Importance of Exercise

I am sitting here on a beautiful summer day taking a break from the morning feeding of the kennel. It is nice to be able to look out of the kitchen window while sipping my green tea, and watch the newest litter from Regal and Milova playing in the puppy yard. They are just six weeks today, and it still amazes me at how fast Borzoi puppies mature and “plump up” once they move outside.

 

Early on (in the 60’s) Louie Murr impressed upon me the importance of exercise for this breed.  It begins right out of the whelping box.  

 

Not only do I preach the importance of exercise to anyone contemplating owning one of my dogs, I firmly believe that keeping the dogs as they were intended to live, in as natural a state as possible, contributes both to their successes in the show ring  and to their overall good health and longevity.

 

In the modern world, those who think differently tend to sneer at and pity the “poor dogs” living in kennels. They point to their own “couch potatoes” as being so much happier.  Just as they are happiest sitting in front of the TV with the dog. We have all heard the idiom, “use it or lose it;” it applies as much or more to this athletic breed, as it does to ourselves.

 

Be sure you find a way to keep your Borzoi exercised. Some owners fence in their own yards.  In the city one can find a fenced park or football field where you must remember to pick up after your dogs, of course.  Others in rural areas take their dogs jogging or on nature walks. These activities benefit both dog and owner.

 

Louie Murr rode a bicycle with a sawed off  broom handle attached to the handle bars. He leashed a dog, one on each side, and biked with them to keep his show dogs in shape.  I tried the bicycle method once many years ago. All went well until we were attacked by a Doberman. A dog, bicycle and human rushing past his yard was just too much for the dog. Over the fence he went. My Borzoi hit and bent the front wheel, I sailed over the handlebars. Luckily I was young enough at that time to bounce, and was just a bit bruised. I never tried that again.

 

Beverly Taylor of Seattle Washington, when she was already in her 80’s and fighting the cancer that took her life, would drive her van to a park each day, and ride her bike around the paths. With one or two of the big males she owned trotting calmly beside her. Each of the three males outweighed her by several pounds, and yet she never had a mishap.

 

Another plus is watching your dog run, what is more beautiful than seeing a Borzoi in full stride?