Although the trait of gameness is thought to be genetically programmed into the dog, serious organized dogfighters prepare their dogs intensively for approximately four to six weeks prior to a match during a conditioning period called the keep. While there are many formulas for a keep, all are designed to build strength, endurance and cardiovascular fitness while at the same time bringing the dog down to the most efficient fighting weight. The keep is often preceded by a pre-keep lasting two or more weeks. During the pre-keep, the dog is usually kept on a longer chain or cable run and given daily walks of up to an hour. This period allows the dog to become familiar with voice commands and handling procedures. It is essential that the dog be healthy and free of internal and external parasites. The actual keep generally involves an escalating program of strenuous physical activity, offset with total rest, while the dog is removed to a separate area from all other dogs. The theory is similar to that used by professional boxers who sequester themselves in an isolated training camp before a fight. 36 The Humane Society of the United States A daily log is maintained during the keep, recording such data as body weight, food and water intake, administration of drugs and vitamins and the exercise regimen followed. Since pre-fight contracts specify the exact fighting weights of the dogs to be matched, the dogs are carefully monitored to ensure that they finish the keep weighing no more than what was agreed upon in the contract. The training program often includes extensive exercise on a treadmill, in which a harnessed dog runs in place for up to an hour. The two main types of treadmills are slat mills, in which the running surface is constructed of wooden slats, and carpet mills, which have running surfaces made of narrow sections of carpet. Investigators have also discovered modified electric treadmills (such as the type sold in department and health stores) being used as conditioning devices for fighting dogs. Conditioning may also involve the use of a device known as a catmill or jenny, which resembles a miniature horse walker. Harnessed Specialized cases
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