Not enough exercise? and a case of the guilties

[YesHisNameIsGoose]

When I had Biggie he spent his first 6 years in NYC and we walked no less than 50 city blocks per day, plus he spent several hours in the Washington Square dog run everyday. His exercise needs never even occurred to me!

When we came to NC I had another dog (an Aussie) and the got their exercise in a fenced yard where they could run, chase, etc. They slept well at night!

When Biggie got older exercise had to be limited to trips outside to do his business and then back in.

FAST FORWARD:

We have a fantastic new dog run in my city and I took Goose there on Saturday with hopeful aspirations. As the new dog he was quickly encircled by the regs and it didn't go so well, so I leashed him up and we left.

I too live in an apartment and my current lifestyle doesn't allow for 30 minute long walks. Of course, whatever he gets with me is more than what he was getting, living in a condo and doing all his business on the deck. Even with that sedentary life, his muscles are ripped and I imagine it's because he's 15 months old and was intact until this past Friday.

I am feeling extremely guilty with the (3) 10-15 minute walks he gets right now. I try to play ball with him in the apartment but he's like a veritable bull in a china shop.

Am I doing my dog wrong? I want Goose to be happy and he sure acts like he is, but I've never had to try and figure out how to get a dog it's exercise. Many Rotts are perfectly happy being home-bound lap dogs, but I don't want him to get out of shape and feel like I'm not doing enough.

Sorry for the ramble. Can anyone help me assuage my guilt?

[jbach]

I'm sure others will help out here, but at least two twenty minute walks (plus training!) per day is about the minimum I'd try to get away with. Plus, my guys will do whatever I want to do. So, if I'm a couch potato, they will be too.

[Carina43]

Heh. I hear you on the guilt. Luckily I have multiple dogs now, and a huge yard so they can really run. But I do feel like it's a cop out if I just let them exercise each other....
Dunno what to tell you...I try taking at least one dog per day for a minimum 20 minute brisk walk/run. Even when it's single digits & freezing. I think that's more than what the average dog in the US gets...we're kind of rural, but there are a number of housing subdivisions around here. And a few really nice local trails...I swear 80% of these houses have a dog, but I very rarely see anyone out walking a dog...even around the subdivisions.

When I had Bosco, he was an only dog at first. I used to get up at 4-5am, just to take him for a long ramble before I left, every single morning before work. Plus weekend hikes. It was easier in Colorado, people are more sedentary in MI; I don't have any hiking buddies here... :(

Goose will be very happy just to hang out with you, whether you're doing daily 5 mile hikes or a few shorter ones. Can you find someone with a yard & a copacetic dog to wear Goose out sometimes? Or do weekly training classes...those wear a dog out, he'll get mental exercise too.

[PuppyLover]

I understood until you said "Even with that sedentary life, his muscles are ripped and I imagine it's because he's 15 months old and was intact until this past Friday."

Intact is understood, but how did ripped muscles happen? And which muscles ripped?

[YesHisNameIsGoose]

Originally Posted by Carina43

Can you find someone with a yard & a copacetic dog to wear Goose out sometimes?

Actually, my BF has a dog and a fenced yard, but his obnoxious dog (neutered male) does nothing but hump Goose obsessively, and so far Goose lets him and just sniffs the ground or tries to turn around and look at Max. So Goose can't run because Max's only interest is in humping.

I'm kind of hoping Goose will get sick of it, turn around and nail Max, establish who's going to be boss and get on with the business of playing!

[Carina43]

Originally Posted by PuppyLover

Intact is understood, but how did ripped muscles happen? And which muscles ripped?

That's sort of a body builder term..."ripped" means very well defined, in great shape. :)

[LynnS]

We live in the city and have fairly buisy lifestyles. that being said I usally get up early and take Bella for a 45 minute walk in the morning and an hr walk at night (living in SF this is usually more like a hike given the steep hills every other block)...

I think every dogs excercise requirements differ - I was blessed with the energizer bunny

[YesHisNameIsGoose]

Originally Posted by PuppyLover

I understood until you said "Even with that sedentary life, his muscles are ripped and I imagine it's because he's 15 months old and was intact until this past Friday."

Intact is understood, but how did ripped muscles happen? And which muscles ripped?

The muscles in his thighs running from his hocks up through to his flanks are the ones that have that "cut" appearance. And I have no idea how or why they are that way. I've only had the dog for just under 2 weeks and I was told he never left the condo he was living in because he did all his business on the deck (no yard) .

[PuppyLover]

Carina43, I know "ripped" when it comes to people. I was married to, and had three kids with a body builder husband.

What I didn't know was that the term carried over to dogs.

[YesHisNameIsGoose]

Okay, you all made me feel so rotten.... ;) .....that I set aside what I was doing and leashed up the beast and took him on a brisk 30 minute walk. My apartment complex is on a major 4 lane road and he's not used to traffic. It wasn't heavy, but steady and he did quite well for only his second time.

