hey just wondering how long you walk your dogs for.
i always feel i should walk mine more but was just wondering in comparison how much other peoples dogs get and what breeds they are?
don't worry if you don't want to reply
anna

10 month Dobe, 1 to 2 hrs off lead in woods or along canals and through fields, 3 to 4 times a week. The other day or days 1 hr on and off lead, then the weekends? we go out shopping, sightseeing, visiting friends and fairs etc, then she comes too.

Hi,

My girl (year old dobe) gets two walks a day of 45 mins mostly off lead, although I'm starting to do an hour in the afternoons now that she's got to a year, and a couple of 10 mins on lead a day.  Also normally do a couple of 5/10 mins training sessions and indoor play time as well.  This just about seems to keep her happy :-)

Karen

Our 2 year old Golden retriever gets about 1hr first thing (about 45 minutes of it is off lead) then another walk in the afternoon, probably about 45 minutes. Then she normally has a 10 minute quick walk at night as she refuses to 'go' in the backgarden, so thats just a 'business' trip!

My Borders get 45 min off lead in the morning,the same in the evening and then  around 1/2 hour also off lead before bed. It depends on the weather aswell,i am always prepared to take them out, rain,hail or shine,but sometimes they dont want to go out,there have been times where it has been cold and drizzly and they have run out the front door only to run straight back inside after they have sampled the weather,little wusses they are Mind you,it has to be pretty bad weather for them to knock back a walk :)

Hi Katee
i Have a 5 month Border Harvey
How old are your 2?
Helen

Our dals get about the same as your golden - but they don't get the evening outing because they're happy to use the garden, thank goodness!

[quote:spiritulist Date 15.04.06 21:54 GMT 10 month Dobe, 1 to 2 hrs off lead in woods or along canals and through fields, 3 to 4 times a week. The other day or days 1 hr on and off lead, then the weekends? we go out shopping, sightseeing, visiting friends and fairs etc, then she comes too]

This seems rather a lot for a puppy, how long has she been walking this far? I would be worrying about her joints and the long term implications.

I walk my 2 dogs seperatly as my 10 month old RottiexGSD has hit the Kevin stage and so I am working with her and some issues on walks to nip them in the bud now so like her to have my full attention.  She gets 15 mins in morning.  aprrox 45-50 mins lunch time(which includes some off lead) and 20 mins evening.  2 evenings a week she doesn't get that as she comes and watches my other dog do agility and socializes with the other dogs.
My 14month JRT gets the same as her except he DOES agility 2 evenings a week.

Bev

my GSD adult gets an hour in the morning, mainly offlead, ofton with other dogs, or with a 20 minute ball session, then another walk later on depending on my day, might be 15 mins, might be an hour,this is plenty i think, the rest of the time he watches me do things and sleeps.

Hi Bev,
We're day on and day off for the long walks(which she loves). Also she runs with her pals the pointer boys twice a week! I give her what I think she needs and wants I guess, or my life would be pester, pester, pester. I'm not to worried about her joints as to many of them die young and long before theres any chance of joint problems surfacing, of DCM. The way I look at it she'll at least have a strong heart and a balanced mind. But yes, I do see what your getting at and we do not do these long walks on the roads, just on lovely springy grass and more recently, mud!

...Gosh, I do take my hat off to you chaps, but my 7 Labs, depending on age and other factors such as seasons and puppies etc etc get around 35-40 minutes in the morning and then any dogs in training will get around 20 minutes each training in the afternoons.

As we approach the shooting season those coming out picking up have their 20mins training pm and then go for another 30 minute walk.

Each to their own eh? This is enough to put my Labs in hard condition, however we do have a 100ft x 50ft garden too so they dance about and stretch their legs.

I do think its wonderful that some walk for so long but do watch puppies up to 12 months not being overwalked in the larger breeds. Little and often, little and often.

Di

my 3 gsd get an hour off lead walking daily, half an hour in the morning and the same again in the afternoon, i have been worring that this is not enough but they all seem happy with it. we also play fetch alot through out the day.

That sounds plenty! I'm sure your dogs (and your waistline) are very content with that ;-)

Di

what waistline they do seem to do very well on it they are in excellent condition

my mums working labs have pretty much same regime as yours wylanbriar, accept she only has 2 so they both work at the same time- so are trained at the same time, but separately. a basc trainer advised not to walk the dogs too much- cant remember reason!

