People often ask how much exercise their dogs' need and it is a difficult question to give an exact answer to. I thought it might help people to see how much exercise others gave their labs. I don't actually 'walk' my dogs every day in the traditional sense but rather tend to spend time on training/retrieving exercises when not working them. But I know that most people do walk their dogs every day, and was wondering if you would like to post up how far/long you walk your dogs and how often? This is 'adult labs' by the way, and not puppies. Pippa
Re: How much exercise? Hi Pippa, This is a good topic and one that always stirs some thought. Not having got my first Lab yet, but have had several GSD`S exercise is always a concern especially for a young Pup. I always play for short periods at first as young Pups soon tire and keep an eye on them to let me know when they "have had enough", this builds the bond that is so important in future training and it is always on a one to one basis with no distractions. As they get older I personally do walk, at least 2-3 times a day and as an adult this is approx 3 miles each (6-9 miles). But I always believe that doing simple things like making them search and "mentally stimulating" them is far more productive than doing miles of walking. If I am particularly busy at home with friends or decorating etc, I still do some form of training each day, the Dog doesnt always know it!! Some people I know have a hang up with exercising their Dog, they believe they have to walk mile after mile, whearas a 10 min mentally stimulating search even in the back garden will tire the Dog more. Quality time I believe is the key here. Regards, Paul.
Re: How much exercise? [quote author=Paul link=topic=78.msg317#msg317 date=1308489752] Some people I know have a hang up with exercising their Dog, they believe they have to walk mile after mile, whearas a 10 min mentally stimulating search even in the back garden will tire the Dog more. Quality time I believe is the key here. [/quote] I agree with Paul most people equate "how much" with "how long" rather than what the dogs are doing. I take mine for 20-25 mins twice per day most days but would be longer if not for the fact one of them is still a pup. (rusty the pup hasn't read the guidelines on exercise amounts however, they still run round the garden like loonies to wear themselves out if the walk hasn't been exciting enough. When there are swallows in the field Barney will run the entire time chasing them in relays. I'm never sure if the birds are teasing the dog or oblivious to the frustration they cause! When Barney was a real handful my dog trainer suggested walking him in town. All the sights and smells and people and cars etc really gave him lots to think about and 20 minutes in town was like over an hour in the field - he'd come back exhausted. It never would have occurred to me to deliberately walk him in town otherwise but they use it a lot of course when training assistance dogs.
Re: How much exercise? Yes this is a question I'm often asked myself.....both my dogs have very different needs. Storm doesn't have as much exercise as Skye, due to a crutiate ligament repair 4 years ago. However after we built his strength back up, Storm was doing 5-6 miles every other day with mental stimulation on the day he wasn't out for a long walk with an added 45 min walk, but both dogs have access to our garden and they are constantly in and out, looking for the squirrel (which comes into our garden)and their toys which have been hidden....but recently Storm had a relapse, according to our vet, he'd damaged the scar tissue in the knee which was repaired, and he's now being built back up with short walks on the lead 2-3 times a day consisting of 10 mins at the moment.....So fingers crossed as they are both coming on a walking holiday later in the year..... Skye still has 5-6 miles everyday, but in different environments, ie: walking through woods, canal paths and general walks through the Peak district...one of the things Skye does enjoy if both myself and my husband are walking together is for me to lagg behind and when she's not looking I hide behind a tree or bush, then she's asked to find me.... Both dogs love the water (but what labrador doesn't)...so we try and alternate the walks we do, so there is water available if possible, as both will retrieve from water...
Re: How much exercise? I have really struggled with this one over the last few years with the hounds and I have had a total about turn. When I got my first two hounds five years ago I got into Cesar Millan's programmes and books and he advocated 'hours' of dog walking as being the way to build a bond. And I followed that diligently, and as one of my hounds isn't reliable off the lead that meant me walking hours and hours. I was not enjoying it, it became a chore and there was no stimulation going on, just me jerking his nose off the ground all the time. When I started getting help from a gundog trainer with the hamilton I realised that he couldn't possibly giving all his 10-15 dogs that much exercise and they didn't sem to be suffering (rather like Pippa has intimated) so there must be another way. I also started to learn about how our emotion is mirrored in our dogs and I realised me tromping along feeling guilty/resentful with my dogs wasn't going to be doing any of us any good! As I've said in a previous post I recently started adopting 'natural dog training'. This means at the moment all my interaction with the dogs is in a training environment, pushing for food and playing with them, with some obedience work, while I build up a better relationship with them. With the lab I could walk an hour a day with him off the lead, (and it was such a treat I wanted to) but I was told when I recently went to group gundog training that this was why he was high as a kite. (Incidentally I decided he was too young at 9 months old so have postponed it for a while - would be interested on people's advice on that one) I do feel that the mental stimulation, training, playing is much better then religously 'walking the beat' or letting them run free with limited interaction. The most important think for me now is, when I am with my dogs I need to be in the right frame of mind. If I am in a strop, pushed for time, whatever, then I am better off skipping the walk/interaction altogether and concentrate on quality interactions. Maybe I should do that with the kids too....?!
