Unbelievable. He partially asphyxiates dogs, so how can he not hurt them? or does that not count... He is taking the michael.


Wys
x

Lady, you need to calm yourself down a few notches. If the cap fits then wear it. If not then don't assume it's about you!


It's not an exercise regime. It's a suggested structure for a walk. Some people would just clip a lead on their dog and walk for an hour. Others will take it to the park, unclip the lead at the park gate, let the dog run wild and clip it back on an hour later to go home. Neither of these approaches is ideal if you're trying to bond with your dog AND ensure that the walk is satisfying and calming.

We found our dogs were much calmer and more satisfied when we tried doing things this way.

But CM doesn't recommend that the all you do is walk the dog. That's just part of the exercise regime and the walk is about far more than just exercise. If you have very high energy dogs you need to find sports or activities that'll let them really work out and burn off energy - including roller blading, biking etc. But also sports that satisfy your dog's breed instincts.

His some photos of some of those poor dogs you pity being forced to endure CM style exercise (mine):













And "just being dogs"....

(These were taken yesterday during our CM style walk - do they look like 'poor dogs' to you?



















I guess it just comes down to the individual. You take the advice CM gives on exercise and come up with something thoroughly unpleasant and harmful. Whereas some of us do as he advises and give our dogs a wonderful life. And that I think is the bottom line - if you can use something to make your dog and yourself fullfilled and happy then use it. If you can't see a way to make it work for you then move on and find something else. If you let yourself get bitter, twisted and angry over what other people choose to do it'll eventually affect your health and that bitterness is bound to surface somewhere in your home life and poison your dog's and family too. Let it go. You won't stop people doing something that they're getting great results with!

Great piccies Scarter, really fab - but I can't see how that is actually CM style exercise. I mean, I do those things (not all of them but various things) with my dog and I am not a CM supporter.

I just believe in exercise.

Your dogs look lovely by the way


Wys
x

love the pics scarter, beautiful dogs and they all look to be enjoying themselves a lot.

but you said it like that is all CM suggests, which it isnt

thats a very good point. im not a CM fan, certain things he does i disagree with but not everything. but i have seen many episodes where he has done the things you have mentioned.

They might look lovely but don't be fooled - they're hooligans!!!

I think this is EXACTLY the point the opening poster is trying to make. There is an awful lot of common ground - so much so that it's astonishing how many heated 'discussions' there are on the topic.

The pictures at the beach were taken during our walk yesterday. We follow a structure along the lines outlined by CM for a walk (probably something a lot of people do because of common sense or experience). Another poster commented that she pitied the poor dogs that were forced to walk like that. Well, look at the pictures. As you can see they were having a ball.

CM recommends that people also ensure that high energy dogs get an outlet. Suggestions are roller blading, biking....I know that quite a few dogsey members do that. And not CM fans AFAIK. So why the outrage when CM suggests it?

CM recommends that people find lots of sports and activities for your dog to enjoy and burn off energy. What's wrong with that?

CM recommends that you find activities that you and your dog can enjoy together.

CM recommends that you find activities to satisfy any breed instincts (in our case we use lurecoursing). That lets our dogs satisfy those urges and they don't feel miserable that we don't let them run wild like this every day during walks (which would be dangerous and irresponsible). And just look how they enjoy it - can his advice really be so bad?

http://vimeo.com/6142180

Now that's two happy, satisfied dogs!!!

No one (afaik) has claimed that CM has invented exercise. Of course not. Lots of people that have never heard of CM exercise his dogs in a way that he'd approve. So why on earth do people try and turn something wonderful into something sinister and 'cruel' just because they don't like the man?

great pics scarter!! happy healthy dogs!!

Bloody well said Scarter !! Excellent post !!

My pet hate is overweight dogs. I consider Tai to be a bit of the tubby side. I can feel his backbone easily, and can feel the outline of his ribs, but he is a very large dog, and I would prefer him a bit thinner still. Hence the further bike ride yesterday, poor *******. He was forceably made to run at the canter for a good 12 miles, only allowed to stop for a rest every couple of miles or so to have a drink of water. How cruel I am.

The very best thing you could possibly do for your dog is to exercise him. If he is fat, then walk him until he has lost a bit of weight and you can start taking him out for bike rides, horse riding, whatever trips your trigger. Dogs are unlike us in that they have a natural fitness. When we first got Tai, the vet said he had never had any exercise, he had no musclature whatsoever. He was slim, but totally unexercised. However, he had a natural fitness, so the first thing we did was take him out around the fields at the back of our house as soon as we got him home when we collected him. We went about 5 miles I suppose, and the dog was running, and leaping and having a wonderful time. He was 5 years old then, so in his prime. Within a week we were taking him out around the fields on the mountain bikes. Unless dogs are old or obese, or both, very young or infirm in some way, IMO you really cannot overexercise them.

I think dogs should be available on the NHS ! (Incidentally, for those of you who struggle with the concept of humour and irony, this IS a joke, I am not being seirous). They FORCE you out of your armchair on a freezing cold day, when the wind is howling across the fields ... yet you have GOT to give them their exercise. It is good for you, and it is good for them.

I again totally disagree Becky. When we took Tai on, he was totally unfit, had no musclature at all according to the vet. She told us to EXERCISE him, not to build him up gradually, but to exercise him. He isn't a horse, who has been laid up all summer getting fat on the summer grass, and then having to be gradually built up to get ready for the hunting season. He is a dog, and a dog who had never been properly exercised. As I have said before, the very first thing we did when we returned from collecting him, was to take him out round our fields for a good long walk. He loved it, he ran in and out of the crop, jumping, leaping for joy, he was one happy dog. And still is. Within the first week of having him, we were out on our mountain bikes with him, he took to it like a duck to water.

To use the horse example again, a dog is far more intelligent than a horse. Unlike a horse, a dog will not gallop with a broken leg, or bolt through fear. If he is injured or in pain, he will let you know. Even Hal, who was so aloof and kept his feelings to himself, such that you never knew really when he was ill, would let you know in a very subtle way if he was tired. When Tai is tired, he flops down, it's as simple as that.

Some dogs may be different to this, but all the dogs I have ever had have always been exercised to their maximum potential.