How much should we be exercising Mady
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| How long is a piece of string?? Tiggy will go and go and go all day until its hot, then she'd rather sit in the shade and pant. |
Oh, at 13 months she's a big ball of energy  . Her bones should be fully hardened by now, so jumping, running, and long walks shouldn't be a problem (as long as you build her up to the mileage). We walk our pups about 2.5 miles every day and play with them in the backyard (when it's nice out) as well. Sometimes they still get the zoomies! |
| Well let me rephrase the question: what is the minimum daily exercise Mady should be getting at her age? |
| Well, since you are in Ottawa, I would encourage you to try some of the incredibly fabulous dog parks your city offers. The Bruce Pit area is so beautiful! It is the best dog park I've ever visited. Dog park is not really the right term for it. It is more like a spacious doggie nature hike. Anyway, energy levels vary by dog. My Maggie at 6 isn't tired after 3+ hours of full-on play every day. Any exercise for her seems to build stamina rather than make her tired. Henry at 20 months seems content with about 1.5 hours/day. At the very minimum end, I would say any dog needs two 30 minute walks per day. That's going to keep them from going crazy from boredom -- they need to sniff the neighborhood. It is not enough to build good physical strength. |
Baba wrote: Well let me rephrase the question: what is the minimum daily exercise Mady should be getting at her age? Sorry I knew what you meant and was just being silly. I can't comment on the minimum for fitness but if Tiggy gets a half hour a day with off lead running and then I spend some time training her inside she isn't a complete fruitcake. We missed a day walking here and there lately due to all the torrential ran and when I get her lead out after a day with no walk she runs down the corridor and jumps up at the front door and bounces of it with her front paws.   Talk about bouncing off the walls, literally.  |
| I'm no expert, but I would have thought at least 2.5 hours total a day - split up into 2 - 3 walks, preferably at least one where they can run free. They are a "working dog type" and need exercise. It stops them becoming "bored" and destructive etc. Kenzie is 18 months and we do around 5 to 6 miles every day. We do more at weekends and during the Summer months. He is quite fit and does not carry much spare fat! Nik  |
Baba wrote: How much should we be exercising Mady? She's 13 months now. I wonder about this with our dog, who is only 7 months old now. We are lucky enough to have a very large fenced in back yard, so when I take her out, she runs and runs. I kick a ball and she chases/herds it. She will run and chase for a good ten minutes, then wants to come inside and sleep for an hour. My husband jokes that she is lazy. But I take her out to play in the yard at least six times a day (each potty break) and she gets in a good deal of running. She also gets walks, but not as regularly since it's gotten snowy here and also because several people in our neighborhood have aggressive dogs that come after us when we are out for a walk. Maybe I'll start a thread about that one... |
| If I remember the Dog Whisperer correctly, walking a dog is not just about exercise, but it reproduces the nomadic nature of the "pack" and reinforces the role of the pack leader (you). Nik |
Valerie wrote: Well, since you are in Ottawa, I would encourage you to try some of the incredibly fabulous dog parks your city offers. The Bruce Pit area is so beautiful! It is the best dog park I've ever visited. Dog park is not really the right term for it. It is more like a spacious doggie nature hike. I am a huge proponent of the dog park - Patch does not like to walk, but loves to run. She chases and bounds and jumps, she loves the park. The park also offers the best socialization tool. If Mady lives near a park, utilized it to the fullest extent. By the way, I can't believe Mady is already 13 months, she is one cute pup. |
| Mady goes to an off leash dog park nearly every day-she loves it there! It is a five minute walk away, we are very lucky considering that we live in such an urban neighbourhood. David and I have daily debates about whether or not she gets enough exercise and attention. On a work day, she goes for a brief walk (10-15 minutes) first thing in the morning. I take her out (usually to the dog park) for 45 minutes at lunch. Then I take her out for 1.5-2 hours after work (either walking or the dog park). She goes out again for a shorter time before bed. But in between those outings, she is mostly snoozing (or shadowing me as I make supper), getting groomed, eating or snuggling. It just seems to me that she spends alot of her day snoozing, but maybe that is just what dogs do? |
| i WOULD LOVE TO TAKE zIGGY TO THE DOG PARK! I am honestly afraid myself and I realize that is not good for him!  I am afraid he will get hurt, or get in a fight. we walk morning and evening, have about an hour session of playing at night and finally late night a last walk, plus he lets me know when he wants to go out to our backyard and he will sometimes stay out there for a while, but now that is cold after a few minutes hes ready to come in.. I know he needs friends, but so far I have not found dogs that are nice! all our neighbor dogs have issues barking and that makes him jumpy. at first we tried and i guess because he is ,,well a harry sheep dog most dogs would not know what to make of him and he has been bitten so that is where my fear comes in. |
| I understand your fear. Mady has been bitten once at the dog park (by a dog on leash whose owners later told me that they were trying to socialize him). The other dog park owners were great at letting me know what was normal rough and tumble play and when things were getting 'edgy'. If you can find one dog friend in the neighbourhood and make a playdate with them, it helps. Mady and I found a lovely Irish Setter, whose owner is a long time dog owner. They have been great for us. As for the other dogs looking at your big fuzzball of a dog and being confused, that does happen, but if you go regularly the other dogs get to know your dog and they sort it all out. Mady is now 13 months old and is a dog park regular. She knows which dogs she enjoys and avoids the ones she doesn't enjoy as much (she is not into barky dogs either). Just drive up to Ottawa, we will take you to our park! |
 haha! thanks for the invite!a bit of a drive for us! we are in Virginia! Yeah i just have toget over the fera for his own good. and did i mention ziggy is also 13 months old,,actually no. today he is 14 moths old  Andrea |
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