Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

Good morning to those who know us, and anyone who does not.

This is just a very brief thread as i step away a moment from Bud telling his own story. A tiny bit concerned that maybe Bud has been over walking. We normally take him out twice, basically around the block which is roughly 10 minutes. And once a week he comes with me to meet mummy and this is probably 20 mins. He is active around the house and in the garden but i want to feel reassured that we are not expecting too much too soon, or placing too much upon him. He seems happy enough, and loves to run when he gets the chance.

Thank you in advance for dropping by.

Tony (Bud would say thanks also but he is sleeping on my feet)

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

We have walked all our dogs as far as they are comfortable, been doing it long before the idea you could walk them too much. Elsie was walking into town and back by 5 months (5 miles round) vet says she is fit and well, Betty Chihuahua was doing it even earlier because I knew if she got tired I could pick her up but it rarely happened.

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

That's fine I think. The 5-minute per month of age rule is just a guidance; I didn't stick to it at all. Obviously you don't want to overtire him, or let him jump up and down steps too much. But two times 10 minutes and a weekly walk of 20 minutes won't do him any harm at all.

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

Pongo is NOT necessarily an example of good practice! But with our large (hillside) garden he has always had lots of exercise - including hoollying up and down slopes, which I know isn't ideal. Nevertheless he seems to have thrived on it. We've always taken him on off-lead walks, which of course means he covers three times as much ground as we do :, and from early weeks he was coming out for a good half hour every day, on tracks through fields and wood.

I'm sure that your regime is absolutely fine for Bud - and I know you are scrupulous about letting him rest when he is tired. You are a fabulously conscientious puppy-parent. Pongo should be jealous!

Rosie

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

Thank you to both Karen and Julie. Puts my mind at ease a little now. As i've said, Bud has never shown any signs of discomfort but i was concerned that maybe at just over 3 months it was too much for him. I had read on some threads that some puppies are left till they are older, and get all of their exercise at home. This furthered my concern.

Rosie....i think Bud should be envious of Pongo (i am sure he will want to discuss his walks at some point.) Thank you for sharing your input. I have always been aware that each puppy is their own individual, and what may be too much for one will be fine for another. But you know me, prefer to err on the side of caution even though this comes across as overly protective at times.

Thank you kindly for your complimentary words also. It means a lot to me.

Tony

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

Hi there Tony,I'm loving reading Bud's story in your other thread...he's a lovely puppy.
Dexter is our first dog and I'm a big scaredy cat so I did keep to the rule for lead walking ,but didn't factor it in for his playing and free running at his own speed.I was also very cautious about stairs ,steps and jumping x

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

[quote author=Dexter link=topic=8547.msg120806#msg120806 date=1414750684]
Hi there Tony,I'm loving reading Bud's story in your other thread...he's a lovely puppy.
Dexter is our first dog and I'm a big scaredy cat so I did keep to the rule for lead walking ,but didn't factor it in for his playing and free running at his own speed.I was also very cautious about stairs ,steps and jumping x
[/quote]

Morning...and hello to Dexter.

Thank you for the compliment. Bud is simply adorable. I am really pleased that Bud's story has taken off how it has. Myself and he are enjoying the whole process, and the friends he is making is truly astounding.

I noticed when we got Bud that our back doorstep scared him, so i improvised with our own exercise stepper (or whatever it is called) that had been in the attic. I placed this on the ground to basically make a second step. He now manages the doorstep on its own. Our stairs took a little longer, and he is still adjusting. He makes the ascent fairly well, but still hugs the wall coming down until he gets half way and then moves more confidently (still more like little jumps than walking.) Everything comes with time. As you will have gathered, i have been extremely protective, bordering on paranoia i think at times But it is worth it for a member of the family who we love to bits.x

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

Hi there, we had a similar regime to Rosie with Benson. At 13 weeks he was getting a bit more than the guidance of 5 mins per month, however we interpreted this as running, around energetic (pulse raising) activity. Our walks were mainly off lead, and Benson would spend the time ambling after us sniffing EVERYTHING! We were careful about limiting mad running around at that age, plus no stairs, dwarf walls or jumping onto the sofa until he was older.
I note you meniton "walking around the block" do you do much off lead walking with Bud? We found this a bit daunting at first..convinced he wouldn't come back..he always did, well in the early days... :

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

Hi Kate,

We haven't attempted off-lead walking with Bud when we are out with him yet. We have limited this to at home in the garden where there are, we feel, less distractions. He is understanding some basic "commands" (i don't really like this word as it sounds controlling) such as Sit, Stay, and Come Here, but this has been within the confines of the safety of our home and garden. Not long after he was allowed out onto the ground, my wife left for work and he was quicker than me for the first time and squeezed through the door to chase after her.....nothing i said then caused him to pay any attention until he had caught up with "mummy." Since then we are trying to teach him safety and responsibility whilst on the lead when we are out, and reserving the off-lead for at home.

