Weigh him down to get more out of a walk?!

Hi,
My staffy is a mental ball of energy, and it has been suggested to me that I get him a harness used for taking dogs hiking and put weights in it to make him work harder, give him a job and knacker him out. Just wondering if anyone else has done or heard if this before. Apparently cesar Millan suggests it.

Well I wouldn't listen to anything cesar Milan says but I have heard of people doing this, I've not done it personally so hopefully someone else can advise   

How much exercise does he get daily?

Average about an hour to hour and a half walking each day, made up of a few trips out I'd say. Unfortunately because i have kids and other things I need to get done in a day I can't just give him more walk time. I have been out with him walking for hours at a stretch before and he is still bouncing round like a loon, just can't seem to get rid of the energy!

We use a pack for Suki but you should wait until he is at least 18 months before starting. The weight should be kept to 20% or less of his weight and built up very gradualy.

What is he fed on?

Whilst cesar Milan is an idiot, backpacks do make them work harder, but as others have suggested, probably best to wait until 18 months. When he's out what sort of exercise is he getting? (on lead/off lead/play/interactive training? Etc) The other questions about food etc are also very relevant

And he's still very much a baby if your profile is up today's, at 1 year they have mounds of energy

i personaly take my kids with me, and i walk him on a cycle path so he can be off lead so he goes at his own pace and usually it takes me 2 hours to tire him out. you do have to be constantly aware of bikes and other dogs so i used treats to bring him back and now he sits by the side when bikes come and i put him on the lead when a dog approaches. i wouldnt use weights personally as he/she couldnt tell you if he was tired or strained/pulled a muscle. i hope you find a resolution which ever you decide.

I wouldnt use weights for dog either (personal choice). Having mounds of energy at one year old - how else is a pup meant to be? If he gets enough exercise and stimulation, then that other characteristic of pups will kick in - he'll sleep a lot.

thanks for replies
he is 19months now, need to update it onhere!
I feed home royal canin biscuits and butchers tinned meat.

That's a good age to start. Build up gradualy with just the pack at first. When you introduce weight keep the walks shorter and gradually increase. When more weight is added back to the shorter route and so on. Until he is 24 months the weight should be under 10% of body weight and try not to let him run.

Butchers could be the problem it's full of additives and could cause hyperactivity, my girl is 20 months and has mounds of energy we use lots of mental simulation to tire her out as well as excersise.

thanks jstaff, that's a great help. I had no idea in how much weight to use or whatever, glad I came here first!
oh no, I.thought butchers was meant to be the best wet food I don't feed that every day, just addi it to his biscuits maybe 3-4 times a week so he does.t get bored of just dry food. I mean, he always eats it regardless, just think it must be dull eating the same old stuff else

How about adding some sardines in oil or tomato sauce to his kibble or perhaps a raw egg

I would just say that mental stimulation can be excellent together with a walk, I play "find it" with Axl. I hide a tennis ball in the house and he sits and waits until I come bakc in the room and then I tell him to find it and off he goes... sometimes it takes him 10 minutes to find the ball but all the time he's looking and sniffing he's using his brain. I play for anything between 15 mins and half an hour and after a game of that he's flat out on his back on the sofa snoring lol... something to bear in mind

_Hayley_ wrote:Butchers could be the problem it's full of additives and could cause hyperactivity.....

An honest question....on what basis is Butchers full of additives?

On the tin it says:  'No artificial flavours, colours or preservatives'. However, there are some additional vitamins listed (for nutritional purposes, so it says).

Are you referring to these vitamins, or have you something else in mind?

By the way, JWB has the same vitamins (additives) listed.

(Sorry if this question should be in the diet forum).

my 2 get 40mins off lead on fiels - then free run via dogflap into large garden -- they have diy obstacle course for when my foot wont allow a walk that day - they eat skinners duck/rice - with sardines in oil/sauce twice a week -- raw egg -- olive oil -- and sundays they have sunday dinner with meat/mash/veg/gravy/kibble

I've found with Katy to burn off energy I bought one of those ball flinging things (2 tennis balls) or her frisbie. 1/2hr of that & she's pooped also as said above mental stimulation wears them out really quickly. She had 1/2hr obedience class the other night, came home & slept until morning   

Thanks you for the suggestions everyone, much appreciated
When we going walking it is most of the time entirely on the lead walking. I don't know, I think it's a bit of a catch 22 really. If he could be more reliable with recall when other dogs are about I could let him off lead to tire himself out a lot more. But until he is knackered out my attempts at training aren't massively successful! So my confidence at letting his off leash much is peetty much zero He isn't a total monster, he can sit, lie down, leave things when told and sit in front of his dinner waiting to be told he can eat even. So he isn't a hopeless case I don't think lol. Just too much excitement when we have people visit, jumping up all over them and not coming back if we see other dogs out walking. I just feel like, if he was more tired out a lot of the time he would be more inclined to pay attention?! And that might help his excitement with guests? People always know to ignore him until he is sat calmly (which he basically never does!!) so I thought energy might be his problem? Not all guests are exactly thrilled with having a dog jump all over them after all!
But yeah, I walk him with a head collar and have an extendy lead so he can have a sniff about, and if the path is decent enough for my buggy to travel at speed along we run for stretches as well.
I think mental stimulation at home is a good way to go as well, to e honest I think I could do more fr him in that department. Not that he is left on his own much, never more than 4-5 hours at a time and even that isn't very often.
I don't know, I might be way off here! First time dog owner syndrome maybe?!
Sorry for rambling in a bit as well!

And thanks for the diet/stimulation suggestions too, I really do appreciate the advice

Nothing wrong with weighting your dog at all, right age just get a vet check to make sure resps and heart are okay. when you do it make sure your throw in some good protein in that days meal, i use raw eggs, raw mince beef or fish gruel on top of normal daily intake.
also try a flirt pole to tire the dog out, not only does it give a good work out you can train the leave command very well with it.
overall be sensible, watch your dog like a hawk as if they have a high desire to please they will run themselves into the ground for you. always err on the side of caution and make sure they find it fun. if they dont like weights, try agility, weight pull, bikejoring etc etc there are lots of fun things to do with and active dog.