I have heard that some bored dogs need a 'job'. We have a Pit Bull staying with us at the moment, and since my Mom started back to work, we're not able to spend as much time with him as we were before. He's about 2.5 years old, and we have him in obedience lessons right now which he is starting to be better in.

The trainer mentioned a backpack, and I think getting him one would be good for him, and give him a sense of 'working'. (As most people know, Pit Bulls were originally used for hauling and pulling heavy stuff like sheets of granite.) Flex is a good boy, and VERY high energy; and I just want to see if a backpack can help straighten out some of his lawless tendencies.

I've seen where Cesar Millan straightened out a German Shepherd, who chased his tail for years, with a backpack. I'm not expecting a pack to make him a perfect dog, just looking for some opinions.

Have you ever used one? If so, which one did you like best and what behavior problem did it help curb for your dog?
Thanks!

8/30/2009 3:09:05 PM

I thought about doing this for hiking. That would be sweet, plus our dog pulls the crap out of us even when hiking.

8/30/2009 3:25:19 PM

Done it for hiking wtih a very active dog. Works wonders in slowing them down and keeping them focused.

8/30/2009 4:40:52 PM

I've used one before and it worked out great! You can get the backpacks from pet stores or camping stores. Ceasar says it will turn a 1hr walk into a 2 hr walk, but keep in mind you still have to do a long walk! Even with a backpack you need to walk 45min at a minimum.

At first I put a can of beans in each side, which turned out a bit too heavy for my lab and after a mile she would get tired and sit down! A pit bull could carry a lot more like you said.

My dog only had a few problems, but a tired dog is easier to train and control. A backpack should help with any area of your dog's training.

8/30/2009 11:20:42 PM

yepper, both my dog and my gf's dog wear a pack when we hike and/or camp...after almost two years of it, my dumb dog hasn't realized that it makes her wider and she still sometimes hits trees, but aside from that, it only took them about 30 minutes to get used to it and it tires them out a bit more (i fill their packs with water and food for them...if i have to carry my gear, why shouldn't they carry theirs?)

fwiw, REI is having a sale right now...smalls are $28 (reg. $40), mediums are $31 (i think), and larges are $35 (reg. $50)...our dogs (45lbs) use small packs...we used to have a medium, but it never seemed to fit right (always seemed too loose to stay positioned correctly, even when each side was balanced)

[Edited on August 31, 2009 at 7:48 AM. Reason : weight]

8/31/2009 7:48:35 AM

Quote :

"hasn't realized that it makes her wider and she still sometimes hits trees"

haha

8/31/2009 8:14:31 AM

Ok, glad to hear there has been some success with them!

He's 80 lbs, and he is skinny as a rail in the waist, but he has a very deep chest. I think I'm going to try a large. He likes to go to the park with me and we usually spend an hour or a little less. And the dog LOVES to swim! (It's the weirdest thing for a big, short haired, non-webbed toes dog to love the water more than Michael's puppy who is part bird dog...)

Flex and I usually walk the main road of the park to the pond and I let him swim till I think he's going to sink, and then we finish up walking so he can dry off before getting in the truck. He knows how to hold his breath and goes diving for things, which makes me really nervous. But he loves it.

I think the backpack would help him focus when we walk. He has a tendency to look all around and walk in a zig-zag pattern. I also let him out every evening and throw ball with him, but he has a focus problem with that. Maybe the pack would help that too.

Thanks a lot for the feedback!

8/31/2009 9:50:58 AM

lol your dog has ADD

8/31/2009 10:01:59 AM

Quote :

"As most people know, Pit Bulls were originally used for hauling and pulling heavy stuff like sheets of granite.)"

No. The American Pit Bull Terrier was originally bred for bull and bear baiting and later for dogfighting.

8/31/2009 11:02:23 AM

^nice 1st line wiki pull-


from the wiki:

Quote :

"Being intelligent, athletic dogs[10], American Pit Bull Terriers excel in many dog sports, including weight pulling, dog agility, flyball, lure coursing, and advanced obedience competition. Some APBTs have been known to do well in schutzhund as well. Out of the 25 dogs who have earned UKC "superdog" status (by gaining championship titles in conformation, obedience, agility, and weightpull), fourteen have been American Pit Bull Terriers. The American Pit Bull Terrier is a working dog, and is suitable for a wide range of working disciplines due to their intelligence, high energy, and endurance. In the United States they have been used as search and rescue dogs that save lives,[11] police dogs performing narcotics and explosives detection,[12][13] Border Patrol dogs, hearing dogs to provide services to the deaf, as well as general service dogs. "

8/31/2009 11:16:50 AM

Quote :

"lol your dog has ADD "

haha, yeah he does!
From the APBT Network:

Quote :

"Many APBT, particularly young dogs, have the attention span of a small bird."

