rajacadoo Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Just really quickly need to know what the exercise ratio for pups is. Got pup leaving shortly and new owners what to know what it is ??? Is it 5 mins/pups age in months ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I always thought that formal exercise of pups was frowned upon. We were told that the only exercise pups need before 6 months of age is pupply play time and the little bit of training you do with them. I am sure someone more knowledgeable than myself will set the record straight, if I am incorrect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Sort of depends on pup and type of exercise and surface etc IMHO. I tend to allow ad lib free play (making sure nothing pup can fall off/jump off/get into ... etc) and ensuring regular quiet time. Tiny segments of 'training' - gentle luring/shaping or clicker training - mental exercise tires pups out way more than just physical. Getting used to the leash and collar - in the house yard at first - again tiny bits. For 'proper' grown up walks - the 5 mins per month of age sounds pretty much OK - but warn about heat, hot footpaths etc - and mix up the surfaces. Spending time teaching loose leash walking is time better spent in the early months (or any time really) than walking longer with the dog pulling. Exposure to as many different people, things, machines, sights and sounds is also more iportant in the early months than 'taking the dog for a walk' - making sure pup is (and feels) safe at all times. The more time spent bonding and building a good relationship with the pup the better - again mental stimulation tires pups out more effectively - and helps them to learn later. In terms of purely physical exercise, less is more. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 What does everyone do with pups who are simply full of beans ALL the time? My girl wanted to be out and about exploring the world, training did not tire her out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 wuffles - well - in one way that's what you want in a performance dog - but my guys still have to learn to chill ;) . I used a 4'x4' C Crates play pen (with a lid) with little wanderer/troublemaker/escape artist Kirra. and would put her in there with a smoked bone stuffed with goodies to work on - or frozen chicken wings or something that was going to take a bit of work. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOCTRL Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I read somewhere also the 5min per month of age (but in saying that i wouldn't be "exercising" a pup much younger than 4 months). Our Staffy pup goes for leisurely walks most days for 20 - 25min, he loves it, it isn't stressfull on him and he's learning to walk on his lead really nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 wuffles - well - in one way that's what you want in a performance dog - but my guys still have to learn to chill ;) . I used a 4'x4' C Crates play pen (with a lid) with little wanderer/troublemaker/escape artist Kirra. and would put her in there with a smoked bone stuffed with goodies to work on - or frozen chicken wings or something that was going to take a bit of work. :D True, and I guess that's why I asked as I'm sure I'll have another like that in the future sometime! She did learn to chill pretty quickly, but she needed *something* to take the edge off before settling down. We did heaps of training and play and would put her in the crate with a chewy but I still felt like she was happiest when out and about. Once she was vaccinated I'd walk her to the oval (2 mins walk), have a bit of a play then just sit with her and watch everything that was going on - that was probably the thing that worked the best for us. The 5 minutes per month of age worked ok for us for on leash exercise, but she was still Little Miss Destructive when we went to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Look, I know I am going to be in trouble for this but, I don't exercise any of my dogs. The have a small paddock to run and play in. They have toys that they carry around and play with and play chase games. I never exercise baby puppies no matter where I have lived. Even when I have lived in suburbia I never walk the dogs. I would throw a ball or toys and they got more than enough exercise. With what I read on these forums about dogs attacked in parks and on the streets it sure doesn't encourage a person to want to walk them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Look, I know I am going to be in trouble for this but, I don't exercise any of my dogs. The have a small paddock to run and play in. They have toys that they carry around and play with and play chase games. I never exercise baby puppies no matter where I have lived. Even when I have lived in suburbia I never walk the dogs. I would throw a ball or toys and they got more than enough exercise. With what I read on these forums about dogs attacked in parks and on the streets it sure doesn't encourage a person to want to walk them. They sound like lucky dogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Depends on the breed too. All puppies need exercise, people should never steer away from exercising their puppies, they need the muscle tone to keep them safe from injury. It just needs to be appropriate. Perhaps head into the Breed Specific Thread and ask in there or contact a Breeder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Look, I know