Hi all, Just a quick one, Oscar is 14 months now and I'm wondering if we're walking him too much. Everyday we do about a mile a day in the woods (with a ball)... once every 2 weeks its off to the beach for about 2 miles walk (with a ball) and a swim and once a month it's a 6 mile walk (with a ball..we HAVE to take a ball for him to chase otherwise he'll spend the whole walk jumping up at us demanding a ball) so most walks are more than the distance because he runs round like a looney chasing the ball. Today was the longest walk at 7 miles, he actually saw the car and ran back to it and sat by it until I got there (he's never done that..I think he had enough today)... he's fit and well with no health problems at all... He would go out every day and spend ALL day out chasing the ball... So are we walking him too much??? Also is swimming in the sea ok??
Re: Walking too much ?? What a great picture! Love the ear! I have no experience with oceans, so can't address that issue, but the walking distance seems fine to me. If he were much younger, the distances might be too long (hard on his growing joints), but at 14 months, he's probably okay. (I think about hunting dogs that go for miles, all day long, with no ill effects.) If he's healthy with no lameness issues, I wouldn't worry. I don't think I'd take him much further, and I'd control the ball-throwing a bit, but I think he should be fine. Have you talked with your vet about growth issues and exercise? That might help clarify things in your mind. My older Lab (now deceased :'() used to be obsessive about her frisbee. Towards the end of a walk, I started tossing it more gently so her runs were less intense. She would start catching it, which at least was a different kind of stress. I also practiced her sit-stay so I'd throw the frisbee while she sat, quivering, then released her to fetch it. That helped reduce the total amount of time she was running at full tilt, and it also reinforced a bit of control. I'm using these same techniques on my 8 month old Daisy, but with her training dummy. Some ideas for you.
Re: Walking too much ?? That's not too much for a healthy fit lab at all - he looks great in the photo! Love the ears. The only thing is, from your description, there is a fair bit of variation in his exercise. If he normally only does a mile, jumping to 6 miles time once every 2 weeks is quite a lot particularly if he is jumping around like a loon for the whole 6 miles with a ball (that's maybe why he was tired). It's best to avoid a "weekend cowboy" effect where the dog suddenly gets a lot more exercise than normal (just like people), aim to keep it steady. Swimming in the sea is fine. I think clean salt water is very good for healing up any minor scraps etc. Charlie does 2 hours a day, and we keep that constant weekdays and weekends. Plus he goes to training 3 or 4 times a month, and swimming 3 or 4 times a month - so a couple of additional sessions each week - and that's all kept pretty constant.
Re: Walking too much ?? Great replies, thank you so much for the quick replies. I think we'll have to be a bit stricter with the ball throwing. I think I'll try just giving him the ball and not throwing it so much. I would just add that 99% of his walking is either grass, woods or sand. As regards to the swimming, he loves it! in a local lake or the sea he doesn't care..
Re: Walking too much ?? Love the photo Harley is 17 months old and we walk on average 3-5 miles a day at least. Around 95% is off lead in the woods, in fields, on the beach, in rivers etc. I am quite consistent with how far we walk - I always take into consideration how far she runs as in the woods she runs round and round. On those walks I would say it's closer to 3 miles, in fields and on the beach it's more like 5 miles. Harley is ball obsessive, but 80% of the time she just carries it
Re: Walking too much ?? For a ball obsessed dog, catch is good as a reward where you'd normally throw a ball. The problem with repeated fetch is the repetitive slamming on the brakes to get the ball - in excess, not good for joints (neither is repetitive leaping for a ball or frisbee). I have successfully got my fetch addicted dog addicted to catch. He has to sit, wait, I toss him the ball, he catches it and brings me the ball for a small treat or another catch. It gets a bit boring for me, but he loves it. Plus it does no end of good for his sit/wait.
Re: Walking too much ?? I agree with the comments about the weekend warrior type approach - something we experienced last weekend on the SW forum walk; Penny doesn't often walk that sort of distance and she really suffered afterwards - her hips were painful and her pads were sore and cut. I would say if you want to be doing more than your usually couple of miles then cut out the play with the ball as this is guaranteed to be knackering him out. Penny was, and still is sometimes, like that - obsessed with a ball, so we had to teach her to switch off. I just started with the simple command of 'no more' when it was time to put the ball away at the end of walks and she seemed to pick up fairly quickly what it meant. We can now apply it to most situations where she's demanding a ball or toy with majority success.
