Hi everybody,
Just want some advice, I have a five month old boxer bitch called Nellie and since 12 weeks old I have been taking her out twice a day for a walk, first on the lead but for the past month off the lead, we go for 20mins in the morning which involves playing frisby and with other dogs and in the evening for about 35mins when again we play frisby and with other dogs. Im just a bit worried after reading quite a few articles that this is not good for her and she wont develop properly, she isnt growing and putting as much weight on as I thougt she would at the moment she weighs 13 kilograms and the chart of the bag of her james wellbeloved says she should weigh 17 kilograms. I had a word with the trainer at puppy class and she said she looks fine and will only eat as much as she needs, but at the mo she is eating half the recommended amount she just leaves the rest, ive always had gsd's before and never had a problem, can anyone give me some advice?
p.s she always flakes out after a walk and sleeps for ages ,most of the time when i come home at lunch she is still asleep.

I think you are exercising her a bit too much. It's not so much the length of time, as the frisby and the other dogs to run round with. If I were you I wouldn't let her run round with other dogs off the lead for more than ten minutes or so.(JMO) I know it's really tempting. :-)
Jane

Hi there

To be honest I'm not suprised she is fast a sleep when you get home with that amount of exercise. As a guide when I let our pups go to their new homes I always say lay off the exercise until a year old or you will end up with a boxer looking like a Greyhound. Our youngsters (6 months old) go to ringcraft class once a week a couple of times a week they go out on the lead for about 15 mins to socialise them with traffic noises etc this is gradually stepped up from 6 months (on the lead only) to tighten sloppy feet and harden them up for the ring if you have a garden then a naturally inquisitive puppy will get suficient exercise pottering about. As for her appetite unfortunately some Boxers are like that and don't really fill out until after their first season but remember with all that exercise she is just burning off what you have just enticed her to eat. By the way I have found that reluctant eaters can be enticed with goodies oil from a can of tuna or salmon etc. or a favourite of one of mine was a scrambled egg mixed in with her dinner. You don't say how many times a day you feed her perhaps introducing another meal and feeding her little and often. But don't worry too much they usually come right some are so busy and full of the joys of living food is not so important to them.

Thanks for your advice, I will cut the exercise right down, the breeder told me she would get leggy but didnt tell me not to exercise her too much. We went out this morning but not going out tonight will do some training instead. Whats ringclass is that like puppy class, I havent thought about showing her I was going to try agility when shes older (about 18mths) puppy class has just finished and we are going to start obediance in a couple of weeks should be fun!!!
Thanks for the scramble egg hint, I gave it her at dinner and she ate every thing will do that one again she even ate the eggshell i dropped on the floor is that ok?
anyway thanks for the much need advice fingers crossed she wont look like a greyhound now (nothing against greyhound lovers) but it would look strange

sammi and Nellie xx

Glad to be of help. The egg shell won't hurt her but, I wouldn't advise it regularly(LOL).
Ringclass is for people who intend to have a go at showing their dogs, it gets them used to people touching them looking at their teeth etc as the judge would in the show ring and gives the handler hints on how to show their dogs to their best advantage, but most importantly we find it is great for socialising your pups and you of course, we have made some good friends going to our local classes and it is nice to see familiar faces at the shows people who are genuinely interested in how you do and can be a great help if you have problems with training etc.

Whatever you decide to do together good luck and most importantly enjoy yourselves.