B.H.W. While you are waiting for the next dog show and dog pulling events. Your dog should be in a easy pre keep to help toughen up the foot pads. To gently work out the inner fat and learn more what the dog likes to do. Your dog should be isolated and up off the ground in a well made pen that is adequate for the weather it will be in.

Being in a dry area you will need to pull up the dog's skin two or three times a day to make sure it is not getting dry and getting enough water. Without enough water in the feed and drinking it. Dog can not burn the fat for energy or maintain endurance. When you pull up the skin it should snap back in place. If it slowly goes back in place best set up a rest day or two and get plenty of water into the dog.

Put a good foot pad coat product on dog's feet and let dry. Then put a small amount of the petroleum jelly that comes in the brown jar. Forget the name of that petroleum product. Put on the pads and between the toes. Do not gob it on. Just a light coating after the pad coat while dog is off the ground. Check feet before working and during work to make sure no sand etc. gets between the toes and pads. Dog's feet get sore and goes lame the party is over till feet or foot heals. Other than over working the dog are letting dog go off it's water. The foot pads is one main factor that has to be looked at everyday.

A pre keep runs anywhere from two weeks to four weeks and the keep runs from 6 weeks to 8 weeks. Depending on the beginning condition dog was in before you started.

So start preparing for your Dog show or weight pulling event now. Be ready to get ready. Some smart competitors might put you off hoping your dog is sitting idle while they are well into the pre keep. Will show up on a odd day and want to do a dog pull say in 6 weeks. They then have the first home advantage if you fall for it. Go slow and do not rush things. Do not let people come over and look and handle your dog. Your competitor does not need to see your dog at anytime till weigh in time.

Take time to read Barney Fife's keep. Lot of good common sense stuff in it that one should know about beside just working a dog. Good luck you are about to enter the Twilight Zone. So many little things you have to learn. LOL

P.S. never put up a entry fee for a dog pulling event that you can not afford to lose. I saw a man one time that had one hell of a pulling dog. Going for it's second dog pulling event or maybe a championship pull. This fellow without consulting with his family put up a second mortgage on his home. Put up a big entry fee. His dog for no reason known just up and quit pulling. Blew everybody's mind.

Other than this dog man, never seen a man get sick and turn green. Except when I was in the Navy seeing sailors and marines get sea sick. Was the end of his dog ventures may have had to work two jobs to save his home. Nothing was funny about any of what happen that day. Take Care