....The reason not to overwalk youngsters, up to around 10 - 12 months of age, is partly because we can overestimate just how much exercise they need and exhaust them. When exhausted, dogs are vunerable to injury. Pulls, strains and tears.

The theory is always logical but incorrect in that you have a youngster, nd therefore it needs tons of exercise to 'wear it out'. Infact it needs a mixture of exercise and TRAINING to create a well behaved and sociable dog in the home. JUST an exhausted one will soon recover and be a nutcase again ;-)

In our breed, Labs, and many other medium and large breeds, joint problems such as OCD and HD (affecting elbows and hips and hocks) are not entirely hereiditary and therefore excessive pounding around on joints, regular and extensive roughplay amongst immature youngsters, lots of jumping and heavy landings and general excessive exercise before the joints and muscles are reasonably mature can cause a lot of damage that, when xrayed, owners will blame their breed for when infact their own actions created the problem ;-)

Di

Just to add to what Di says - mine also only go out for about 1 hr in the morning and that's all.

But I just wanted to add - I think one reason this reduced amount of exercise is possible in my case and possibly in Di's too is because of the training thing - I don't actually "walk" mine, every time I go out, it's for training.  So I pick a place to go, go there and set up several exercises to work on.  If I am training retrieve work, then there is no free-running exercise at all - they are under close control all the time (or good control but at a distance).  All their "exercise" comes from running to and from retrieves. 

If we are practising hunting on other days, then the leads are on until I reach the right place to start, then they come off and the dog is given the hunting cue "Get on".  We then quarter into the wind.  When I think we've done enough, the lead goes back on for the walk back to the car.

If I take more than 1 dog out, I peg the ones I'm not working down with a tie out stake, so they're not free to do whatever they want.

I think that including training like this (or using training as your form of "exercise") actually tires them out more, because they use their mind as well as their body.  So that could be why Di and I (and other people who train when they go out) can get away with less exercise than that mentioned by others here?

..... You could be right. Mornings are for freerunning and arsing about all together as a group, from 8 months to 13 years. Afternoons training is, as you say, both mentally taxing and physcially demanding. Interestijgly, I imagine the same is with you, I wear entirely different clothes morning and afternoon, have my whistle on, game bag with me and use a gundog slip lead instead of a lead and collar and the dogs immediately know who is going, who isn't and that its an entirely different ballgame from the morning freerun ;-)

I mentioned that building up to the season I give them 30 minutes after each has been trained? Well for that walk, they tend to be very different, sticking closer, not interacting with each other so much but loosely heeling much of the way. The air of my dogs is different when they see I have 'training' clothes and accessories with me. Clever old sods. Now If they can only put as much brain power into the actual training exercises i'd be well pleased.... ;-)

Di

Yes, I was just about to say something like that 123.  I expect your's and Di's will also be jumping gates and walls and stuff in the course of work or work related training.  Mine are really just moving along at a similar pace to myself, stopping back for a sniff and running to catch up or rushing a little ahead if something attracts them but doing less and less of that if the walk is a good long one with inclines included :). 
I expect most of the posters on here, being obviously dog orientated ;), give their dogs adequate exercise for their needs but I do think in general dogs in the UK are not getting sufficient with the more sedentary lives that owners themselves are taking and more likely to out at work etc.  Like humans, I think every dog should be stretched at least 2 or three times a week to an increased heart and respiratory rate.  My dog is now approaching 11 1/2 and it is a very regular occurance for other Cocker owners, that we stop and chat to, to be amazed by that and I look down at their, often overweight, dull looking specimens and can't help thinking they could have kept the spark in theirs if they had taken the trouble :rolleyes:.

...I do agree with you in general, but overfeeding is the main problem in the UK today. Of course lack of exercise goes hand in hand, but simply plain 'too much food' seems to be the key. When I take visiting dogs in or board the occasional bitch for mating or have a pup back for a while I am mortified to see the amounts fed. When one looks at it logically, you can see how many get overfed because the feed companies put FAR too much in their little 'information panels' on the complete food sacks. So, the responsible opwner reads what 'the professionals' suggest on the sacks, and bang! Lots more money in the feed companies pockets, but too much food into the dog and far too much poo out the other end too!

Oh dear. I can see how confusion happens, when explaining to folks you tend to take what the companies advise and then take off a third or even half in some cases for a healthy dog, and they are very taken aback!

