Running with BBs

[ed baggett]

Anyone have any insight on running with BBs. I know to much exercise at to young can be harmful. I'm a long distance runner and Maggie is 1yr now. To soon? How far etc? Anyone else run with their BB?

[Aescleah]

i think its a bit to soon she is still growing i would wait till she was at least 2 esp on pavement 

 

Ashley

[Marco]

I would think at a year it would be a good time to start walking, and light jogging with Maggie. Though I would keep it at short distance, and gradually build up. Make sure Maggie doesn't over exert her energy. At two to three years she would make a great running buddy! Well it also depends on the build of your BB, some seem to be a lot more athletic than others. You do not want to have to carry a BB home, though would be a great workout :) Great question, of course this is my thoughts on the question, and would like to hear from others as well on this.

[Lee May]

Hey Ed and everybody. BB tend to be the perfect package, The bigger boned Boerboels, do great with sprinting, 100 to 200 yrd. dashes. However Ed your Female is tall and lean, she will do great at distance running, but 1 yr, is a little soon. I would wait till about 15 months to do more than a few miles. Build her up slowly if you haven't been running her already. Also take some water along with you, not too much as you know. The reason to wait, is simply the pressure on her joints which aren't fully developed or use to pressure for a serious run. Unless she jumps around already like a jack rabbit and is high strung.( running around your yard non stop.) Nupro makes a supplements to help you in your quest adds energy and Vitamins, one is add to water, the other is add to food, check it out it works wonders. But you will have to increase food intake. Good Luck and have fun. Peace Lee  

[Gijsbert Niels Terlaak Poot]

Hello Ed,

A year ago I had a similar question but I am not a runner myself so I decided to use a scheme designed for German Shepards and adapt it a little. This scheme was designed to get the dog ready for a test that can be taken when the dog is 18 months or older. I had Bomani who was at that time about 8 months running while I was riding a bicycle for a very short distance three times a day. In total maybe a quarter of a mile, just to get him used to the exercise and make him behave safe in traffic. When that went allright in about a week I started to have him run once a day for a quarter of a mile to see whether he could do that. That seemed to be no problem at all so I increased the distance to half a mile in the next week, three quarters of a mile in the next week and a full mile when he was 9 months. Speed very low, about 5 miles per hour, underground not paved but grassy field, dog unleashed so he could slow or stop or run in front of me on his own choice. My idea was to make him run a certain distance within a certain time as required by the German test that I was planning to take. He seemed to have no trouble doing that so I decided to increase the distance by somewhat more than half a mile every week. In my country we use kilometres instead of miles. When he was a 13 months I cycled 9 miles per day in about two hours and Bomani ran at least that distance without any pause. After the cycling I continued tracking for about 40 minutes as in my opinion the mentality of a guard dog should be: you can run but you can not hide. After that he could play with me like a guard dog plays with a helper. The playing was intended to prepare him for training with a helper as I wanted to have him take the exams in Germany. In my country Boerboels are apparently not allowed for this kind of training so after a long search in my own country to get him trained I took him to Bremen in Germany twice a month for a weekend. So the total training time was about three hours per day, every day, all kinds of weather. The last month it was quite hot and sunny but he seemed to do allright and still was playfull immediately afterwards. Very obviously after three hours he was not yet running on reserve battery power. When he was 13 months I took him to the vet for his yearly vaccination and there I got a very bad message: Bomani had a distinct heart murmur. He got an ultrasound and the vet told me my dog had a moderate congenital aortic stenosis. I was advised to stop severe training immediately and consider the possibility that my friend could die suddenly at any moment or live for a reasonable time. So when you read this please take into account that my dog is not healthy but has a heart problem and every morning I wake up not knowing whether today will be the day I have to bury him. To me it seems likely that a healthy Boerboel can do better than Bomani. I may have done it all wrong but at this moment Bomani is two years now and seems to have no problems with muscles or joints and I think right now he is not exercising enough. With his heart disease he usually has no problem playing with other dogs and quite often the other dogs are tired sooner than Bomani. Maybe you know Sharon Banks, as far as I know unfortunately she is not a member of this forum. She owns a business that sells quality clothing for people who like running and she knows a lot about Boerboels so in my opinion she is the right person for you to ask advice about this subject. See: http://www.coolfitwear.com/about%20sharon.php I have no shares or other financial gain from her company, but know her for about two years via other Boerboel forums. She is straightforward and always gives very good advice, in my opinion a very nice person.

Yours kindly, Gijs

[Marco]

Hello Gijs, I'm very sorry to hear about Bomani.  I can't imagine feeling that way, and it must be tough.  I'm sure he lives every moment for you so enjoy them together, as I am sure you will.  Thanks for sharing.

[ed baggett]

Hello Gijs and thank you for the response and very sorry to hear about Bomani hope the doc is wrong and he lives a long happy life but as Marco said enjoy every minute non of us are guaranteed tomorrow. It's good to hear from fellow runners hope to talk with again soon.   Ed

[Gijsbert Niels Terlaak Poot]

Hello Ed, most unfortunately the doctor is right about Bomani. I have seen the investigation results and as I have been a paramedic I know something about this subject. I have tried to have him operated but they don't do that on dogs in Europe; only when it is very severe. But Sharon most likely can answer you better than I can; don't hesitate to contact her. She has always been very helpfull to me. Yours kindly, Gijs

 

http://boerboelfarmdog.blogspot.com/2010/04/quo-vadis-barracuda-9-m...

[Lee May]

Gijs, Thanks for showing your strength, I know how ruff some days can be. Bomani is strong and lives for you, keep enjoying him. Glad your back around haven't seen you in a bit. Be well, Hope to see you around. Peace to you and yours.