I am going to be in trouble for this but, I don't exercise any of my dogs. The have a small paddock to run and play in. They have toys that they carry around and play with and play chase games. I never exercise baby puppies no matter where I have lived. Even when I have lived in suburbia I never walk the dogs. I would throw a ball or toys and they got more than enough exercise. With what I read on these forums about dogs attacked in parks and on the streets it sure doesn't encourage a person to want to walk them. Why get in trouble? It's what you do. It's not what I'd do, I believe 'my' dogs need more mental stimulation than throwing a ball in my backyard can provide. I 'travel' with my dogs on their walks as I believe it's natural. If your dogs are happy and stable then you do whatever is right for them.....but if you're being lazy and making excuses for not taking them out then that's a whole different story LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajacadoo Posted December 23, 2011 Author Share Posted December 23, 2011 (edited) Thanks everyone for the responses... This pup is a 3 1/2 month old very cruisy and laidback ACD... The email I got from them last night/this am, was that he had a little walk, a zoomie around the park across the road, met some people, is learning to sit, played with some visitors, and as a consequence of this slept through the night cos he was absolutely exhausted !!! EDA: He also went to the Vet where he got a clean bill of health as well ... Edited December 23, 2011 by rajacadoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talien Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 I went to the vet and Arty was underweight. Went back two weeks later for vacc's and he is overweight! So the vet said I can take him on longer walks. I make sure that he walks on the grass though, as it will do less damage to his joints. At his age, he can be walking about 15 minutes by rule of thumb and his walks are about that, though we only take him on days when my partner and I have both been working all day. We go slow and let him sniff almost anything he wants (it's good for brain function) and he gets pats from almost everyone too (we live in a high foot traffic area with lots of other dogs). I have been told that in 2 weeks I can take him to the park and the vet said to make sure that he goes over all types of terrain to increase his balance (nothing wrong with it just extra development). So when we go he'll be going with Elysia, though I'm not sure I want him off the lead as yet (no recall, well not enough). The 5 minute rule is great, but I think it depends on energy levels and weight. If you have no problem with weight, difficult/puzzle treats (bones, treat balls etc) are good to work their brains, they get more tired out from mental work than physical exercise at this age (so it seems to me anyway). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 It is very hard to lose weight by exercise alone. After all, it takes a very long, very fast walk to even start burning off a full meal. Far easier just to cut back on food. If you worry about him starving (which he won't ) add cooked, mashed up pumpkin as it fills them but they don't absorb the calories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Fox Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 What does everyone do with pups who are simply full of beans ALL the time? My girl wanted to be out and about exploring the world, training did not tire her out. My Mal pup gets taken out 2 (sometimes 3) x per day, walking or swimming, for 15-20 mins at a time. Plus 2 or 3 five minute training sessions per day (tracking and/or obedience). That seems to work for her. In between she chills out in either the outside run or indoor pen, usually sleeps during in this time. If she's still feral she gets a big lump of frozen roo tail to work on. She's 3 and a half months old My Ridgeback needed no-where near that amount at that age. More like a 10 min walk around the block and a little play time in the yard. I think it really depends on the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talien Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 I was so worried about him being underweight I was mixing his kibble with a bit of wet puppy food. I don't think I need to do that anymore so I'll be cutting his food back too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Wow secretkei I though she would have been bouncing off the walls 24/7 - what you've described sounds manageable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Fox Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Wow secretkei I though she would have been bouncing off the walls 24/7 - what you've described sounds manageable! lol well she's not a complete nightmare I've taught her from day one to settle in the pen/run, which I think has helped. We have occasional days where she barks her head off and paces around like a maniac, but mostly she settles down and sleeps ..then wakes up raring to go again! When she's on she on, but she can relax too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 personal question: do you work full-time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Fox Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 (edited) personal question: do you work full-time? No I don't work at all. Edited December 23, 2011 by SecretKei Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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