Find out what diet, training, and equipment your dog will need so that he is guaranteed to gain lean muscle mass. If you want your dog to look beautiful, and not resemble a Kolobok from a famous fairy tale, then you need to keep an eye on it. Today we will talk about how to train a fighting dog for the development of muscle mass.
Fighting Dog Diet
For your fighting dog training for muscle development to be as effective as possible, your pet must eat properly. To gain weight, the dog must consume more calories than it spends. Actually, the principles of weight training for a dog and a person are similar. For example, the daily calorie intake for a German shepherd dog should be from 2.5 to 3 thousand calories.
This indicator of the calorie content of the diet is comparable to that which must be used by a novice builder with a body weight of 80 kilos. The dog should also start eating five times a day. In addition to the two main meals, you must provide your pet with three more snacks.
A fighting dog's diet should contain 55 to 60 percent carbohydrates and 25–30 protein compounds. It is recommended to give the dog BCAA, mineral supplements and adaptogens about 60 minutes before the start of the session. Supplement them with caffeine and energy supplements such as ATP or creatine as needed. The amount of carbohydrates at this time should be between 100 and 150 grams. An hour after the end of the lesson, the "protein-carbohydrate" window should be closed, giving the pet from 40 to 60 grams of carbohydrates and 20-30 protein compounds.
The dog's food should be as close to a liquid state as possible, for which all products should be passed through a blender. As a result, nutrients will be absorbed as quickly as possible, which will have a positive effect on weight gain. You should remember that after training a fighting dog to develop muscle mass, solid food is absorbed extremely slowly.
For every kilogram of your pet's weight, you need to give from 2.2 to 3 grams of protein compounds daily. In addition, vitamins should be present in the diet, which are given to dogs participating in exhibitions. It is very important not to allow the dog to fall asleep hungry. Before bed, give your dog a complex carbohydrate source such as oatmeal or porridge made with a mixture of cereals. Your dog should sleep for eight hours, and you should take stress away from your dog before and after training. Never train a fighting dog to develop muscle mass during hot times of the day, and the dog should not be given water until 10 or 15 minutes after the end of the session.
Features of training a fighting dog for the development of muscle mass
Let's go directly to the question, how is the training of a fighting dog for the development of muscle mass carried out? Before the start of the main part of the lesson, you need to warm up - walk with the dog for 20 or 30 minutes. Do not start training without a warm-up if the health of your four-legged friend is dear to you.
It is advisable that the training program is drawn up by a cynologist with the participation of a veterinarian. It is very important to take into account the breed of the dog, its age, previous injuries, predisposition to various ailments, etc. If your dog is completely healthy. You can start exercising. Otherwise, you must wait for his complete recovery.
Here is an example of a fighting dog training program:
- Monday is a one hour cardio workout.
- Tuesday - strength training, the duration of which ranges from half an hour to 40 minutes. During the day, it is necessary to organize protein meals.
- Wednesday is a day off.
- Thursday - aerobic training lasting from one to one and a half hours.
- Friday - strength training to eliminate weak points in the musculature of the dog. In their absence, static loads are used.
- Saturday - one hour cardio training.
- Sunday - active games lasting 60–90 minutes.
Fighting Dog Cardio Training for Muscle Development
The simplest exercise for a dog is jogging. This allows you to actively use the muscles of the legs, back and shoulder girdle. The pet must move at an average speed and perform short-term accelerations. For your dog to gain weight, running training should be done with weights. Only puppies can do without them. Start by jogging a distance of 200 meters and gradually increase it.
At first glance, it is quite obvious that you cannot force a dog to run after a car or motorcycle. However, some owners do not understand this. To prevent the pet from hurting its paws while running, you should run on the grass. It is also important to remember that an adult dog who has just started training should run without weights. Only after reaching a certain level of training can a special leash and other sports equipment be used. The weight of the weights should be selected on an individual basis.
In winter, running in deep snow will be an excellent type of load. To strengthen the muscles of the sacrum and thigh, the dog should run on steep slopes. Do not force the dog to run at high intensity (gallop or fast trot). There are cases when an incorrectly dosed load led to the death of perfectly healthy dogs.