I have a type of security leash that is simply a handle with a quick-release on it and when we got to the street I switched over to the handle. I would like for him to associate the handle with taking a "serious, pay attention to our surroundings" walk, not a "sniff every fire hydrant and telephone pole" stroll. I would not walk alone at night anywhere, but with him I feel safe.

This handle is the actual one I used on Biggie when we walked in NYC at night. He knew immediately when I would put that on him rather than a regular 4' lead that he was to be in "pay attention" mode. He'd have his poker face on for the duration of the walk and it was quite effective .

If I can get Goose feeling comfortable with the main road and do 30 minutes in the evening with several 10-15 minute'rs during the day, would it seem I'm at least meeting his minimum exercise requirement? We do also play fetch in the apartment, but he crashes into the door after getting a good 15 foot running start (15 feet being the entire length of his fetch distance...cough).

Thanks for letting me ramble on........

[flyballmom]

Allyson,
I'm not sure that 3-15 minute walks per day is such a bad life! Physically, and I mean for you, can you jog a little bit to kind of spice it up for him? And do you have time in the evening when you get home from work to spend a little extra time with him? I'm an apartment dweller for the moment...here's my routine:

Morning- Wake up 30 minutes before what is really necessary to get to work...take dogs for brisk walk/jog/run. Come home let dogs unwind...feed dogs, walk and potty dogs. Off to work.

Lunch time-home to walk and potty dogs. Somedays I have a few extra minutes and they get to romp in the apartment complex park, sometimes not.

Evening-about 12 hours after it all started...we either walk/jog, play ball, do a good round of obedience work or a combination of the above. 1 or 2 evenings a week we go to flyball practice, and usually we go on Saturday AM as well. Note...the only reason I try to make that many practices a week is because I have a dog who is still training. When he's fully trained and reliable we'll cut back to once a week.

Weekends are more of the same. I have things I like to do that don't involve the dogs. I feel free to do them...if I don't I will grow to the resent the dogs.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, it's not the quantity of time you spend , but the quality. Just do the best you can.

[YesHisNameIsGoose]

Hi Beth,

Well, with a name like "FLYBALLMOM", I feel thoroughly inadequate! lol.....

Unfortunately I can't run because I develop nasty shin splints. I can do very brisk walking that definitely puts my HR in the 80% range. My concern is having Goose walking that fast on concrete. I've always heard not to run Rottie's on concrete until they are two years old, and Goose is 15 months.

Biggie also had to have his hock fused when he was only about three years old because he developed OCD and the surgeon hypothosized that all the time he spent pounding the pavement in NYC perhaps caused it. So I'm a bit paranoid.

If you folks tell me it is safe for his hips, etc. to start walking him fast on concrete, then we will start doing that. I really do want to condition him to the traffic up there on the main road (there are sidewalks). He did really well but a couple of loud engines spooked him a bit.

Thanks for all the help and advice!

[flyballmom]

hey DON'T feel inadequate!! NOT EVEN!! Like I said... we're at fb practive that much because of my little Pit who's NOT the sharpest tool in the shed...
Ok...so you can't run... he won't CARE.....it's the time youi spend, not what you do...instead of the run...teach him a new trick or obedience command...
I firmly believe it's not how much time you spend but HOW you spend it

Originally Posted by YesHisNameIsGoose

Hi Beth,

Well, with a name like "FLYBALLMOM", I feel thoroughly inadequate! lol.....

Unfortunately I can't run because I develop nasty shin splints. I can do very brisk walking that definitely puts my HR in the 80% range. My concern is having Goose walking that fast on concrete. I've always heard not to run Rottie's on concrete until they are two years old, and Goose is 15 months.

Biggie also had to have his hock fused when he was only about three years old because he developed OCD and the surgeon hypothosized that all the time he spent pounding the pavement in NYC perhaps caused it. So I'm a bit paranoid.

If you folks tell me it is safe for his hips, etc. to start walking him fast on concrete, then we will start doing that. I really do want to condition him to the traffic up there on the main road (there are sidewalks). He did really well but a couple of loud engines spooked him a bit.

Thanks for all the help and advice!

[Carina43]

I think fast walking is fine...it's not like you're walking 50 blocks a day like you did with Biggie. He'll get used to cars & noises, poor guy spent so much time never getting out much, seems to me....

Dutch was absolutely dreadful when I first got him (mature & intact.) He didn't spook, but he absolutely charged any car that went by trying to get at the tires, and big noisy trucks just put him into a frenzy. We're on 35 acres (not all ours, I wish...) but if I want to walk anywhere down the road people are doing about 50mph. The first time I walked Dutch there & he lunged at a passing truck he caught me of balance & literally dragged me across Perry Rd, good thing there wasn't any other traffic. He was even wearing a pinch collar!
I believe that very day I went out & got him a micro pinch, much more effective. :) Now he ignores traffic, but it took a couple of months.

[Judi W]

Let's see. This dog who had been abandoned (yes it was abandonment) by his owner has a good home where he is loved and cared for and there should be "guilt" because the lifestyle at this time does't allow for what might be thought enough exercise????? Please. Don't guilt yourself and don't allow others to guilt you.