PUT ME IN COACH

PUT ME IN COACH
By
Barbara J. Galasso


The hallways are alive with activity as the doctors and nurses rush to do their duties. People come and go to pay their respects to the ill. Announcements are made over the intercom calling Dr. James to come to the third floor. Patients are pushed in wheel chairs to their next CAT scan appointment. And so the day goes on as all the days before at the North side City Hospital.

The sun tries to sneak its head through the cloudy grey morning sky with little success. The quiet peace of morning is interrupted by the shrieking sounds of the ambulance rushing down the street heading to the back entrance that leads to the emergency room. People who live in this neighborhood are all too familiar with this unnerving sound of doom as they peek out their windows more from habit than curiosity. They've seen enough to satisfy their curiosity in the past, but today they bring a young boy in.

"Doctor, our son, how is our son?" the father anxiously asks as his wife clings to him for support. The doctor looks tired as he comes out of the operating room. "Well the good news is that your son made it through the operation just fine", he tells the anxious but relieved parents. The mother almost collapses from exhaustion. "Yes, do sit down", the doctor tells them. You've been through a great deal of stress. It seems when your son, was hit by that car on his way to football practice, it threw him and he landed on his back. He has extensive damage to his vertebrae, severed nerves in his legs, a broken collar bone and a dislocated hip.” The mother lets out a gasp and begins to cry.

"What's the prognosis, Dr. James?” the father asks. "Well I'll tell you Mr. & Mrs. Baxter, Johnny's not going to be able to play football for a very long time, if at all. He's going to need extensive physical therapy." "Oh no, Mr. Baxter says. Football is his life." Mrs. Baxter breathes a sigh of relief just happy that her son is alive.

The first few days pass and Johnny is heavily sedated because of the pain he sustained from the accident. When he wakes, it's decided that the father will be the one to tell him about the seriousness of his injuries. The mother sits quietly by his bedside as the doctor stands in the far corner of the room over by the window. Dr. James is rather thankful for the noise that the radiator is making today as it drowns out some of the words that are spoken between father and son. But it's not nearly loud enough when the father tells his son, "Johnny, you may never be able to play football again." A loud hysterical shriek can be heard coming from Room 56. Dr. James then decides he needs to step in. He tells Johnny there is a 50/50 change he can resume his life with physical therapy. "And what are my chances of every playing football again?" he cries. "That my son, I can't guarantee you.” Johnny yells at all of them to get out of his room and leave him alone. He decides to suffer his grief by himself as only a 16 year old boy can do. He sobs aloud, and even with his door shut, his broken heart is shared by those who walk past his room.

For the next few days, Johnny refuses all food and is forced to be fed by IV again. He pulls the needle out from his already very black and blue hand. The nurses keep reporting his uncooperative behavior to the doctor. The doctor sends a physical therapist in by the name of Mr. Hardy to talk to him. He tells him that in another two weeks, they will begin their work. "What's the use? Johnny screams. I'm a cripple". Don't play with me Doc. You know I don't stand a chance in hell. He rips off his blankets and says, Just look at these legs. Where the hell do you think I'm going with these?" Mr. Hardy tries to reassure the boy that it's his attitude that needs fixing and not his legs. "You want to get well he asks him. Then change your attitude. I'm not here to tell you son that you're ever going to play football again, but if you have a defeatist attitude, that's exactly where you will remain.....defeated!"

The next day as Johnny lays staring at the TV screen, a small knock is heard tapping at his door. "Might as well come in, he shouts out. Everyone else does." The door is pushed open and a young girl Johnny's age comes in led by a big German Shepherd Dog carrying a magazine in his mouth. "Hey, he screams. What's that dog doing in my room, and who are you?” he demands. "Hi Johnny, my name is Cindy and this here is Spike," she tells him. He's a therapy dog and he just loves to pay visits to see all the people in the hospital," she tells him.

Spike with his tail wagging and a glisten in his eye, goes over to the bed where Johnny is watching him with a scroll on his face. The dog gently places the magazine on the bed and looks Johnny straight in the face and lets out a friendly bark. "Get that beast out of here, he sarcastically tells her. I don't need a flea bitten dog in my room. Can't you see I have enough problems already? Now take him and yourself and get out of here."

As the last sentence comes out of his mouth, the physical therapist comes back into the room. "Remember what I told you about your attitude son? he reminds him. "It's all in your head, it's all in your head, and he repeats himself. You want to get better? Then change those thoughts in your head. This dog will be part of your rehabilitation. He will be helping you to walk again. That's if you decide that you want to walk again. Or you can lay there and feel sorry for yourself and never walk again. It's your choose. 50/50 chance? How about putting the odds in your favor son?" With that, Spike comes over and nudges Johnny's hand looking for a pat on the head. Johnny's first inclination is to pull his hand away, but he catches the eye of Mr. Hardy, and thinks better of it, and begrudgingly pats the dog on the head instead.

The next day a wheel chair delivers Johnny to the physical therapy room. Mr. Hardy is waiting for him. "Good morning Johnny he says to him. Glad to have you with us today. Let me tell you son, this is going to be tedious, repetitious, and painful work, day in and day out. There will be only one day of rest in between and that will be Sunday, and that's the day you’ll pray for relief from me. I'm here to drive you and to push you, and I push hard," he tells the boy. I want you to think of me as your coach just like you had a coach for your football workouts. Well this is going to be your physical therapy workouts." Johnny interrupts him. "Where's that big dog Spike fit into all of this?" he asks him. He tells him, "He's going to be your legs, your brain, and your direction. He will wear a harness that you will hold onto and he will lead you until we feel that you're strong enough to stand and walk on your own. We already know you're up for the challenge because you showed up here today for your first try out. Football practice is in session son. So let’s get to work shall we?"

The days and weeks pass by slowly with set backs and failures. Johnny gets more and more discouraged. But Mr. Hardy pushes him even harder. They put him in the water therapy tank and then take him out and massage his legs. They stand him up and have him hold onto the walking bars on the side of the mat. "Come on boy, move those legs," Mr. Hardy shouts out to him. His legs never budge.

Mr. & Mrs. Baxter feel Mr. Hardy is driving their son too hard and complain about it to Dr. James. Dr. James has a talk with him about it. Mr. Hardy tells him, "Sir, this boy's got a physical problem. We all know that. But I need to re-train his thinking again. I must get him out of this "I can't do it anymore attitude.” I know what I'm doing here sir." Dr. James say's “All right Mr. Hardy. I trust you. You're the best in the business. If this boy is to walk again, you're the man for the job." Mr. Hardy corrects him and says, "Sorry to disagree with you Dr. James, I won't be the reason Johnny walks again. It's all up to him. It's in his hands. He has to have the will to want to walk again. I can only give him the tools to do it with."

One day Spike is lying on the floor when Johnny comes in for his physical therapy session. Something is different today. Normally soothing, relaxing music is playing. Today is different. Today Johnny hears an old rock and roll song blaring over the speakers. It's music from his parent's generation but he recognizes it because it used to play in the locker rooms before a football game. He hears the familiar pulsating beat of “CCR” singing but for some reason, he can't quite remember the words today. Spike decides to get up from his resting place and goes and pushes the boy in the behind. "Hey, watch it before you make me fall,” he yells at the dog. Mr. Hardy watches silently from a distance. Spike nudges him again and this time, takes a little nip at him. "What's the matter with this crazy dog, Mr. Hardy?" He asks him. Mr. Hardy just shrugs his shoulders as if to say, "I don't know." Spike goes behind a chair and Johnny sees he's picking something up and when he turns around, he sees he has a football in his mouth. "Hey, be careful with that, or you'll puncture it with your big teeth,” Johnny says angrily.

Spike drops the ball about two feet in front of Johnny and starts to bark at him. Then the dog goes to the boy and starts to pull on his pajamas. "Hey, Mr. Hardy this dumb dog is going to make me fall," he protests again. Mr. Hardy says, "Looks to me like he wants you to play with him," he says and continues to do his paper work. Spike barks at Johnny again and pulls at his pajamas even harder this time. "If I could only get my hands on you," Johnny says. He can feel his face flush with anger. Spike picks up the ball again and stands there looking Johnny straight in the face with that never ending wag of a tail of his challenging him to try to take the ball from him.

Johnny tries with all his might and feels himself start to fall. Naturally his physical therapy aides are there with him through this whole ordeal. He shrugs off their help, and he concentrates with all his might as the dog continues to stare at him with that confounded football in his mouth. Johnny is mumbling something to himself now. Again he tries to move his legs. The aides are watching as they witness a small half of an inch movement of his legs pushing him forward. They look over to Mr. Hardy, and he stops them from saying anything by raising is hand in the air and the other he brings to his lips indicating for them not to say a word. Johnny pays no attention to them as he focuses on Spike with the ball in his mouth. Another half inch he propels his body forward. And then another half inch. And then another. He is now one foot away from the dog. The dog picks the ball up, walks over to him and drops the ball at his feet. As Johnny starts to collapse, his aides catch him. With that he turns to look at Mr. Hardy who gives him a wink and a “high five” as he hears the final lyric to the song he was trying to identify earlier..............."Put me in coach, I'm ready to play........today.”


