How should I weight train my Doberman?
Hey guys I have a 17 month old Doberman weighing about 90 pounds, I was wondering what kind of weight training I can do so he can get more "buff" and put on more muscle mass... and no I'm not involved in ANY type of dog fighting.. any response will be much appreciated! thanks
As long as he is getting plenty of exercise he should muscle out just fine without weight training. Dobermans continue to muscle out until 2 to 2.5 years old. If he is 90lbs as 17 months he will likely be too large for proper breed type (unless he is just fat) indicating poor breeding practices. Due to this you should be especially cautious of orthopedic problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia and Wobblers as well as cardiac problems all of which are common in the breed especially on poorly bred lines
Hiking, running, swimming…any active sport will do.
well he already has a "dumb bell"
i like my junkyard dogs to be cut too.
i run and hike with them.
dobermans aren’t meant to pul weight, so i wouldn’t bother doing that. also, you should wait until the dog is 24 months before starting any exercise regimen other than swimming and running because his bones can continue to grow for a bit more, and you don’t want him ending up with joint problems.
also teach him how to use a springpole. it will make his hindquarters look great!
ADD::::::::::: i don’t see where there is a problem for people to want their dogs to look and be physically fit. a doberman won’t have bulging muscles, but they can be conditioned a bit for cut.
and i don’t see why i’m getting a thumbs down because i know how to exercise my dogs…. mine all go to sleep tired every night and none of them are overweight.
If you’re not involved in dog fighting then why do you want your dog to be "buff"? Dobermans are naturally fairly thin, wiry dogs. You can’t expect them to look like Rottweilers.
It depends on what kind of muscle you’re trying to put on. If you just want a more muscular dog, but you still want him to be lean (endurance), go for aerobic exercise like jogging, swimming, agility, etc. If you want him to "fill out" and have more of a bulging musculature (strength), look into activities like cart pulling. The strength-building activities usually don’t see many Dobermans, so you might have to improvise, but be careful because Dobies aren’t built for that. Also while you’re working him out, make sure to have him on a good diet (high in lean protein) to help him healthily build good muscle mass. You’ll only get a certain amount of "buffness" though because Dobes naturally carry lean, endurance-type muscles. Good luck
Its not a matter of weight training, its activity, the more the better. My parents had recently rescued a scrawny, lanky dobe that was on death row due to a case of heartworms. 90 lbs is a big dobe already.
With proper Vet care, good quality food, excercise, lots of excercise, and more excercise, they now have a healthy, happy, beautiful dobe, and so will you.
If you feel the regular excercise (walking, running, etc…) is not enough you can get a "doggie backpack" and place bottled water or something similar in the pack to increase the effectiveness of the walk.
like this : or similar:
http://www.greatoutdoorsdepot.com/canine-packs.html
Good Luck