Di

Oh yes, a lot of overfeeding going on not just dog food but wholey unsuitable tipbits :) but I know a lot of people that simply don't exercise their dogs adequately and I can't help wondering is constantly feeding them is a response to their puzzling behaviour of allways seeming to be asking for something.  Now, couldn't that be a walk or brain exercise they are asking for ;)

.... Possibly a response to the guilt of knowingly underexercising....?

Di

We don't really have a routine day but a minimum would be 45 mins, almost all off lead.  Most days though would be 1 to 2 hours in just a single walk with just the occasional evening walk thrown in, if Hubbie home early enough, during the week with maybe a little longer at weekends.  Every other weekend when we are in the Lakes this is increased to about 4 hours split between 2 or 3 walks with some picnic lunch type trips of 6 or 7 hours when the weather is especially enticing.  My Cockers take all this in their stride and really would not be happy with less than a regular hour a day at least but my Dandie preferred to stay at home snoozing for the longer ones :)

I just wanted to agree with Di its so easy to over do the excersize with a large breed even with the best of intentions.
I tend to treat puppys like toddlers in that you wouldn,t expect an eighteen month old child to go for a long walk so I don,t really let my pups run free until they are twelve months old and have settled down and learnt basic commands like down and recall.
They get plenty of free play around home and two or three short road walks a day and most defenitely no agility until they are at least twelve months  then they are only allowed weaves and small jumps to begin with, also  they are not allowed to jump out of the back of the car in an uncontrolled manner, I may be a bit paranoid but I worry about them hurting their shoulders so this is my way of doing things.

Not at all paranoid! Very sensible. There are very few really sound and active dogs beyond about 11 years of age in medium and large breeds, and I wonder how the figures would equate for these being carefully looked after as immature youngsters up to a year of age.

Like your agility outlook, any sensible gundog trainer / handler also knows VERY little jumping should even be considered before a year of age. In good gundog classes no jumping is ever done with the puppy group (and puppies in gundog events are up to 18 months of age). Only easy entrances and exits from water are also used - no 3 foot vertical banks to haul themselves up etc etc under any circumstances.

Its not soft soaping, its giving the dog the best chance to be a fit and healthy individual well into his veteran years ;-)

Di

Hi,

I think more and more people are following the 5 min exercise per month of age guidline up until they are a year old.  However there are still a suprising number of people out there who don't realise that over exercising a youngster is possibly going to cause problems in the future.  I met a young guy at the local park recently who had a gorgeous 4 month old rottie out with him and we got talking about how good it was for them to be out socialising at that age, but it transpired that he was taking him to the park up to 4 times a week for a few hours at a time while he and a friend played footie and the pup chased back and forth after the ball.  I tried to tell him about the pitfalls of letting his little pup do this and he listened politely but I could tell he just didn't believe that what he was doing could cause problems.

I'm planning on waiting till my girl is 18 months before starting agility with her which I can't wait for - I think she'll love it.

Karen

....heres a story. I was up on the Downs with some of the labs about 7 years ago and saw someone running towards me - running pretty hard, not just jogging. I saw they had a chocolate Labrador running behind them and as they got close she stopped running because I had 5 chocolates myself out with me and she had a chat. Saw the lab running with her was VERY young and she told me it was 5 months old, just. It took a few minutes and then I realised the runner was SALLY GUNNELL, the Olympic athlete. I live near Brighton and she does too - or did. I had a chat with her about not overexercising such a young pup and she was pleasant and open and hadn't realised.

Poor pup was exhausted but of course, until one is told, how can someone know? Of course I was just gutted she hadn't come to me for a puppy - chuckle, grin!
Di

Gosh, now I'm wondering if I'm doing too much Obviously he hasn't always had this much.

Dobe (25 months) gets approx. 2 hours in the morning through fields and woodland (about 20 mins of that on lead). Then late afternoon/early evening we either go to a field with a toy on a rope for about an hour (10 mins on lead), or to fields where there's woodland and lakes etc for between 2 and 2.5 hours (about 40 mins on lead).

We also do short training sessions throughout the day, and he bolts around the garden with toys and in and out of the paddling pool! We also take him out with us around town (one of us always waits outside shops with him), and wherever else possible.

Even with all that he'll sleep for about 1.5 hours maximum throughout the day. He's one of the infamous European Dobes :D and is almost impossible to wear out!

...who can say but his doting mother! ;-)

Sounds an enormous amount, but i'm sure maybe its your breed specific norm! It would run a labrador off its legs ;-)

I can't imagine finding all that time in the day but i'm sure thats the joy of only one or two dogs. You say he is 25 months - He can probably go all day with no ill effects now at his age and level of fitness you sustain.