As for the originality of the breed, different sources say different things. As with so many other breeds, they were crossed with something for one trait and then with something else for another. One part of competing Pit Bulls is weight pulling, obviously because they were used for that purpose at some point in time. You don't see competetion Yorkies participating in weight pulling!

Note: I did say 'used', and not 'bred' in my initial post; they were definitely bred further for bull baiting, and stuff of that nature. I'm just not so sure that was their original purpose; or even if their original purpose can be decided for certain!

Either way, he's a big, strong ox of a dog with the attention span of a small bird, the endurance of an antelope, and the swimming interest of a fish.

[Edited on August 31, 2009 at 11:44 AM. Reason : ]

8/31/2009 11:44:06 AM

^^and that does what?

8/31/2009 12:19:27 PM

it mentions competitive weight pulling and working from that breed's description.


I was also commenting on your post above, which was nearly verbatim from the wiki

8/31/2009 1:32:18 PM

As a later development, not "originally used for hauling and pulling heavy stuff like sheets of granite" as originally claimed.

8/31/2009 1:37:19 PM

well, yes. I'm not arguing with you, more or less just pointing out

8/31/2009 1:51:50 PM

w0rd

8/31/2009 2:14:57 PM

^ I like this idea for our new Weimaraner. He's already becoming more mischievous as he gets healthier,
which is awesome, but not for my shoes (he ate one already, so I've been getting him addicted to bones/rawhides).

A small pack worked for our Beagle in cooler weather, but she's only 24 lb. and it didn't fit quite right (too shortbacked). I'm thinking of modding it on the sewing machine.

8/31/2009 4:52:00 PM

Your weimie won't like it.

The shoe issue will be fixed with raw hide. You just need to run your weimie more.

8/31/2009 6:06:55 PM

Cesar Millan uses them on variety of dogs.

8/31/2009 6:33:39 PM

Why wouldn't the Weimaraner like it-how did you conclude this? Any dog of reasonable size could carry a pack- you probably wouldn't load it up with as much weight as you would for a Pit Bull or a breed bred to carry weight.

We're working on our running- did 4 miles this morning and will probably go for another tonight. Still doesn't matter if I exhaust him physically- still needs to be mentally stimulated.

9/1/2009 11:48:44 AM

These are very beneficial to the well-being of your dog, especially if they are a "working breed". Vets and trainers recommend using these for Rottweilers because they have such a strong longing to do work. It really helps with their temperment.

9/1/2009 12:52:47 PM

AntiMnifesto - Have you tried a Kong with your dog? There's the kind that is like a puzzle cube that you put treats in. They have to really work and chew to get the treats out. And there's the regular ones with a hole in the middle that you can fill with stuff.
Flex had a Kong with peanut butter in it at obedience classes last week, and it really helped when he got anxious and bored and started the barking. They say you can also freeze the peanut butter in it to make it even harder to get out. (Of course, Flex needed a Ultimate Kong since his jaw muscles make up for about 1/2 the size of his head! )

We're having the same shoe problem with Cotton (the puppy) when she comes to my house. She especially likes chewing the soles out of my Sperry's. I read somewhere to put clove oil on your shoes and other stuff they don't need to chew on - but she still went after the bedroom shoes and Sperry's. I'm going for Alum or hot pepper flakes next. Everything else I read says to provide all the chews and toys in the world they could want - and I have - but she still wants the shoes!

9/1/2009 3:01:01 PM

^ The Beagle takes well to Kongs with food in them, but the Weim promptly chewed up his regular Kong already . I may have to try the Ultimate Kongs instead- do they last a lot longer than the regular Kongs? Is the rubber that much more durable? My only other idea is to get him something on the level of an old car tire, virtually indestructible rubber.

Anyone have any suggestions for awesome chew toys? The best ideas I've had so far are dried out bones and cow hooves that aren't prone to cracking. That, or the car tire.

And, another idea I've been contemplating is, is teaching the Weim to pull a cart from a harness. I was thinking
of hooking him up to a small modified bike trailer and making him pull the groceries home. That should tire him out in future. Any experience with this?

9/1/2009 4:57:41 PM

^ Oh yeah! The Ultimate Kong's are made for Pit Bulls and Bull Dogs, and dogs with massive jaw power. Flex chewed the one the trainer loaned him for about 45 minutes, and never was able to get any little pieces off of it. And he is one to grab the first thing he can find and either turn it into his baby, or rip it up.

I don't think there is any reason to assume your weimeraner wouldn't like the backpack. You can find them online right now at good prices, so its worth a shot. I don't know about the cart, but it could work too as long as he felt like it was his responsibility or special prize and not his punishment.

