and she'd chase it. She'd end up soaking wet, exercised safely in the heat. She wasn't a lab - she didn't wallow in the water, so it was about 50/50 her chasing the water/me chasing her with the water.

[kookicat]

Not sure how he feels about the hose, but it's worth a try. :)

[twofatponies]

Hire a dog walker? Check at the local vet/kennel/shelter etc. for responsible high school or college kids who are volunteering there or doing internships, etc. Maybe they could stop by and walk the dog for a pretty low fee?

Otherwise my suggestion would be to feed that dog separately and cut back the ration by 1/3 or so, to make up for the lack of exercise...

[Stono Ferry]

You can teach him to walk on the treadmill, Cesear Milan does it all the time on "Dog Whisperer" check it out on National Geographic channel or get his book.

[Doodlebug1]

Hilarious!! When you figure out a solution - patent it! You'll never have to work again!

[kookicat]

Hire a dog walker? Check at the local vet/kennel/shelter etc. for responsible high school or college kids who are volunteering there or doing internships, etc. Maybe they could stop by and walk the dog for a pretty low fee?

Otherwise my suggestion would be to feed that dog separately and cut back the ration by 1/3 or so, to make up for the lack of exercise...

I might have to hire a walker. I'm kinda in the middle of no-where, and it would be tricky to reach me without a car. It's an idea I'm keeping in mind though. :)

BLD is fed on his own now (or he steals the other's food). I worry that he'd be missing out on nutrition if I cut his feed too much. I've been bulking it out with veggies, so maybe I can up the veggies and reduce the kibble.

[kookicat]

You can teach him to walk on the treadmill, Cesear Milan does it all the time on "Dog Whisperer" check it out on National Geographic channel or get his book.

I've seen that.

My dog isn't that bright. I've tried him on the treadmill quite a few times, and he just doesn't get it.

I will give it another try though.

[WombatCA]

I've known people who've taught their dogs to move away from a lunge whip. Then they use it to "lunge" (sp?) the dog. You could also buy a clicker and a trick book and let the dog work for his food. Hubby wouldn't have to move at all, but you could train the dog to go out and touch targets around the yard. Dog sounds food motivated, so it would probably work.

Good luck!

[equinelaw]

Try putting a food item or toy the dog loves on a rope or fishing pole. Then just swing or cast and the dog will follow. Even dogs that wont fetch will run for a treat they think is thrown and then run back when its reeled in. And its fun:D

[kookicat]

I've known people who've taught their dogs to move away from a lunge whip. Then they use it to "lunge" (sp?) the dog. You could also buy a clicker and a trick book and let the dog work for his food. Hubby wouldn't have to move at all, but you could train the dog to go out and touch targets around the yard. Dog sounds food motivated, so it would probably work.

Good luck!

Thanks! That's very positive to hear.

Oh, yes. BLD is very food motivated! :lol:

[coloredhorse]

Chiming in late, but our just-turned-a-year-old Malinois longes, both with and without a line. It was the best way I could come up with to get his super-energetic little self sufficient exercise. He also "free jumps" both on and off the longe, and is learning to ground drive (I intend to train him to harness soon). I worked him just the way I would a green-baby-don't-know-nuttin'-'bout-nuttin' horse, paid attention to his responses, and voila! Got me a longeing pup! :cool:

He's advanced in the longeing enough (and has become reliable enough loose around the horses) that I can have him track outside my older, very dog-broke mare if I work her on the longe. He prefers to do the bulk of his work in "canter," so he is often outpacing the old lady, who does mostly walk and trot, but he does change direction with us pretty reliably.

[kookicat]

Chiming in late, but our just-turned-a-year-old Malinois longes, both with and without a line. It was the best way I could come up with to get his super-energetic little self sufficient exercise. He also "free jumps" both on and off the longe, and is learning to ground drive (I intend to train him to harness soon). I worked him just the way I would a green-baby-don't-know-nuttin'-'bout-nuttin' horse, paid attention to his responses, and voila! Got me a longeing pup! :cool:

He's advanced in the longeing enough (and has become reliable enough loose around the horses) that I can have him track outside my older, very dog-broke mare if I work her on the longe. He prefers to do the bulk of his work in "canter," so he is often outpacing the old lady, who does mostly walk and trot, but he does change direction with us pretty reliably.

Thank you!

Do you use a whip? How big do you make your circles?