From the book: "WHEN LIFE IS HARD"....When life is hard, you know, really hard, we often spend all our time pleading, begging, yelling, refusing, and questioning. While none of these things are necessarily unusual, they are missing the ultimate point. When life is hard, when things get ugly, when all hope seems to be lost… that is when we are able to display the superiority of the life lived in God. It is in those moments of despair, when we question what is happening, when we don’t know what to do, when some trials never…seem…to…end, that we can lean most heavily into God’s promises and truths. Working his way through five questions we've all had run through our heads trusted pastor James MacDonald helps us to understand what we should do now. We begin the journey by looking at different types of "trials" and figuring out exactly what we're dealing with and recognizing that God certainly knows. Second, the obvious question: "Why?" God sees us going through trials and we long for two things: for them to be over and to know why they happened in the first place. Next, we need to know what to do with these trials when they come (and they will most certainly come). Fourth, we have all wondered it, can trials be refused? Are God's purposes really being fulfilled in the midst of this trying time? And lastly, God reveals Himself to us through these trials. . . and sometimes, they just don't ever end. Why doesn't this trial go away? God refines us. Often in so many ways that we can't even see. Should we just try to weather the storm? Or is there something greater in God's vision for these difficulties? God told us to expect trials—don’t be surprised when they come (they are on purpose). Grow when they come. Find hope when they come.


My rating: German Shepherd Dogs as therapy dogs: (4)

TAKING CARE OF THE SENIOR CITIZEN - NOT JUST THE DOG, BUT YOU!

There are a gazillion articles written about the proper care of the senior dog. Heck, I even wrote one or two of them myself. But have you ever given thought to how you are taking care of yourself as you are aging? How much more difficult it is for some us to get around like we used to. Many of us are finding it harder and harder to take care of a dog the size of a German Shepherd no less a kennel full of them. If you have been afforded good health and are in good shape then you’re probably not feeling too much different than when you were in your twenties?! But what about those that no longer feel like they did when they were twenty years old? This is a strong and demanding breed. Some of their natures are easy to get along with, some are much more challenging.

With the economy being in the sad shape that it is in (although some reports say it’s starting to swing the other way), many people have had to make compromises in the way that they live. No where is this more true than for the senior citizen. Social security is not keeping up with the standard of living and for the elderly; they have had to make some very hard decisions. And sometimes those decisions have centered on their dogs. Who goes? Who stays? Unfortunately, these are the times that we find a lot of our beloved German Shepherd Dogs in shelters. How did this happen? When push comes to shove, the dog may find that he is the one that is shoved out the door. These poor people can barely feed themselves no less their dogs. Many tears have been shed making some life changing decisions but some think they have no other choice.

With age, comes the hard demands put on our bodies. We have aches and pains where we didn’t even know that they existed before. Arthritis sets in and just doing ones daily chores can be an effort no less taking care of large dogs like this breed. No matter how much pain you’re experiencing, if you live with dogs, they still need to be taken care of. Some may force themselves to get out of bed in the morning, shuffling across the room in their slippers, but the demands of dog ownership doesn’t stop because “we don’t feel like it” today! There may come a time that you will be forced to look for other arrangements and find “forever” homes for some or all of your dogs. This is something that you should discuss with your family BEFORE you get too ill to do so. See if someone is willing to take care of your dogs when you are no longer able to do it yourself. If you have the funds, try putting aside some money for the care of your dogs if you have to place them so they are not more of a burden for their new owners.

On the positive side, having a dog can be very beneficial for the senior citizen. Many a time the dog can add years of enjoyment to his owner. If the owner is able to do it, taking the dog for a short walk every day can improve the owners own life because he’s got a good reason now to exercise. It’s good for the owner and it’s good for the dog. Having a dog many times can give the senior a reason to get up out of bed in the morning. It gives him one more reason to live! Having a dog has helped many a lonely older person and has brought joy and happiness to their lives again.