[Edited on September 2, 2009 at 12:30 AM. Reason : ]

9/2/2009 12:30:39 AM

went to hanging rock this past weekend...made my dog carry her own weight while hiking, too

9/10/2009 1:50:26 PM

9/10/2009 2:59:38 PM

gf's dog wearing a pack (and a gentle leader because she's notorious for slipping out of harnesses and collars)

9/10/2009 3:01:27 PM

i am a huge fan of the gentle leader

9/11/2009 5:46:13 AM

you mean a muzzle leash

9/11/2009 9:31:23 AM

i think it makes her look like a horse...all she needs now is a bit and some reins

if she wouldn't run away for hours at a time (she usually stays within eyesight, but refuses to come back for hours), she wouldn't need one...she and the gf are in training right now, though, so we'll see

i'm glad my dog comes when i call and always has...i rarely use a leash when i'm in public parks or walking at lake johnson or whatever because i know she'll behave herself

9/11/2009 10:45:39 AM

Those are good pics! In the first one, she looks like a dog but looks like a puppy in the second.

Flex's backpack should be here this week! I'm really excited about it, I can't wait to see how sturdy it is. I'll post some pics when he wears it and report back on how it affects our walks.

9/15/2009 3:57:23 PM

I would describe his dog as more of a retarded 12 year old (in human years) dog... speaking from experience, of course

9/15/2009 6:12:03 PM

I use my cat as a grease rag sometimes.

9/15/2009 8:16:18 PM

I LOLed

9/15/2009 11:21:26 PM

Quote :

"Why wouldn't the Weimaraner like it-how did you conclude this? Any dog of reasonable size could carry a pack- you probably wouldn't load it up with as much weight as you would for a Pit Bull or a breed bred to carry weight."

Because I grew up around Weimaraners.

Quote :

"Anyone have any suggestions for awesome chew toys? The best ideas I've had so far are dried out bones and cow hooves that aren't prone to cracking. That, or the car tire"

Get the those raw hide wreaths. They are tightly wound and it will take your weimie awhile to work through it.

As for getting the dog to tire out, have you tried running him in a field? I know all of mine greatly enjoy/ed field trials and just going out and doing it for fun.

Another thing I would suggest strictly beyond physical exercise, is mental stimulation. Weimaraners are typically smarter than other dogs and will get bored easily, which gets them into trouble.

[Edited on September 16, 2009 at 1:31 AM. Reason : .]

9/16/2009 1:25:47 AM

quagmire02, what kind of dog is that (your gf's)?

9/16/2009 2:11:17 AM

^ not a clue...both of our dogs were found wandering on the road (hers was in sanford, mine was in durham)...i'm guessing some husky in there somewhere

she's a pretty dog and very soft, scared of most men...she's full grown at about 42lbs

Quote :

"I would describe his dog as more of a retarded 12 year old (in human years) dog... speaking from experience, of course"

QFT.

[Edited on September 16, 2009 at 10:56 AM. Reason : .]

9/16/2009 10:55:50 AM

So, Flex's backpack came in the mail Thursday so we used it for the first time at obedience class (not enough hands for pictures). I put a brick in each side, and he didn't really know what to think. He would take a few steps and start looking from side to side, and then just slide on his belly to a stop. It was hilarious!

He's SO skinny in the waist, and the strap is almost as tight as it will go and there's still about an inch needed to get it tight enough. If I could get it tighter, I wouldn't have to worry about it slapping him in the ribs when he walks fast. He finally did start walking slower and it quit bothering him. He didn't seem to mind it after a while, and it wore him out good! I'm going to try to modify it and get it tighter for him, and no more bricks yet. I'm going to try something else heavy wrapped in towels to fill up the pouches and provide more padding to his ribs. It's padded and all, but he's not going to like it if its not comfortable.

I don't think 1 size smaller would be good because it fits great over his big shoulders and deep chest. Here's a picture of him. You can tell in this picture just how deep his chest is and how skinny his waist is, though the way he's stretched out makes his waist look a little bigger than it really is.



Any suggestions for getting it just a LITTLE tighter?

[Edited on September 18, 2009 at 10:00 PM. Reason : ]

9/18/2009 9:56:59 PM

Here's the pictures from our first long walk with his backpack. I found that filling up the bags takes up the extra slack around his waist and it fits much better that way; and Flex seemed to like it better this time. I am very pleased with it. We walked the long way around to the lake, and he still felt like swimming. Needless to say, he slept like a log later!

The pics were taken with a camera phone, so the quality sucks.


This dog will put his whole head under the water if he wants something off the bottom.


Here he is swimming along the bank.

9/23/2009 12:53:54 PM

Quote :

"I put a brick in each side, and he didn't really know what to think"

Dont use cans or especially a brick. Imagine how that would feel running around with a bookbag full of bricks. Its going to be extremely uncomfortable for you dog. Use something that fits to his body..rice, gravel, sand, etc.. This will also allow for a much more natural walk/run.

9/23/2009 5:02:18 PM

He is plenty capable of carrying the weight, it was just the shape that was the problem. I'm thinking of filling two 1/2 gallon milk jugs with concrete to give him more appropriate weight. I can wrap them in towels to help with the cushion.

[Edited on September 24, 2009 at 7:29 PM. Reason : ]

9/24/2009 7:28:22 PM