Di

...Are you saying maybe he is a tad spoilt ;)

I'm not sure about it being the breed norm per say - we've actually had 2 dobes before but from more American/British lines and, other than physical appearance, our current dobe is like another breed entirely! Our other 2 would easily be happy with 2 x 30 min walks a day, plus a bit of playing in the garden. We were aware that being from different lines he would be maybe a bit different, but didn't really realise quite what we were letting ourselves in for

i'm sure he could go all day, not sure about me though! At least, it means that I get to eat lots of chocolate with no risk of suffering expanding waistline :D

Hi Zarah,

I know what you mean about keeping them occupied my dobe is just over a year and from about 5/6 months old when I was giving her about 3 lots of 20/25 exercise I needed to do several 5 mins training sessions a day plus indoor play time with me,and treat balls and things like that to keep her occupied - she generally only sleeps a couple of hours a day p until about 6 months I'm sure she thought sleep was a bad thing.  It does take a lot to satisfy her,the one thing that seems to tire her out mentally the most is a good game of find it which she loves.

They're hard work but worth it :-)

Karen

my two (labs) get about 30 mins first thing, then 1hr-2.5hr (depending on who i walk with and where i go) on an afternoon, and a 20-40 min walk before bed. Most of the walks are off lead too.

I have 2 Mini Poodles and Mini Dachs and we go for about 1 and a half hours in the morning and about an hour in the evening all off lead (or mostly).
Becky

My two - small GSD type mongrel (approx.8/9) and Aussie (nearly 4) get about 15 minutes Mon-Friday before work, 30+ mins at lunchtime, same after work and 15 mins about 9.30pm. Weekends they get longer walks usually. All walks off lead in fields and a mixture of playing ball and training. I don't think that they need any more - they are quite active dogs at home and also get time in the garden if the weather is fine, together with agilty and training classes :)

Daisy

we do an hour run at least, and then a couple of onlead walks and normally another hour run depending on the sort of day we have had. As today we have been out walking all day so Tyler will have an onlead walk before bed.

Having looked at this thread I can see why I'm knackered at bedtime!

I work f/t weekdays, the dogs get 35 minutes (25 off lead) pre-work.  Then once I'm home, it's a walk through forest & around a loch (All off lead) for about 95 minutes.  Half hour road walk early evening, then 15 minutes through the park pre-bedtime as mine won't use the garden too!

At weekends they get more - usually involving hills or huge expanses of woodland - all off lead.   My sister's Cavalier manages this too and my 11.5 year old Munster.

ok feel better now i think they get enough.
my mongrel ususally gets 1-2 hrs aday because she is almost imposible to get her to walk on or near a road.

my vizsla gets 1-2hrs in the morning off lead, then sometimes another 1-2hrs in the after noon off lead then 1/2 bed time walk around the streets.
she could easily do more but i think i would just be knackered.

and their off lead mostly means running full speed almost all the way as they are always "competing" with each other as they are so close in age (8 months apart - what a mistake may i add. oh well we all have to learn somehow!!!)

thanks for everyones' help. i thik they get enough.
anna

oh forgot to add they both get around 30 mins training each aday.

2 Cavaliers and a Yankee, about 20-30 minutes free running each weekday. One Cav gets double as she goes out with each of the 2 boys. Also one of them goes to pet training each week (I vary which one) and sometimes ringcraft. At the weekends they get a longer walk, and every couple of weeks my OH takes one of them for a long walk, about 3-4 hours or so. :-)

My 9 year old mongrel gets 1 walk a day that is between 1 and 2 hours long. She also gets two 5 minute walks to relieve herself. She is slightly arthritic so I am planning on cutting down her one long walk into a few shorter walks.

Oh to get to the stage when we can let our girl off lead for a 'proper' run about and she won't bolt/go deaf to all our 'commands' - it seems a long, long way off :rolleyes:  Meanwhile, big up the extender lead! ;)

Anyway, in answer to the original question:  Our Sheltie pup gets two 20 minute walks per day and lots of play in the house and garden in between :)  When we've finally got her travel sickness under control we'll be able to take her for enjoyable weekend walks along the 'local' river/beach which will be atleast an hours walk   We have taken her several times but of course it hasn't been particuarly enjoyable for her cos of the whole travelling to and from in the car thing poor little love :rolleyes:  Ginger biccies didn't do a thing so gonna be trying children's travel sickness tabbies on Vets suggestion next - cross your fingers for us!