I'm so gonna have to give this a try tomorrow. :D

[slc2]

I tie a biscuit to the end of the longe line lash. Works a charm. Longeing as if it's a horse, not so much.

We are going to set up a lure for the dogs to chase. Car battery, a little pulley wheel, and a string.

[PalominoMorgan]

A vote for swimming too if you have a creek or pond on your property. Swimming burns lots of calories.

[threedogpack]

I've done this but the dogs don't like it much. I'd have him *chase* a lunge line instead of driving him forward.

[MSE]

Personally I've used a lunge whip with a dog. Tie the dog's favorite toy to the the end of the lash and stand and twirl the whip around you. The dog gets a great game of chase the toy while the person with the whip doesn't have to move. There's even an episode of "I'ts Me or the Dog" that Victoria Stillwell used the technique with a hyper terrier type dog, if I remember right.

[Pirateer]

My dog lunges.

I have no idea how i taught her how.

[coloredhorse]

Thank you!

Do you use a whip? How big do you make your circles?

I'm so gonna have to give this a try tomorrow. :D

I trained Malcolm to the whip much like I would train a young horse, and do mostly very large circles, but vary the size a little just to keep things interesting. I also do change direction a few times, even though he "swaps leads" on his own fairly regularly.

One modification I deliberately made to standard horse training was to point in the direction I wanted him to run and use the command "go," which he already understood. (Useful command for a farm dog!) I just pointed in the direction I wanted him to move, said "go," and then used the whip to gradually push him out farther from me until he was doing a large circle. He quickly picked up that lifting the whip and pointing it toward his tail meant it was time to run in circles.

[RacetrackReject]

My GSD loves to chase the popper on the lunge whip when it gets frizzy. She would longe for hours if I let her. Maybe try tying something to the last for him to chase?

[bdj]

Taught my family's old Portie to longe when I was a horseless kid. It was really less about longeing, and more luring, as some other folks have alluded to already. When I trained him, I used a treat tied to the end of some very long poles, and he'd follow the treat - getting the technique of keeping the treat *just* far enough in front of him was the biggest problem. After a while, I was able to eliminate the treat, and he'd just follow the end of the pole - I even used to set up cavaletti and a jump or two for him! (Of course, treats followed those successes!)

Don't know what kind your BLD is, but just remember (or tell DH) to go a little easy on him at first - if he really is a BIG guy, small circles might be hard for him!

(And, were I in your shoes, I'd definitely cut back on his kibble while you're gone - most healthy dogs really can afford to miss a meal or two, so shorting him for a little while isn't going to hurt things (and it might make him a little more willing to work/exercise for treats!).

Good luck!

[Renae]

Do you have a neighbor who walks their dogs that you ever visit with? perhaps they would be willing to walk your at least every other day along with theirs.

[CrazyDog]

I worry that he'd be missing out on nutrition if I cut his feed too much. I've been bulking it out with veggies, so maybe I can up the veggies and reduce the kibble.

When I had to take weight off my dog, the agility people put me onto canned pumpkin. Lots of fiber and moisture, but low calories. I mixed this with half the normal amount of dog food and it did the trick.

I'm sure it would be better to work on the exercise side of the weight equation, but if you have to rely on changing his feed, this might help.

[Lazy Palomino Hunter]

My vote is for the treadmill!

http://www.ehow.com/how_4550195_train-dog-use-treadmill.html

[kookicat]

Well, the lunging was interesting. He would follow the whip if I tied something to the end of the (dried chicken for this experiment), and was getting good about following it without food. It's kinda like reverse lunging! ;)

I will try him on the treadmill again, but hubby isn't too keen since it's really his treadmill, and it's a top of the range, expensive one.

I did accidently find something that he really likes- chasing soap bubbles. I'm just not sure that it would be good for him over the longer term.

Hubby is allergic to pumpkin, so I don't think he'd be very willing to feed it to BLD! BLD is a spaniel.

[partita]

Chiming in late, but our just-turned-a-year-old Malinois longes, both with and without a line.

:lol: Our Mal lunges too, no line required. She runs circles along with the horse. She only tracks left however . . .

[bdj]

I did accidently find something that he really likes- chasing soap bubbles. I'm just not sure that it would be good for him over the longer term.

Hey - sounds like he's the perfect dog for this, then: http://www.activedogtoys.com/bubble_buddy.html :D

[kookicat]

Hey - sounds like he's the perfect dog for this, then: http://www.activedogtoys.com/bubble_buddy.html :D

He would love that! :D