Re: Dog Park help? Hmmm...I don't think I'd like a dog park. I like thing the way they are.. By coincidence, I was reading this today: http://www.city-dog.co.uk/blog/unca...ation-of-dog-parks-but-would-never-go-to-one/
Re: Dog Park help? [quote author=Mike link=topic=5340.msg67697#msg67697 date=1397281215] IMHO i would not walk my 22 month old lab for two 1 hour walks each day never mind a 5 month old , As has already been said you want to do your best in the early years why risk your dogs health at a later stage in their lives . [/quote] Goodness, wouldn't you walk a 2 year old dog for two hours? I always understood that after about a year they can take about as much exercise as you can throw at them! My two-year old gets a couple of hours walk, or a two-hour training session, every day. I suppose we all have different ideas about what is the best amount of exercise, but I think we can all agree that exhausting a small puppy or putting unnecessary pressure on his joints might harm him. Tigersmom, your pup certainly doesn't sound aggressive to me.
Re: Dog Park help? Juile our Jake gets 45 mins of the lead exercise Monday to Friday running across farmers fields and through hedges and ditches and he is pretty exhausted as he is constantly running around and chasing scents of rabbits and pheasants . Then on a weekend on a Saturday he gets 2 hrs running around with other dogs at a local organised event then on a Sunday we walk 5-6 miles over 2 hrs or so with him off the lead as above him running around for the most part . He gets 15 minute walks on a morning mon-friday which is training him to walk to heel and the same 15 mins on a afternoon over the weekend , We probably cover 30 miles a week so he does not do to bad all in all . Best Regards Mike
Re: Dog Park help? Lisa, thank you for the insight into your dog parks and the availability of off leash exercise. As you say you have grown up with things as they are, and haven't had it any other way. I must admit that I find Canada's restriction of off lead exercise very concerning and quite frightening. I thought the UK was very restrictive. In my opinion some of the natural behaviours in dogs are to run, hunt, track and chase. To deny a dog these opportunities on a regular basis is to handicap and discriminate against dogs. In the UK we have the Animal Welfare Act (2006) which is a piece of national legislation designed to protect and improve animal welfare. There are five main points called 'duties' and one of them is a need 'to exhibit normal behavior patterns'. Of course any legislation is only as good as the policing and enforcement of the legislation and I am not suggesting in any way that all dogs have all their needs met, they do not. Despite the UK being 'a nation of animals lovers' we have many, many appalling animal neglect and cruelty cases on a daily basis. My Labrador Jess walks around our village green (open space) off lead and through some local woods and around the edges of farmers fields. We are lucky that the local land owners allow us on their land, however at all times it is expected that your dog is under control at all times and doesn't worry/chase livestock. Are these restrictions in place due to some dog owners being irresponsible and not having their dogs under control? Have these types of restrictions always been in place? I may start a new post as I don't wish to take up your space with my deviation to your subject as this is an interesting subject which is also eye opening and concerning.
