Exercise Question

[JaniceH]

Please can I have your opinion on exercising my puppy.

Teazle is 6 months old. She gets 1 1/2 hours exercise a day usually over 3 - 4 walks. Half is on lead and half is off lead where it is safe for her.

I live in a village surrounded by mountains and fells but at the moment because of her age we only walk where it is relatively flat or a very gentle uphill. (It is difficult to avoid some form of uphill walk). Obviously we can't go up the mountains until she is a lot older.

What I wanted to ask was...there are some lovely circular walks which would take about 1 1/2 hours to go round. They are not physically challenging as they are on the very lowest slopes. It would be good for her to see more sheep as well, as part of her training (on lead of course). Do you think taking her on one of these walks maybe once or twice a month would do her any harm ? Whilst she has loads of energy she does not continually run back and forth, so she won't be doing double the mileage if there were safe areas to let her off the lead. She never seems tired when we return from a walk. We have done a gentle walk through the woods for an hour but she still wanted to play afterwards for a couple of hours !!!

Your opinion on this would be most welcome.

Oh just for your information, she is not a fat puppy, quite lean and only weighs 47lbs.

[Patty1231]

Personally, I wouldn't take a 6 month old on that long of a walk but I may be over cautious. At 6 months, I only had Rocco out for about 20 minute walks at one time. I would also not let a 6-month old off lead, you never know.

[samanthac]

That is a really long walk for a young dog. The joints are still developing and you do not want to overstress them. Stick to shorter walks and no regimented jogging or running for a bit until he is older and his joints have fully formed.

[JaniceH]

Thank you both for your replies.

I won't take her on the walks then until she is older as I do understand what you are saying.

I had read somewhere that you should give your rottie puppy plenty of exercise as long as it wasn't running madly around. Since there is only me for her to play with, I thought the walking would have been ok. I will now change my regime.

Thanks again.

[lblax]

Originally Posted by samanthac

no regimented jogging or running .

i agree with this statement at least until they are 18 months old, but as far as the walks it sounds as if your going at a normal walking pace i wouldnt worry about it unless you puppy is not structurally sound to begin with.. sounds like both you and him are getting some quality bonding and training in i would continue it...

[JaniceH]

Thanks for your input Larry,

Yes, you are right, it is only a normal walking pace. I wouldn't let her charge around. I am not quite sure what "regimented running or jogging" means. Nothing is regimented on our walks...they are quite leisurely. She trots sometimes but it is not a forced trot and is in a very relaxed manner, and she will trot or run up to me if I call her.

I will certainly make sure there is no forcing of any pace.

Thank you all for your advice.

[Carina43]

I don't think 1 1/2 hours of leisurely walking is overdoing it at all...try it! If she really starts lagging or getting visibly tired, or if she seems a bit stiff the next day, then shorten up. But I bet she'll do fine as long as she's physically sound.
These are drover dogs, built for endurance. IMHO most (including my own) don't get nearly the optimal amount of daily exercise anyhow, that would be difficult for most people to find the time for. Long easy walks would build muscle & heart, I would think.

[Judy Chrusch]

It sounds to me like the walks are a total of 1 1/2 hours, which is fine, did I read correctly that it isn't all at once, it's spread over several walks? Hard surfaces is what you want to avoid but grassy areas are just fine so long it isn't alot of hard running or galloping :D. Sounds to me like you have alot of quality time with your pup, she's very lucky to have you as she will be one happy pup and in that time you can add alittle fun training, nothing stressful, just a few things thrown in as you're strolling along :D .

Judy

[Patty1231]

I have a question here - what is considered leisurely walking? My dogs don't leisurely walk anywhere. I'm going at almost a jog to keep up with them (I guess they call that power walking). I've wondered this before, seeing it in other threads, and am curious. My dogs are both old enough for long walks now but I wondered about this when Rocco was younger so always erred on the side of caution.

[Judy Chrusch]

Patty, Czar NEVER walked pursay, he always had that nice even gait, sometimes fast sometimes slower, but he never walked, you know like a leisurely walk that you sooo want bc you can't keep up, lol. So from day one till now my hubby and I have to jog to keep up with his gait but hey, it keeps us in shape :D. So a leisurely walk can be many things to many people, you know what I mean. My hubby is 6'3 and has to jog bc he can't take steps big enough to keep up if he walks .

Judy

[JaniceH]

Hello again,

Judy, I currently walk Teazle 3 - 4 times a day which, in total works out to be about 1 1/2 hours. My main question was whether I could take Teazle on a single walk of 1 1/2 hours ? (If I did I obviously wouldn't take her out again other than to stretch her legs and go for her final potty walk last thing at night.) Most of the walks are off road and on tracks through woods/forests, round Lakes or hill tracks. Some are man made using pressed slate but others are just hillside worn into footpaths, or old mining tracks. Some are pure grass. I am very fortunate in being able to provide a variety of walks for her, although you can not escape walking on proper footpaths by the side of roads in order to get to these places.

Patty, what I mean by leisurely walk is that it is at a comfortable pace with no forced speed on either my part or Teazle's. She does trot but it is very relaxing. We tend to amble where places are interesting. It is not like being focussed on getting from A to B in as quick a time as possible. We just enjoy. I was lucky with my previous Rottie bitch because we did long distance walking and we walked at exactly the same pace...until she decided the only way up a mountain was to power walk (as you put it). This I didn't appreciate and quite often I had to get her to sit and wait for me...very embarrasing if people were around as she looked down from above !!!!

Thanks for your comments too Carina. When Teazle has matured she has got many long distance walks ahead of her...there is nothing I like better than having a week or two walking with my rottie every day with my pack on my back...it becomes a very peaceful and relaxing way of life.

[Patty1231]

Janice, you're lucky to have such wonderful places to walk your dog. I'm mostly in-town and at a local park. As far as the leisurely thing goes, I've always wondered about this - I guess people have different ideas of what leisurely is (depending on how long your legs are, I guess :D ). My dogs take their quick pace quite well but there is nothing leisurely about it for me. I have very short legs so, like I said, I'm just short (no pun intended) of a jog. Great exercise but, again, not what I'd call leisurely. :D

[spidey]

I think the main issue is "no forced exercise" (which means biking/road work/jogging/etc) until the dog's older - as long as the dog's setting her own pace and you're sensitive to how she's managing, I don't see anything wrong with it.

[Judy Chrusch]

Sorry Janice, I didn't read your post right but I agree with Amanda if it isn't forced and you want to go for an hour an a half walk, go for it but of course take breaks, if and when needed and provide water when needed, use common sense which I'm sure you will :D . I would imagine your girl is quite content when you get back :D . Have fun!!!

Judy

[JaniceH]

Thank you all again.

I certainly won't be jogging/biking/running with her...sounds like too much hard work. Rest assured I will use common sense and thanks for actually making me think about the type of exercise I am doing.

:)

Patty...I am only 5' 2" so my legs are short too !!!!!!