Hi harvey is finally allowed out after his innoculations (he is a 14 week old springer). The problem is that i have been given conflicting advice as to the length of exercise he should have. Whilst some people say i should only take him out for up to 10 mins twice a day,gardually increasing to 30 mins when he is 9-12 months. Others think this is not long enough, especially as he is a springer and very bouncy and that i should start with 20 mins twice a day. Does anyone have any advice, we have taken him for a few 10 min walks and he is loopy when he gets home and tears around the house for 10-15 mins, whereas when he has had 15-20 min walks he is much calmer. If anyone has any advice i would love to hear it as i am really confused. Thanks Loraine

Loraine,

No answer as I have much the same question. When my Cairn (now 17 weeks old) was first allowed outside I took her on very short walks. There was so much stimulation for her that a small dose of the great outdoors twice a day seemed about right. She would go absolutely bonkers once back inside, probably doing a quarter-mile circuit of the living and dining room at top speed as soon as she got back in the house. Followed by a wee on the carpet from overexcitement :-)

Now I take her for walks of 20-30 minutes, once a day and sometimes a shorter walk later on, but they are very leisurely walks with lots of stops along the way. It seems right for her and I do not think I am putting to much strain on her muscles or bones. She is calmer when we get home, of course, she's also a bit older now too, which may account for it. However, I was shocked one day when I clocked a longer walk to find we had done just under a mile. (And more for my pup, probably more since she goes backwards and forwards a lot.) Nevertheless, she still had energy to spare when we got home.

Stacey