Ok guys so when i got myu staffy about a year and ahalf ago i decided to do weight pulling with her
to keep her occupied i was then told my dog wasnt strong enough and also told by some that this is a cruel sport

fistly my dog weighs 65/70 pounds which is huge for a staffy (shes leen)
and secondly is it realy cruel as i was cosidering it as an option for my akita as i cant show him because hes not a pedigree well he has no papers at least


what are your views on this guys girls i agree that making an akita any stronger than theye naturally are probably asking to have my arm torn of at walk time but that aside i would like some input

I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure your dog would need to be at least 18 months old before you could even start.

A former friend of mine did weight pulling with his staffie but soon stopped because it gave the dog a horrible overly muscular look that made most people assume it was being used for fighting, which it certainly wasn't.

Personally I would prefer to see a dog running around enjoying itself rather than pointlessly dragging weights around.

I'm a bit on the fence about this one, I worry it all gets a bit too 'macho'. I did hear they were trying to ban it but don't quote me. I don't think it's 'cruel' as such - if it's done responsibly and properly with the correct equipment and the dog isn't pushed too hard...and more importantly if the dog enjoys it! It's just another type of training.

I wouldn't.. I would worry about strain on their heart and joints. I think I'd be tempted to try CaniX or something a little less extreme

edited - or agility Even more beneficial for the dog in my opinion because so much training, obedience and socialisation is involved, and high energy dogs LOVE it! x

Post edited by: luciequk, at: 2010/07/23 07:17

I agree with Lucie, I would opt for more social exercise - even cycling with your dog (we do this with Nori and Simba sometimes).

Agility is brilliant and also flyball for staffies - Akita's aren't great at flyball as they don't really play fetch all that well as a rule (apart from LMK!!).

Not sure about it being cruel but would be worried about taking the muscular look too far, just my opinion though.

What reasons do you have for wanting to do this? I`m not having a go in a "why do you want to do this to your dog" type way, I`m just curious what you expect to achieve.

Donna wrote:
What reasons do you have for wanting to do this? I`m not having a go in a "why do you want to do this to your dog" type way, I`m just curious what you expect to achieve.

I was thinking the very same!

Its not something I would ever do...

Can I just butt in here and be really thick? But what is pulling weights?? What does it involved and why do people do it?

I can't imagine any dog lying under a dumbell pumping away! Lol

Well whilst this can seem pretty pointless with some breeds it does also have a purpose for others, my Malamute could happily run for 15 miles plus, unfortunately I couldnt, so he used to drag an old tyre behind him as he went on a shorter walk, this would make his walk a more intensive workout and as such he would gain more out of it and be less highly strung when in the house, he was adestructive little bugger and so this for me was a win win situation, it was also a recomended and approved type of exercise for him, a complete varient of course to your weight pulling but a welcome alternative for a larger akita, they all pool from spitz family dogs which as a rule enjoy pulling things, NOT to the point of injury however. competitive weight pulling obviously is an extention of this sort of exercising, however unless you are totally sure of your dogs skeletal and muscular development I personally wouldnt go near competitive weight pulling with an akita........... besides their piss poor losers

I've never considered weight pulling however;

I was going to buy one of them off road skateboards with the big rugged tyres on (or make one myself) and get the dogs to pull me on thier walks with that... and i'm sure they would have loved it and it would be a great form of exercise for the pair of them.

since mr geekys illness however i have had to shelve my masterplan and lucy says i'll drop keishas lead when i fall off and she'll take her legs...

with regards to the weight pulling its obvoiusly your decision but i don't think it would be doing the breed any favours to be seen training them like that when that kind of training is mainly associated with fighting dogs.

ok what do i hope to achieve (a happy well balanced dog that doesnt have tons of pent up energy)
now i realize that this can be achieved without the weight pulling but it was just a thought my staffie is fine after all and she is happy with just walks and basic commands
i was after all only asking your oppinions i know what you wer ive had it for years because i love big powerfull dogs i must want them to be stronger then every body elses and ime the typical chav with strong dogs lol no i just like big dogs and keeping them happy ille try obediance