I know what you mean to be able to let them off is a huge relief, they can let of steam so to speak and it's lovely to watch!!

I always feel a deep sense of inferiority come over me when I realise just how much training other peeps do on their walks! But me and my JRT do get out and about despite our existentialist approach to walking! 99% of his walks are off lead although I like him to do some "town walking" in order that he remembers how to walk properly on a lead in urban conditions. But his daily routine is half an hour along the riverbank every morning after we've dropped the OH off at the station. Back for breakfast, a play (incorporating basic training stuff) and then several zzzzzzzzzs (him not me!!).  Then a  20 minute lunchtime walk in the fields. At around 3.30 we have at least an hour on the Downs and sometimes a saunter along the riverbank after picking the OH up from the station at 5.15 if the weather is particularly nice. Regardless of the weather, he gets another half an hour in the fields at about 7.45 in the evening. Living where we do, he isn't cooped up in the house though and has access to decent sized garden throughout the day.

I always feel a deep sense of inferiority come over me when I realise just how much training other peeps do on their walks!

lol...whle I was reading this through I was thining that too! I try to trsi when I'm in the mood...but that's not as frequently as it should be.  I find too mant people make negative comments for it to be comfortable to train in public areas or their dogs come dashing up out of the blue and jump all over my dogs and that laves me quite sunk as to where to train.    The best time to train is when it is chucking it down with rain!  I guess wit young dogs though to some extent you train all the time you go out.

In the bad weather I've been lazy and sunk ino walking once a day for about two ours with some off lead...but Friday and the weekend they can be out with us for most of the day. The off ead is not as much as I'd like because their behaviour is not up to it yet...they play too rough together be let to wander around free...so they are just off lead a little each day to play ball.

The way is see it is there is 24 hours in a day,the piddly 2 hours a day i do with my dogs doesnt seem near enough,thats still 22 hours they are stuck at home,unless we go out visiting or something. If i only gave them 1/2 to one hour a day of controlled on lead exercise i  think they would go nuts.When i take them out i let them do what they want,go where they want,mind you they never do anything naughty or ever wander far from me,i stop when they stop,i follow them down to the stream if thats where they want to go and i run with them if they want to run.I dont go out on walks for myself,this time belongs completely to them and i want to make it the happiest and most fulfilling part of their days.We can plonk down and watch tele or read a book or whatever to entertain ourselves,my dogs however rely completely on me for that aspect,and the more outside stimulation i can give them,the better IMHO. We also have training sessions outside the home,but they are done seperately to their walks,we go to the little park down the road for that,i wouldnt cut into their normal walks with work,if that makes sense??

Hi helen :) Dougal,Bella and fritz  are 11mths,2 and 5.Their the best little dogs arent they!

thankyou every one for all your replies it was really kind of you to respond.
i didn't mean to start a subject that people would feel inadequate or anything so sorry if that happened.
my dogs get 1.5 - 2 hrs off lead in the morning
then my vizsla may get another 1.5-2 hrs of lead in the afternoon
and always a 30 min road walk in the evening.

my mongrel is hard enough to get out anywhere so she only comes on the morning walk.

they get to do what they want on the walks (within reason of course) and then each gets 30mins training in the house or garden a day.
is this enough?
they get some training on walks aswell

thanks and sorry
anna

Oh and just a point, as we are supposed to do 10,000 steps a day, then this equates (for me) to about an hour and a half walk so to anyone who does this per day and then their usual routine you do your 10,000 steps!!
Becky

My dogs don't always get walked for very long, it tends to vary alot. Minimum is 45 minutes off lead chasing balls and training. Other days we will do a longer walk round the new forest (about 1-2 hours) others we may do two 30 minute walks morning and evening. Nearly all walks are off lead and training is incorporated. However, although this doesn't sound like much they do an awful lot in between, Each one has an hours clicker training class seperately, each thursday we are flyballing from 7.15 to 8.30pm, and agility is friday morning for all three. Meg the collie usually has an extra hours agility on tuesday. In between times theres competitions at the weekend and they have occasional training sessions during the day. Even when i'm at work someone is home and they play in the garden. All in all i think that although they don't have as long a walk as other dogs in their breeds, they have plenty of mental stimulation. I have to say all 3 are in fantastic condition!

I wonder how these dogs cope that NEVER get any walks Their lives would be spent sleeping,it must be horrible for them,wouldnt they go a little mental? :(

Helen ive just read another one of your posts and saw you had Border collies,i have border terriers :D