ARE YOUR DOGS FIT?

[June Jonigk]

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We were just wondering how many people are having problems exercising their dogs during the foot and mouth outbreak?  Does anyone consider that their dog is not fit if it hasn't been free-running?  We are surrounded by farmland, but have had no problems in roadwalking our dogs, and in actual fact they get very little free-running even when there aren't any restrictions.  We are trying to understand the WCRA's reasons for not allowing opens to start until club racing has resumed for at least 4 weeks.  (There are two affiliated clubs who have no ground to run on - Linton and East Sussex)  Do you think that the WCRA think dogs need a free run once a week to make them fit?  Do they think that no-one is walking their dogs as they do before the start of every season? Many dogs are still running at Oxford, Fordingbridge, Phoenix, and Devon this weekend, and some are still able to free-run near home.  Even here in Hereford where the majority of land is farmland, there are still two places we know of where you can still let your dog off a lead to exercise.  We chose not to let our dogs off there as there are many others to chase!  So come on, tell us, are your dogs fit?!!

(We previously titled this thread as "Is your dog fit" but then wondered how many whippet owners only have one whippet?  Not many eh?) :cheesy:

Steve and June Jonigk

 

[Mark Roberts]

Hi June

          I think you make a valid point, how fit does a dog have to be to run 3 races over 150yds?.

as you know we have been walking our dogs around 4-5 mile a day and we are lucky enough to have a local field where we are able to run our dogs with a lure.

but I would consider a whippet/dog that has been walked 3-5 mile a day for 4-5 week to be fit enough to run but I also consider dogs that have had the opertunity to have free running to be that bit fitter and better toned for racing.

 

[Darcia]

Hello all,

Are your dogs fit ..... how long is a piece of string???? In the peak of the Open season, it is noticable that some peoples dogs are alot more fitter than others and I expect that if you talked to each owner  they would say that their dogs are fit!

At the beginning of any season the dogs will not be quite on top form, but what do you do? - you just get them fit - by running them each week - whether that is club or Open racing. I am sure that if you asked most people wether they would choose to run a half-fit dog at a club meeting or at an open, they would choose the open every time, or am I the only one who thinks this way and is desperate to get back to the opens - not only just running with the best dogs, but the atmosphere, seeing old friends, making new ones - this is what an open is about to me and what about the clubs that rely on their opens to finance keeping the clubs running, surely we should not withhold from running a few extra opens for a few people who have dogs that they want to get fully fit before they will run - or are we all in it only to win?

Darcia

 

[June Jonigk]

Good point Darcia!  The open scene to me is exactly that, meeting friends and enjoying a social event.  There are plenty who are in it just to win, but luckily I think more are like us.  

I am at a loss to understand how dogs can be fit enough for club racing, but not for an open (my favourite emoticon!) I would be surprised if any dog knows the difference!!  I'm sure the majority of racers know that if your dog isn't fit, you don't run it until it is.  Still, there's nowt as queer as folk, or dare I say it the WCRA!!  GOSH! Now I'm in for it!!

 

[Mark Roberts]

Hi June

          Can I take it that your not trying for sporting personality of the year 2001??

I think my dogs know the differance between opens and club racing (how do I know? cos they told me), sorry in a funny mood & just got the walking machine so no more wet walks.(deliverd at 6.30am their lucky I was already up)

as stated before how fit does a dog NEED to be to run 150yds 3 times, they do more than that in a free gallop in the local park/field ect.

you know as well as i do that you always get the one who brags that they run theres dogs off their beds or with very little walking, and although I do not agree or support that train of thought it does show that whippets are a naturaly fit breed that keep themselves reasonably fit?

Hi Darcia my piece of string is 12" i've just measured it. but personaly (and wait for the #### to hit the fan)

i'de be happy to get at least club racing back as without clubs you have no opens, or training grounds for pups ect.  club racing is very underestimated.

 

[Darcia]

Hi Mark,

I totally agree with you about the club racing - it is not that I think that it isn't important - it is just that I really enjoy going to opens, especially after a very long winters racing against the same dogs and seeing the same people (no offence meant to the Oxford, Gloucester and Andover crew).

We also have two puppies trialling at the moment and I do not underestimate how important club racing is to their training.

We hope that clubs will be able to resume club racing in the very VERY near future, as we see no reason why they cannot start racing now (landlords permitting).

Hope to see you all on the open circuit soon ......???

Darcia and Rob

 

[Rob Rixon]

No, I don't think my Whippet is fit at the mo.  She was at the end of the coursing season but with no racing she may be considered a walking fit but not track fit.

I've just looked at the calendar and see that the first Open not cancelled is Maidstone (3rd June), I know Kent have had F&M and that the Maidstone club run on farm land so what is the chance?

The EA Open on the 10th is subject to the Council's OK(landowner), there may be a good chance that it will be ok as we have not had F&M in Suffolk.  So fingers crossed.

 

[Mark Roberts]

Hi Rob

        I read with interest your comments in the Whippet News regarding the size off whippets?.

in it you state that the smaller groups get less entrys than other groups, I must disagree with this as the 14-19lb groups get as many if not more entrys than the 28-32lb, also I agree with you that whippets (in the show world) are getting bigger.

becouse of this they loose their actions and start to gallop like a greyhound, i'm not a lover of the very small whippet (14lb even having just bred one) but I feel that the trend to over sized whippets must be halted to protect the breed.

as you know in racing and coursing there are stricked hieght limits which if the trend for big dogs continue it would rule many of them out unless the hight limits were to be raised and then it poses the question how far do you let it go 24"~25" and 35-40lb?

my personal view is that we keep the lbs and Yards, if its not broke dont fix it.

 

[June Jonigk]

MARK ROBERTS!!!!!!!  We are up in your neck of the woods in the next few days - Not keen on small 14lb whippets?  Watch out!!  My 15lb Dangermouse is a trained killer, and may just be paying you a visit!!!  

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED :vicious:  Oh that emoticon didn't work!!

 

[Mark Roberts]

Hi June

          WHAT! You mean the bans been lifted and their letting you back?:biggrin:.

 

[jeff]

hi rob

   i am a new user so hence the late reply.

iam interested at your statement of your whippet

not being track fit when it is at the end of the coursing

season.

in my experience of owning working lurchers and now whippets which i hunt and race a dog in pursuit of live game,and especially the hare should be as fit if not fitter than the race dog

               jeff