Shes A Jumper... what should i do!!!!

ZoeBoxer · #1 02-05-2002, 12:35 PM

Boxerworld,

My 10 mth old boxer is the best jumper i have ever seen! she can jump over 3.5 feet and that nothing to her! i want to get her in to some kind of sport or show something that can put her jumping to uses... her musles are strong and her activity level is SKY high, what to do... what to do... i run with her offten and try not to work her that hard but she just loves to be moving what can i do with my LiL girl i want her is excel... but in what!
if you have any clue or just want to tell me about you jumpin' beans i would love to here from you

Kysha · #2 02-05-2002, 01:06 PM

Have you thought about Agility? There are jumps, tunnels, chutes,...

This is great excersise and lots of fun - my guys love it. It has really helped to target thier energy.

At 10 mths old she wouldn't be jumping full high, and you wouldn't want her to until she is fully developed/matured, but this would be a great time to get her introduced to this wonderful sport.

I know that our Agility club offers puppy agility classes. We are in Canada, so I am not familiar with Agility in the US, in terms of what's available.

Perhaps another BW member will be able to give more specific details - but I wanted to share with you how fun the sport of Agility is!

Good luck.

Shadrap · #3 02-06-2002, 02:28 PM

Great ... she sounds like she is enjoying it. Gina loves her agility class.

Please PLEASE PLEASE ... allow her bones and muscles to develop first. Minimum age is 14 months.... at the moment ... keep the jumps small (well below 3.5 ft) and concentrate more on aparatus such as a dogwalk, tunnel, weaving poles and a see-saw. The jumps can come later.

Wishing you lots and lots of fun with her

Alisha Mobley · #4 02-06-2002, 06:56 PM

Just wanted to add that although jumps are not good for growing bones and joints, I read the A frame is just as bad or worse. Our trainer told me that 18 months is the earliest a larger breed dog should be doing jump/A frame work.

Agility is lots of fun and great exercise for *both* the dog and the handler, just be safe with your growing pup.

Shadrap · #5 02-06-2002, 11:54 PM

I agree entirely with this. The damage from the A frame is done going down the other side. It is particularly severe on the shoulders.

If the A frame is flattened on the hinge so that it is supported in the middle by something no more than 25 - 30 inches high, then it teaches a young dog to walk over the frame and not jump down the other side. This should be an excersise undertaken by dogs too young to do it properly. It gets them used to the excersise and also teaches them to walk it as far as possible. When the time comes to do the A frame properly, raise it gradually letting people support all 4 corners of the frame and also in the middle.

Krikkit · #6 02-07-2002, 04:49 PM

The A-Frame is dangerous if a dog jumps off from well above the contact colour. If you train your dog to perform the obsitcle safely then there should be no big issue with it. Like Peter, we always start with a lowered A-Frame (and plank on the ground / ramp of a low table and ladder for the dog walk). We also teach a automatic down on the contact colour so the dog learns to move his or her centre of gravity back and does not tumble forwards.

My biggest concern with young dogs is the weave poles, the weaving action can place a fair bit of stress on joints.

Any decent agillity class will be totally aware of the safety of dogs at all times and should teach handlers to be safe - sometimes the most dangerous thing in agility is the person training the dog

Alisha Mobley · #7 02-11-2002, 07:29 AM

Our trainer told me that the big concern she had w/ the A-Frame and young dogs was the stress it put on their joints climbing the the up the A-Frame. But if you keep it low like others have suggested this may not be a problem.

Another thing that was helpful in using the A-Frame was placing it against a wall so that you only had to worry about the dog jumping off one side.

heidiho · #8 03-06-2002, 11:37 PM

I work my 5 yo n. male boxer in Agility and he just loves it. With agility the dogs are also taught some obedience. When we come home from the session he is more relaxed and settles down for the night. It is really good both mentally and physically for the dogs and the handler. My dog is nicknamed the "gazelle" at class. He loves to stretch out just as far as he can when he jumps.

boxerkids · #9 03-31-2002, 10:12 PM

I do agility, obedience and jumping dog with our older girl. She really enjoys it and so do I. The pup will start as soon as he is physically and mentally mature but he lurrves doing the tunnels right now. Speak to someone at your local obedience club it is great fun for all involved.

Willis · #10 04-10-2002, 08:31 AM

Why start another thread, when this one already addresses what I was going to.

My 7 and a half month old Boxer pup is really enjoying jumping as well. When we come home from work he greets us by jumping in our faces, almost into our arms... he can already get his face even with mine (I'm only 5'4"). When he's in his "jumping mood" I can't turn my back on him for fear he'll knock me over. lol!

I was thinking about teaching him to play frisbee, what do you think?