Disporting
The second important exercise after running is the landing. At this moment, two commands are most often used - "Give!" ("Bring!") And "Seek!" It is allowed to chase the dog for three to five minutes, after which it is necessary to give the pet a rest. The weight of objects thrown may vary. During the retrieval, the muscles of the neck and jaw are actively working. This exercise should be considered as a transition to more significant physical activity.
Driving on an extended leash
This is an excellent exercise for strengthening the muscles of the shoulder girdle, hip, withers, and the intercostal and pectoral muscles. For training, you should use a leash with a round collar, but not a harness, so that the main load falls on the dog's cervical vertebrae. The dog should pull you along with it and push off with its hind legs.
If your pet flatly refuses to move, you should ask a friend to run in front of the dog, and you must firmly hold the leash. If you pre-teach the dog the command "Forward!" no outside help is required. During the first week, you should cover about 50 meters with your pet, gradually increasing the distance to several kilometers.
Swimming
Thanks to swimming, you can perfectly work out the muscles of the thigh, back, withers and forearms. If your pet has joint problems, swimming is also a good alternative to jogging. Some dogs may be afraid of water and you should train them to swim first. Start by dropping objects in shallow water.
Another very effective way to eliminate hydrophobia in a dog is the personal example of the owner. When the dog stops being afraid of water and begins to swim well, it is possible to use additional weights. To do this, use, for example, a harness, holding it and pulling the dog back.
Carrying heavy weights
One of the most effective ways to build muscle mass for a dog. All the exercises described above can be compared with crossfit classes, then this is an analogue of basic movements in bodybuilding. Carrying heavy weights allows you to effectively pump the muscles of the jaw, back and neck. At the beginning of training, the weight of weights should not exceed 20 percent of the pet's body weight.
As physical skills develop, depending on the breed, the dog will be able to carry loads weighing up to 150 percent of its own body weight. You should start working with large weights no earlier than one and a half years. The load is attached to a harness, which is specially sewn according to the measurements of the pet. In addition, follow the technique of the exercise - the dog must record all his steps.
If the dog walks with a wagging gait, then you have not correctly calculated the weight of the burden and it should be reduced. Special collars equipped with iron weights can also be used to strengthen the muscles of the neck. We do not recommend using lead. You can start training at the age of the dog from two years old and only if there are no problems with the musculoskeletal system.
Remember the golden rule of training a fighting dog to develop muscle mass - do no harm. The dog can be engaged only in the absence of health problems. Moreover, it is not you who should determine this, but the veterinarian. We also recommend consulting with a specialist regarding the use of special nutrition, expensive sports equipment and pharmacology.
Fighting Dog Sports Equipment for Muscle Development
Today you can buy some sports equipment that will help your pet to progress faster.
treadmill
Now this type of sports equipment can be equipped with an electrical or mechanical drive, similar to those simulators that are found in fitness rooms. In any case, you will have the ability to change the angle of inclination to complicate the workout.
Pegs driven into the ground
This simulator can be easily made by yourself. It can be used for two purposes:
- Working out a static rack.
- Increase the maneuverability of the dog.
Puller (rubber ring)
The sports equipment must be suspended at a height selected in accordance with the pet's height. The dog must grab the puller with his teeth and hang in the air. This trainer is used to train fighting dogs. Sometimes owners use car tires during training. But you can't do that. The puller is made of rubber with a certain stiffness and is not toxic to the animal.
Weighted collars and harnesses
As we said above, it is better to use sports equipment that is equipped not with lead weights, but with metal ones.
Use various objects for retrieving - sticks, balls for tennis, frisbee, etc. It is probably not worth explaining the principle of working with them. As you can see for yourself, training a fighting dog for the development of muscle mass is carried out according to the same principles that are used in bodybuilding. In conclusion, we recall once again that it is important not to overload your pet, so as not to harm its health.
How to train a fighting dog using a homemade projectile, see the video below:
