How do you get a lazy dog to unlazy himself? (1 Viewer)

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So, through the course of my last couple of threads I have mentioned that my dog, Argo, has gotten a bit lazy these days.

I took him to the dog park today, and although he would still get up and jump for the frisbee, he looked really sluggish and wouldn't really pour his heart into it the way he used to. I have no idea how old he is, but I know he is at least nine. I would guess that he is around ten or eleven, but I can't say for sure. I know he is getting older, but, his breed holds the world record for dog longevity at 24 years.

I know he still has it in him, as I see it occasionally. At times, he reverts back to his old ways and becomes the rocket dog that I am used to. I am not trying to brag at all, but he used to be the most spectacular frisbee dog that this town has seen for many years. He knows all sorts of tricks, and when he turns on the gas to go get a disc that should be out of reach, the speed is blistering. He has out run whippets in pursuit of the disc. And he could jump like twenty-five feet in the air to catch them.

So how do you get an older dog to get up and go like he used to? Or do I have to just accept the fact that his days are done and let him sniff flowers and take naps whenever he wants? I am thinking about getting a Border Collie pup, for him to be jealous of, would that work?
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How can you possible expect a poor old canine to be able hand with the physical demands of Zacklock the Destroyer?


It's just not fair.
 
That dog looks like he would run at you on the walls and upside down on the ceiling all stop motion-like with red eyes.
 
What about his diet? I have seen dogs act like puppies again after an adjustment to their diet. Talk to your vet.
 
You KNOW the dog is at least nine or ten but possibly older than that. Dude--chill and let the dog enjoy his senior status. I don't give a fxxx about how old the most long-lived of that breed may have been, a dog that is over ten years old is going to begin to have joint problems. Are you supplementing with chondroitin to ease things for him? At the age of 10, he's the equivalent of an 80+ year old man. Give the guy a break and let him enjoy being a part of the pack. When he decides to show glimmers of his youth, enjoy it for what it is and a remembrance of his glory days.
 
mattlock apparently likes to 'fix' other beings :rolleyes:


"Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?"
 
dude, if your dog is healthy and well fed, let him enjoy old age. if he was a frisbee dog you shortened his lifespan considerably.
 
How are his joints? Glucosamine did a world of good for my brother's retriever.....
 
I like to fix myself too, but it is true that I like to try and get the most out of people and in this case my dog. I understand that he is getting older, that's why I never run him the way I used to, just enough to take the wind out of his sails when we are in the house. I was just curious if there was something I could be doing to give him a bit more stamina. I am going to take him to the vet, that was a good idea about checking his diet. As far as shortening his life by being a frisbee dog, I'm not sure about that. I know some pretty old frisbee dogs. Granted they are way slower than they used to be but they are well into their teens. I guess part of it is that it's kinda sad to start thinking about the fact that my little buddy isn't going to live forever. I do plan on making a vest out of his coat when he dies though so I will always have a part of him near me;)
 
Start them slow. Stand over them. After a week they will ask to get on.
I have an 8 year old golden retarded that is overweight. Yeah; it sucks at first. He's lost ten pounds though and I'm sure he'll live a healthier and happier end (and may live an extra year or two).



And your woman can use it too. :hmm::idea: :eek: :D
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Start them slow. Stand over them. Anfter a week they will ask to get on.
I have an 8 year old golden retarded that is overweight. Yeah; it sucks at first. He's lost ten pounds though and I'm sure he'll live a healthier and happier end (and may live an extra year or two).



And you woman can use it too. :hmm::idea: :eek: :D
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I have a treadmill that I use all the time. I tried once to get Argo on it but he didn't quite seem to figure it out and ended up crashing into a pile of boxes when he rode off the thing. How did you get your dog to get the hang of it? I would love to let him run on on mine, but he seems a little freaked out by it now. Do you leash your dog to it? Argo kept jumping off whenever I moved even more than a few feet away.
 
dude, if your dog is healthy and well fed, let him enjoy old age. if he was a frisbee dog you shortened his lifespan considerably.

I'm not sure if that is true, but I think a dog would rather live a shorter more fun life playing frisbee and stuff, than live a couple of years longer and but never get to play when he/she is young.
 
I like to fix myself too, but it is true that I like to try and get the most out of people and in this case my dog. . . . I do plan on making a vest out of his coat when he dies though so I will always have a part of him near me;)

Your new avatar:
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See the leash hanging? Choke collar. I don't need it unless she's going over 1/2 mile. She caught the wrath twice and hasn't done it since. Just the threat of choking is reason enough keep going.

Duncan was harder though. He had a couple times like you're talking about. You just have to make it a good thing. Just have him sit on it and give him treats. Do this a couple times and don't even turn it on. Start slow and only go for a minute. After three good rounds he won't be afraid and you can up the time/speed. I still cap my sessions at a mile because I don't want to wreck her pads/hips.
 
On a side note, I will share a funny story about Argo when we were on the Kickapoo River the day I took that pic of him. I was with a bunch of people, we were floating down the river all day, drinking brewski's and having a ball. Around dusk, we decided to pull off the river and make camp. My buddy Rick had packed along a bunch of walleye fillets that he had caught with his dad the previous week. The plan was that he had enough fish to fry up to make each of us a nice fish sandwich. When they were done my other buddy Dave was standing next to a big rock admiring the river and talking about how great it was to be out in nature with his pals and the glory that the fish sandwich signified. He was kinda holding it out in his hand, looking at it like it was the best thing he had ever seen. Right at that moment Argo came barreling down the hill, and jumped off of the rock which put him into a good twelve foot jump. He casually turned his head in mid flight and snatched the sandwich right out of Dave's outstretched hand. Dave stood there astonished at what had just happened. I took one look at him and a look at Argo, and handed Dave my sandwich. Ahh, good times! We still laugh about that to this day.
 
First off you named him after cornstarch:rolleyes: And he is old, and if you try and push the frisbee thing, well.....
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No, I named him after my favorite lake in Quetico. Incedently, I think Ulysses dog was named Argo in the Odyssey. I hadn't considered that when I named him, but it is pretty cool non-the-less. His name was Ruckus when I got him, and Banjo pointed out that, that was like having a dog named Floorshitter. A change was made, needless to say.

Also, the frisbee is his way to show off the goods. I started with tennis balls and quickly moved him up to frisbee's. Once he figured out that he could catch them in the air, it was on. He used to get REALLY fired up to play. At one point, I was going through over a hundred frisbees a year. Now he is down to about twenty. I got this breed of dog with this exact intention. I love to throw a frisbee, and he loves to go get em. He is a better retriever than my buddies Chessy, which kind of burns him, but he is/was dialed in.
I think I am going to try the treadmill again, as he has put on some pinders this winter. I hope it works. I want to squeeze as much out of this little guy as I can. He is an awesome dog, and I want to do whatever I can to keep him healthy and happy.
 

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