Agility with Giant Breeds

[JamieFraserskneewarmer]

Does anyone have experience of doing agility with giant breeds? I would love to start my eight month old girl but the breed doesn't reach full maturity until they are two, She has no health issues but, as a breed, they are prone to skeletal issues and I wonder whether it would put too much stress on her joints. Would love to hear from anyone who does agility with St Bernards, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Nerfoundlands, Tibetan Mastiffs or any of the other chunkier giants what age their started their dogs at and tips for avoiding injuries

I don’t think that sounds like a wise idea at all tbh

I can't see that going well. I have a Bernese and Leonberger who both now have mobility issues even after being careful with them.

Managing a large breed dog with mobility issues is difficult, emotional, physically difficult and life altering. It is really awful seeing how limited both my girls are and that is entirely down to age despite all the care I took of their joints.

Please don't take the risk even if they enjoy it as both you and they will pay the price in the future. Stick to something non weight bearing or involving strength rather than speed and agility. Even an temporary injury can be difficult to manage - my Leo weighs 46 kilos and trying to support her to toilet when her back legs are weak is taking its toll on my own joints. She's worth it but it is really hard.

Thanks - that was my concern. She loves mantrailing, scentwork and swimming and we are being very careful with her - ramps, no stairs etc. She is already 45 kg and will probably top out between 55kg and 60kg so I fully understand the issues with trying to support her in later life if she does end up with mobility problems.

Unfortunately, it's probably not a good idea.

Giant breeds really shouldn't be doing intense, high-impact exercise like that - you don't want to be dealing with a giant breed who has severe arthritis and can't get up the front stairs.

If she enjoys swimming, can you do things like water-retrieval work, for example?

There are a few clubs that are set up for agility for the large breed dogs.

They have adapted equipment, eg much larger tunnels so the dogs do not have to bend down. Very low contact equipment and jumps that are pretty much on the ground. It looks like a very differnt kind of agility. However personally I would be looking at other activity like you already are.

There is no way I would expect a giant breed to use the average agility equipment unless you had a death wish on your dogs joints

What breed dog do you have? It would be much better for her and more stimulating for her to work with her natural instincts rather than agility.

Agree, not a good idea. Need to look after the joints.
And you’d have to be pretty fit yourself!

Hoopers for large dogs may be more appropriate.

Some Bernese (and other large breeds) do carting - that might be an option: bernese.co.uk/carting-with-bernese-mountain-dogs/

Mmm it'd be kinda like Geoff Capes doing high jump and triple jump. Not a great idea.

Hoopers! No jumping or high impact work, less-acute turns/corners (assuming the dog isn't so large it won't fit under the hoops). There's tunnel work but they're not tiny and most dogs love the tunnel if it's properly taught.

Still fun to train and good for bonding.

Just looked at Hoopers - never heard of it before. Off to investigate - thanks all!

I was going to suggest Hoopers too, very much designed for the welfare of the dogs.

I wouldn’t do agility with my Leo’s. Too much strain on the joints.
I also tried hoopers but to be honest found it very boring as did all of my dogs including my always enthusiastic GSD.

My youngest boy is 70kgs and did enjoy competitive obedience for a while but even that’s too much like hard work now!

🙊 cannot see my Saint doing agility. Sorry 😂

To add a bit perspective here, my dog weighs 51.6 kgs. Try doing agility with a dog that weight. I don't think so. Would be completely irresponsible.

My Newfie's floof and bum wiggle when she walks would make agility very tricky, I think.

I sometimes wish I had the time to train her to pull a cart.

Maybe something like water training if Hoopers doesn't?

Water work would probably be a good shout.

@GrouchyKiwi all of my leonbergers have the wiggle too

They are all fit for giants and are capable of running around but choose the sniffing and mooching along life instead. Zoomies only last approx 1min before they run out of steam!

Leonberger

The wiggle is so adorable.

I love giant dog zoomies. They look so ridiculous, and the brief duration means that you're not a risk of being barrelled over for long.