We owe it to ourselves to take good care of the physical and emotional demands our body presents to us. It can ensure that we live longer and can enjoy our family and friends as well as our beloved dogs for many more years to come. Having a dog means we get to go out in the fresh air more by playing and exercising with our canine friends. We're having fun. We laugh more. We're participating in life. Having a dog in your life can add years to it.

It is very important if an older person owns a German Shepherd that that dog is well trained. This is not the home for a dog that is out of control or wild and jumping all over the owner and everything else that he wants to. A dog with good steady nerves and character is the one that is most complimentary to the senior person. In fact this type of dog is good for all age groups!

Feeding, grooming, and veterinarian care is expensive for the average person no less those that are living on a limited income. This is probably some of the most worrisome areas of concern for the older person. Some have lost their homes and incomes and have had to adjust their lifestyles. If they own a dog, the dog’s way of life and what he has become accustomed to has changed as well. If the human has had to sacrifice his lifestyle so will the dog.

Nothing is sadder to see than a dog that has lived his life and who is now a senior himself sacrificed to a shelter. This is no way for a devoted companion animal to end his life. It is unfortunately a sad reality in today’s world. The aging human worrying about how she is going to make it, lets her life long companion go to a place of misery and confusion. Most of the time the aging dog is passed over for adoption for the cute little playful puppy and he finds his life ending on a very sad note indeed! His owner doesn’t mean for their old dog’s life to end this way, but they feel their have no other option! Every effort should be made by the owner to find a suitable, loving home for the old dog to live the remainder of his life in some sort of comfort. Sometimes this may be impossible for the owner to do because they are alone and frightened. They panic and make decisions that may not be in the best interest for their dog. This is not the time for them to be making these kinds of decisions when they're in panic mode! The best thing for them to do if they don’t have family or friends to take the dog is to call an animal rescue and ask them for help. Putting the senior dog in a shelter almost always guarantees their death sentence! They’re too old and very few people want an old dog!

So yes as we age, the process of it can prove very challenging, but add on the responsibility of taking care of a dog or dogs and it can sometimes prove overwhelming for some. Be prepared. Get your house in order and look for provisions for your animals BEFORE they are actually needed. It can prevent a lot of heartache later on……especially for the dog! He’s our responsibility no matter how old we get! We invited him into our lives and just because our old body doesn’t “feel like it” anymore we can’t just discard them like the morning trash! Their old lives are no less worthy than our old lives! The blush of youth may have faded long ago from our faces, but as long as we have the wisdom of our years of living on this earth, we must use that wisdom to protect both ourselves and the dogs that have ensured our safety and provided love when no one else did. For all the years that he has had our backs, he needs us now for more than just scratching his. Betrayal now should never be an option!


My rating: taking care of ones own health: (4), making provisions for our dogs: (4)


From the book: AGING OUTRAGEOUSLY WELL: HOW TO SAVE YOUR OWN LIFE AND HAVE FUN DOING IT....Aging Outrageously Well, How To Save Your Own Life and Have Fun Doing It, is a lively guidebook to healthy, spirited longevity. Filled with inspirational anecdotes, the latest anti-aging study results, and entertaining biographical sketches of fifty real-life senior athletes, this book is unique. Not just another chronicle of health advice, this book will motivate readers to make the most of each day and to follow along in the footsteps of the trailblazers who appear in its pages. A fun read for any age, it will appeal to the seventy-six million baby-boomers who, reaching sixty, are searching for advice and motivation to carry them forward to a healthy longevity.

HONEY, DOES THIS OUTFIT MAKE MY BUTT LOOK BIG?

One of the biggest health concerns for dogs today is obesity. We live in a country of “land of plenty” and just like some of us humans some of our dogs are suffering from it. Many times you will see this with the pet owner. He loves his dog TOO much! The dog is fed a decent enough food and if the puppy was bought from a breeder is probably on the food that was recommended to keep him healthy. Many times the pet owner thinks his dog is too thin because he can see a rib or two and feels like the dog needs to be fattened up a little. He begins to increase the dog’s food and before you know it, “Fido” is now a pleasingly plump spoiled boy. Although this is seen more with the pet owner, I have seen (and have been guilty of it myself) some show dogs that have less than the ideal “figure!”

To make matters worse, some dogs are getting too much food AND treats and table scraps as well. And if you have young kids around, forget about it. He is now sharing everything that little Johnny didn’t want to eat in his own dinner!

Another problem is the dog that doesn’t receive too much exercise or none at all! If the dog just lies around the house all day without getting any exercise he will pack on the pounds very quickly.

A lot of pet owners think their dogs look adorable with the extra weight on them. In fact they think their dog is very healthy. After all, his coat is shiny, his eyes are bright and “Fido” is a very happy, content dog who doesn’t give them any problems. They don’t realize that all this “extra love” that they are giving their dogs can produce serious health problems. Overweight dogs can have the same health problems that their overweight owners may have…..diabetes mellitus which can be tricky to treat. Also the overweight dog can have a shorter life expectancy.

How does the pet owner know if his dog is overweight? A dog of normal weight should have an indentation at his waistline, and his ribs should be easily felt under his skin. An overweight dog will not have a waistline and there will be a thicker layer of fat over his ribs.

Besides over feeding your dog and not giving him enough exercise there is other factors that may be contributing to your dog’s weight problems. The dog may have health issues such as hyperthyroidism or hyperadrenocorticism, age, gender, and breed. The best thing for the owner to do is have his vet check the dog for any health problems.

If no health problems are found, the next thing you should look at is the quality and quantity of food you are feeding your dog. Many store brand and generic foods do not have the proper nutrients required to keep your dog healthy and fit. There are some foods on the market that are geared for the overweight dog. There are also prescription diets that are available. When switching to a different dog food, don’t just start him on the new food. Gradually introduce the food by mixing a bit of it with the food you already use. By the end of the week, you should have him eating just the new food. This will help reduce digestive problems like vomiting and loose stools. Feed your dog the amount that the label or your veterinarian recommends.

Dog treats and snacks need to be cut out from the dog’s menu. Many people feed their dogs the appropriate amount of food, but do not realize how high in calories many treats are. If you don’t want to cut out treats altogether, look for healthy snacks like carrots or ones that are low in calories. Read the labels. Stop feeding the dog leftovers and tell the rest of the family not to give him any more handouts. Stop letting the dog beg at the table. Put him away when the family is eating or give him a little obedience training like teaching him to lie still on the floor while the family eats. And stop looking at those big brown eyes that are begging you to throw him something. Just ignore him while you’re eating!

Another important factor in reducing your dog’s weight is providing him with the appropriate amount of exercise. Some people don’t understand that dogs require a lot of exercise to maintain proper health. If your dog is overweight, you should take him for a walk in the morning and the evening. Dog parks are an excellent place for both you and your dog to get exercise. Sign up for a class like agility or fly ball to help keep your dog active. Play lots of games like fetch and Frisbee. You have to be an active participant in your dog’s daily exercise. Besides it will be good for both of you. I know someone who pays for her dog to be exercised. Someone in her neighborhood jogs and she takes the dog with her. This is a group winning show dog whose owner is not able to exercise her dog the way that she would like. So now he goes for a jog everyday with someone else.

Weight loss in dogs should be very gradual. Don’t take drastic measures in trying to help your dog lose weight. In other words if you feed your dog 10 cups of food a day, don’t drop that down to feeding him 5 cups a food a day. Everything should be down gradually for the best results and not to shock your dogs system.

Sometimes an exhibitor will show his dog thinking that he looks great. After the class is over, he might be told by a friend or even the judge that he has a very nice dog but his back is loose and rolling. Most of the time this means that the dog is too heavy and he has not been given enough exercise. This is an athletic breed and nothing is more unattractive than looking at a dog that is not in tip top shape. Because one of the things that he will judged on is his movement, it is imperative that this dog is up to moving in a large ring without tiring out or looking sloppy.

So if health problems have been ruled out for the reason why your dog is overweight, then the only conclusion is that the dog is being overfed and not given enough exercise. With a German Shepherd dog you can tell by his attitude. This is a breed that needs to be exercised. He becomes very restless when he’s not. As I’ve said in other articles that I’ve written about this breed, he is not a happy dog when he’s not given something to do. Because of his need and love of being with you, exercising him brings out the happy side of this breed.

My rating: proper nutrition: (4), exercise: (4)

YOU'RE READY FOR THE NATIONAL, BUT IS YOUR DOG?

Come this October 12 – 17, some of the finest German Shepherds and their owners/breeders will be gathering in Springfield, Ohio for the “greatest show on earth” known as the GSDCA National Specialty show. They’ve come to strut their stuff, show off the best of their breeding programs, see old friends and make some new ones. They’ve come to exhibit, to watch and learn and to PARTY! You’ll see some dressed in their finest while most are dressed casually and comfortably. This is where you’ll see some of the top handlers in the country doing what they do best…..making your dog look good and doing everything they can to win top honors. This is where you’ll see the big shots and the “wanna be’s”, the little guys and those who just love the heck out of this breed. This is the National. This is what we’ve all been waiting for all year long. We’re ready to rock and roll! But what about the dogs? Are they ready?

Most breeders will feed the best food that they can afford to give their dogs. Maybe they add supplements to his food. Maybe they give him some special oils for his coat. They invest in the best shampoos and conditioners and sprays for grooming him to perfection. They bathe him, brush him and comb and fluff up his coat. His toenails are cut. His ears are cleaned. Yup he’s looking mighty good. But what kind of condition is your dog in? Is his back going to be rolling? Is he overweight? Will he be able to endure running around a large ring for a longer time than usual? Can he keep up or will he tire too easily?

Conditioning and exercising our dogs is important under normal circumstances but even more so when you are showing your dog especially at a big event like the National. So what are some of the things that we can do to insure that our dog looks like an athlete and not a couch potato?

The German Shepherd dog loves to be worked and exercised. Going for a walk with us is one of their favorite things to do. This is not only good for his body, but his heart as well. This is the simplest of exercises that one can do with their dog. Taking them for hikes is even more rewarding where he can utilize and keep his muscles toned. Playing fetch, running after balls and Frisbees is always a fun type of exercise where he gets to use more of his muscles and tone up his body. This kind of exercise is something that you would normally do anyway. But for getting a dog ready to exhibitor in the show ring, will take more than this to make him a top competitor.

To help build muscle and endurance there are more rigorous activities you can introduce to your dog. Some people will use a bicycle, golf cart, jogging, or the side or back of a car. Other great exercises for the dog is swimming or using a treadmill.

From what I’ve learned from my research about treadmills, it says that the treadmill should be long for the German Shepherd dog. If it is too short, then the dog can develop a short stride and the German Shepherd is a long striding dog. I found this advice excellent when considering this type of exercise. It’s probably something most of us wouldn’t think of. There are a few treadmills that can be bought for the dog and many of them are very expensive. Also the treadmill can become boring for the dog, so I wouldn’t make this his only form of exercise.

Using a bike, golf cart, or the side or back of a car is the type of exercise that you need to take a little more caution with. The dog needs to be trained not to pull you over, not to get too close to you and to gait at a comfortable pace. I’ve never used a golf cart but I did use a bike and a car. A bike can be a little clumsy at first, but once the dog knows what you expect of him, you can get a nice work out for the both of you. There are actually some companies that sell something to keep the dog away from the bike while exercising with him.

Using the car for conditioning can be beneficial. I used this method quite often, but mostly off the back of a car. Obviously you’ll need two people for this. One to drive and one to sit in the back of the car with the hatch door open while you gently coach the dog to follow you while holding him on his leash. You can really get the dog to do a nice easy pace this way and can adjust the amount of time until you build up his endurance. You want him to be trotting, not running! Very important to remember is the surface that you are exercising him on. Doing this on a street surface is not a good idea. Pounding into the pavement can be painful for the dog. A dirt road is better and naturally if you can do it on grass this would be the best way to use this method. Good luck with looking for grass to drive your car on, but sometimes you can run the dog next to the car so he can trot on the grass.

Having a swimming pool in your backyard is an added bonus if you want to give your dog a full body workout. If the dog loves the water, you might find it hard to get him out. The only problem with exercising a dog in the water is that too much of this type of exercise can bulk him up adding too much muscle and overloading his shoulders thereby restricting his movement in the front.

Alternating his exercise routine is ideal. Which ever way you choose to exercise your dog, it is probably one of the most important things that you can do to prepare him to step into the arena at the National level. This is where he’ll be on center stage for an audience of your peers to perhaps see him for the first time. It might be an old saying, but as far as sayings are concerned, “First impressions are lasting impressions” and no where is it more true than at a National specialty show! If he doesn’t have the muscle tone and endurance that his competitors do, he may tire more easily and his lack of conditioning may cost him the highest awards!

Expenses for exercising: walks, jogs, hiking – nothing! Swimming pools, treadmills, bikes, golf carts, cars – thousands! (But most people own many of these things already).

My rating: walks, jogs, hiking: (4), swimming: (3), treadmills: (3), bikes, golf carts, cars: (4)