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

Well Tony, that is the whole deal. Your pup will NOT run away while he is tiny; he is desperate to stay with the safety of his 'pack'. He was just trying to get back to your wife, not trying to run away.

You would be very well advised to take advantage of this short window in time, to let him off lead in a safe area, such as a large field, somewhere. I guarantee you he will not run away, but will follow you, as to him being separated from you feels incredibly dangerous. It is good practice to start doing this so he gets used to following you around while he is tiny. If you wait for a few months before you start letting him off the lead, he will be feeling more confident and less concerned about staying in your immediate vicinity.

Go on, try it, you'll see what I mean. Go to a large safe area, where he will not be in danger from cars or similar. Let him off the lead, and wander around with him. Walk away from him and call him cheerfully. He will run back to you!! Take advantage of times when he is running to you of his own accord to call him and so get him used to the idea that 'Bud, Come!' or whatever your recall command is, means 'come back to me'. Praise him to the skies and give him lots of treats. It works like magic! Most people who have trouble with recall will not have spent time doing this while their puppy was tiny. Just doing this at home and in the garden is not the same as out in the big wide world, as he will soon be feeling very confident in his immediate surroundings and will not feel the absolute compulsion to stick close to you, that he will display outside.

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

Thanks Karen. I do obviously recognise everything you are saying as being a necessity, and we will be endeavouring to take that next step forward very soon.

I hadn't even allowed myself to consider that Bud was only trying to run back to my wife. My mindset partially saw it as "running away to explore" even though i also knew he was looking for my wife.

We do notice that he follows us around a great deal. He creeps out after me when i go to the kitchen and i only know he is beside me when i nearly trip over him. I suppose keeping this in mind will help us realise that he doesn't want to be away from us so this should instil in me the confidence to start the off-lead walking in a safe environment when we are out.

Thank you again Karen. Plenty to think about, arrange and put into action.

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

Just wanted to second what Karen said.... It feels scary but you only have a little window to do it, and it is really helpful and quite miraculous! Do you have anywhere you can take him offlead in a big space?

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

I also remember, Tony, that you have issues around being outside, and I am not trying to bully you into anything, just to encourage you that it will really help Bud and you to stick close together

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

[quote author=Rosie link=topic=8547.msg120848#msg120848 date=1414764130]
Just wanted to second what Karen said.... It feels scary but you only have a little window to do it, and it is really helpful and quite miraculous! Do you have anywhere you can take him offlead in a big space?
[/quote]

There area couple of ideal places we can take Bud. It's more of a walk than he has been used to though but we will find a way to deal with this very small hurdle.

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

[quote author=Karen link=topic=8547.msg120849#msg120849 date=1414764739]
I also remember, Tony, that you have issues around being outside, and I am not trying to bully you into anything, just to encourage you that it will really help Bud and you to stick close together
[/quote]

Thank you for remembering Karen. Like i think i mentioned,my issue is not so much with being outside, but more with being around people, and having my personal space invaded. A large field or area of open space will not present me with any problems. And at the end of the day the bigger picture is what we need to focus on as this benefits us all and brings us even closer together.

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

We mostly drive to our favourite walking areas, when Benson was small we just lifted him into the back, he loved it! Also helped him look forward to car journeys

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

[quote author=Beanwood link=topic=8547.msg120852#msg120852 date=1414765606]
We mostly drive to our favourite walking areas, when Benson was small we just lifted him into the back, he loved it! Also helped him look forward to car journeys
[/quote]

My wife and i don't drive (me by choice due to a personal tragedy quite a few years ago, my wife simply due to the option to learn has never presented itself.) I have never let this stop me from getting to anywhere i needed to be, and we are searching all the time for closer locations for Bud.

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

[quote author=KeeperTony44 link=topic=8547.msg120853#msg120853 date=1414766022]
[quote author=Beanwood link=topic=8547.msg120852#msg120852 date=1414765606]
We mostly drive to our favourite walking areas, when Benson was small we just lifted him into the back, he loved it! Also helped him look forward to car journeys
[/quote]

) I have never let this stop me from getting to anywhere
[/quote]

Good for you!!!

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

I think you will be really proud of Bud when you let him off lead. I took Harley to a football pitch where I know it is safe, but also very quiet. My daughter came with me and we walked about 20 yards away from each other calling her back and forth and slowly built up the distance. It is really scary, but so wonderful when you see them trotting / running around having fun

 

Re: Bud.....so how often should he be walking? (A brief thread)

Wish Elsie would do that, when we let her off she becomes glued to one or other of us and won't venture forth into the world. Better than running away I guess but she is missing out !