Exercise & Training Suggestions for Greyhound Pup

[atomicharri]

Hi all!

My boy Dexter is almost a year old now (10 months) and about 32kg! Besides taking him on short walks during his toilet breaks, some light jogging, and to our local dog park 3-4 times a week, I've been wondering how I might build his speed and endurance. He absolutely loves running, loves chasing/being chased, is generally a trouble-maker and a schoolyard bully, but still gets easily caught by other retired greys & whippets! I was looking into maybe a vest with very light weights or a parachute for some resistance training but based on what I'm reading it may be too much for his still-growing joints.
Any tips or suggestions would be welcome!

Here's a few pics of him flexing and clip of him going after a ball 

 

Edited April 5, 2022 by atomicharri

[HeyRunDog]

It depends on what you are training him for. If you just want him as a family pet then his speed and endurance don't really matter and as he's looking like a healthy handsome lad you can't be doing to much wrong. If you intend racing him then why not see if your local racing kennels can give you some advice on training as most of the greyhound owners on here only have experience with retired greyhounds.

[greysmom]

11 hours ago, HeyRunDog said:

most of the greyhound owners on here only have experience with retired greyhounds.

 

Most, but not all!!    I've had three greyhound puppies and I can tell you from experience, you can not find enough exercise for a 10 month old puppy unless it's your fulltime job!!!!    

At the greyhound farms here, at his age, he would be running and playing with his same-sex littermates 24/7/365.  Up and down and up and down long skinny kennel runs, barking and playing rough like teenagers, bullying each other and the dogs next to them, and generally being buttheads.    This is the most trying time developmentally for any owner.

Get him as much time outdoors as you can, running and playing with his friends.  At this age he can also start chasing a lure (a plastic bag or toy on the end of a horse lunge whip) on a flirt pole for short periods.  The restricted stopping and turning this requires can be harder on their young joints, so keep this activity short every day and make sure he runs both ways around the circle to keep muscle development and stress equal.

If you have access to a canine water pool, for fun or rehab, teach him to swim!!  It's an *excellent* way to tire out puppies.  A friend's 10 month old puppy recently earned his AKC Jr Dock Diving certification and loved every minute of the training and competition.

If you're interested in doing lure coursing it's time to start really building up his endurance and muscle - stretching out to longer walks and runs, multiple times a day.

Remember that mental exercise is as important right now as physical.  Get him into a training class and make sure he has a good grounding in basic manners and obedience.  He can start learning agility, or nose work, or anything else he shows an interest in.  Greyhounds are easy to train if you can find the key to motivate them.

Whatever you choose to do, have fun with him!!  He'll only be this age once (thank god!) and it's a pretty fun time all in all!!

[Sniffy]

I have no recommendations but must express how much I love the video and those photos....especially the first one with the side/stink-eye  

[cleptogrey]

Greysmom said it all-

we played ball- fetch, soccer, lobbing a tennis ball at least 3xs a day. long(2mile) walks 2xs a day was the standard, 3xs a week 6 mile walks in the woods. no need to use a weighted vest, just up the exercise that he is getting currently. once felix hit a year i started pacing w/ a bike. he wasn't a fan of that- some dogs love it- the fastest you should pedal is 5mph. 

we also did no-stop obedience/agility/rally-o classes for mental stimulation.

i wouldn't do any lure coursing until he is at least a year old- he's still growing and doesn't understand his body yet.

just wait until he hits 1.5-2 his energy and strength really develop. right now you should not be alarmed if everything he knows stops registering. adolescence in sighthounds is not for those who are faint at heart. just have a beer or glass of wine 2-3xs daily- the best rx for the owner of an adolescent sighthound.

[greysmom]

2 hours ago, cleptogrey said:

i wouldn't do any lure coursing until he is at least a year old- he's still growing and doesn't understand his body yet.

 

His body isn't physically ready yet for the stresses of lure coursing. 

Some easy F-Cat (straight line, short 100 yd course to help build muscle) runs once or twice a month; long, fun walks in new locations; socializing at greyhound events and meeting tons of other breeds; training his mind as much as his body - this is what's important for young dogs to make sure they grow up happy and healthy.