rollerblading too much exertion?
Hey guys, I have a question. I take my 6mo old Shiba (Nami) on a rollerblade almost everyday. Its not far ususally only about 1 mile and she loves running. I am wondering though if its too much for her? She runs full out sprinting speed always and I try to keep up with her so that she isn't pulling me at all. yet there is still always a little pull on her and i can hear her as she is breathing that its kind of a wheeze because the harness must be pushing somewhere on her throat where it should not be. So then I try and loosen the slack on the leash but then she usually goes even faster! Also if I try and go at a slower pace then she just pulls me even more.
I can tell when we get back she is very winded and all spent. I am just wondering if I should just stick to walks because I don't no if this is maybe too much for her or her joints. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.
I can tell when we get back she is very winded and all spent. I am just wondering if I should just stick to walks because I don't no if this is maybe too much for her or her joints. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.
Comments
I rollerblade with Miso (almost 2) and he is able to keep up and get a good workout. I think just some good walking with a small bit of jogging to get Nami's endurance up would be good for now, just don't overdo it.
Puppies are crazy and will run as fast as they can as long as they can, but it's usually not the best thing for them
We also waited until our male was 2 years old before starting agility and hiking/rock climbing, and waited until my female was 2 until she joined us in rock climbing.
Personally, I don't quite care for rollerblading with a dog for many reason's. First off, rollerblades don't have that great a breaking system, so if something happens you may wind up getting dragged (even with a shiba-sized dog). Also, it's not a good idea to have a dog run on concrete or most man-made surfaces, and it's hard to 'off-road' with rollerblades. Running on such surfaces puts tremendous stress on the joints of the dog that it could cause health issues down the road (just as it can with many joggers). Personally, I would rather be biking with my pups than rollerblading.
When it comes to having a dog pull you on purpose, there are many things to consider. You might want to read up on such things as dog sledding, bikejoring, skijoring, or one of the many different variations of mushing or carting. They will tell you the ins and outs of how to safely train and practice this kind of exercise with your dog.
There are special harnesses that you can get custom-fitted for your dog that are meant for pulling. My Tetsu has a tendency to pull when he see's something, and the regular harnesses can press against his neck, so I had gotten him a sledding harness just for that reason. When your pups is at least a year old, you can order her one of these harnesses for her to pull with.