|
Written by Martin Lieberman
|
|
Friday, 23 January 2009 |
|
Wednesday evening, I watched the Cesar Milan show. Cesar was working with a Newfoundland dog named Storm. To treat this pooch's emotional issues Cesar chose a variety of exercises. Swimming, running with a weighted saddle bag & milling on an electric style mill. Most of these movements would be appropropriate exercises for sound dogs.
However, Storm appeared to be quite loose in the rear quarter & also appeared to have a sway back. Jogging on a hard surface with a weighted saddle bag may be the last thing Storm's spine & rear quarter needed. Even with a healthy dog the utmost cautions should be executed in order not to make existing health concerns worse. Water walking or (light) milling Storm on a 10 degree incline with a 2 pound velcro collar, would have been my choice. In addition, I would have used a slat mill, allowing Storm more comfort & control ! It would also help to hand rub Storm before & after his gym work. Due to Storm's size, 2 people are beneficial when rubbing larger dog. A variety of exercises kept down to a minimum time will help to reduce over use issues. The starchy saliva should be sponged out of Storms mouth prn. This will keep him hydrated & cool! Most Mastiff type dogs (like storm) have a lower ratio of muscle to bone when compared to a sport breed.To ambulate,this type of dog relies to a large degree on tendon & ligament strength. One way to determine this, is if a dog shuffles, with out a bounce in his or her gait, if so the percentage of muscle to bone may not be favourable.
On another & more positive note, I & everyone we know was amazed at the way Cesar tossed raw chicken parts at his dog pack, with out an incident !!! I was also pleased to see the pack get raw food. Cesar's absolute authority over his dog pack is unusual. He is truly calm & assertive! |
