9 Month Old Getting Very Tired On Walks

[kwirky]

Hello everyone.

Murphy is a 9 month, high energy Golden Retriever boy, who likes (I mean, INSISTS!) two walks each day. We usually walk for about 1/2 hour each time.

If I try extending this a bit, thinking 40 mins would be good in the mornings, he seems to get so tired he needs to stop and have a few minutes of rest and doesn't want to get up.

Is this normal?

[DeltaCharlie]

That seems like a lot of walking to me, our working border collies are lucky to get 30mins a week. At 9 months of age they certainly wouldn't be walking that far.

Have you tried doing some training and mental activities with him to wear him out as opposed to physical exercise. All you are doing by walking him longer is making him fitter, and therefore needing to be walked longer again. It is a very vicious cycle :laugh:

[Scottsmum]

My 10 year old foxie gets about 30 mins am and pm. That sounds like a lot for a pup!

[kwirky]

We do play fetch with a soft ball inside, which seems to tire him.

We do have to walk him twice because he is very insistent. Would you suggest 20 mins instead?

[The Spotted Devil]

I would rather 20 mins walk and 10 mins training - throwing the ball not counted!

[DeltaCharlie]

Throwing a ball does not count :) It's still physical. I'm talking training as in teach him tricks, teach him some obedience, take him to obedience classes perhaps, things that make him think but don't really require him to work hard physically.

[Kavik]

I agree with the others - more mental work, less physical work :)

Tricks are great and lots of fun, and many can be useful in building good body awareness, coordination and core strength :)

If you need ideas, Kikopup's YouTube channel is great! She has videos on how to train many things from basic obedience, pet manners to tricks and behaviours of many types

https://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup

[DeltaCharlie]

Oh, and if he is only 9months old and has learnt that insisting on something works you are in for a lifetime of hurt with him LOL If ours demand anything they tend to get put into a crate or put outside where they can insist all they like but we can't see it :)

[Jemmy]

I agree with adding in some more mental training. I do a walk of a morning with my 10mth old GSD and then of an evening we do trick training. She gets a lot of play time in with her dad in the afternoon as well, but I find the mental games really help to calm her down for a nice evening.

[persephone]

A Vet check first . Make it thorough - especially joints !!! Explain to the vet why.

I would also suggest a couple, or a few 5 - 10 minute training sessions each day .... teach him the basics - and any tricks .... make it fun .. work on one until he knows it - then something a bit harder ... That way he is thinking , and that makes for a much calmer dog!!

Because he insists is NOT the reason to walk a dog - or to do anything for a dog ;)

YOU are the 'top Dog' - it is YOU who does any insisting . LOL

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Throwing the ball - only after he's done five or six tricks and the last one should be holding a sit or drop facing the direction you intend to thorw the ball so he is less likely to bust a ligament spinning around to chase it.

For bonus points - teach him to wait until the ball has stopped moving before he can chase it - ie a really good stay and then release drill - really works the brain...

So for my dog, sit, stand, drop, stand, spin (turn a small circle next to me), drop (cos spins make me dizzy), sit, pretty (beg), finish (sit next to me facing the same way as me), wait... launch ball - geddit... fetch... can't reach... thank you (drop ball in my hand cos I'm not going to throw it for you again unless you put it right in my hand).

And lots of creative variations on that theme.

Dogs can do themselves major injuries chasing a ball and then doing a poor job of picking it up - so you might want to get his joints checked - as someone else has suggested.

What ever training drill you pick - you want to stop while he's still excited about it and looking forward to more - otherwise - you're stopping when he's bored or tired and that's how the games will go next time, ie you train bored or tired into the game. Nobody wants that.

[kwirky]

Thanks everyone.

I have just signed up for http://petlovers.com.au/puppy_club which I found on the forum. So we will give that some effort.

I genuinely thought that physical exercise what super important; I only want tye best for him.

[BC Crazy]

Good on you for signing up for the petlovers puppy club. I'm sure this will help you with ideas & exercises to mentally stimulating your lovely GR. Physical exercise is important,yes, but so is the mental stuff. Agree with what other folks have said though all of this is on your terms not pup's. They will train you if you allow them too :p

Edited November 29, 2014 by BC Crazy

[persephone]

kwirky :) that's great - I'm sure you will both enjoy it.

[VizslaMomma]

Thanks everyone.

I have just signed up for http://petlovers.com.au/puppy_club which I found on the forum. So we will give that some effort.

I genuinely thought that physical exercise what super important; I only want tye best for him.

2/3 of the way there with these steps, imo.

You are looking at his needs and working out how to supply them.

Well done!

*coughs* photos too might be nice.

:)

[kwirky]

Photos of my darling Murphy :)

[kwirky]

You guys are fantastic.

I found a different post which mentioned kikopup and we have watched all those videos this evening.

We did some work with recall and getting Murphy to respond to kissy noises and he is now sleeping like a baby (no second walk needed)

[Stressmagnet]

Just wanted to add my .02

I've an 8 month old lab boy. Our regime is as follows:

He gets an hour's amble in the morning. This walk is part exercise (off lead romping), walking, and some sits/stays/come etc. it's a mish mash.

He hangs out doing not much - getting himself into mischief but hanging with me or on his own for a bit until the girls get home. They spend an hour or a little less playing with him. There's some commands in there for practice.

He comes in for dinner.

Then - very important - he gets 15 minutes of structured brain games. If we skip this - he takes much longer to settle down. It's key. While he gets 5-10 of training every time I get a chance, it's that structured 15 minutes that works his brain and gets him ready to switch off. It's the time I teach him something new. You can see his brain working.

Like you, I used to think it was the physical exercise that wore them out but it's not. An hours walk tethered to a human who walks much slower than them will never tire a dog out. But couple that with making the dog think - and I reckon it's the magic combo. Plus, you end up with a really cool impressively trained (and bonded dog).

Edited November 29, 2014 by Stressmagnet

[kwirky]

Just wanted to add my .02

I've an 8 month old lab boy. Our regime is as follows:

He gets an hour's amble in the morning. This walk is part exercise (off lead romping), walking, and some sits/stays/come etc. it's a mish mash.

He hangs out doing not much - getting himself into mischief but hanging with me or on his own for a bit until the girls get home. They spend an hour or a little less playing with him. There's some commands in there for practice.

He comes in for dinner.

Then - very important - he gets 15 minutes of structured brain games. If we skip this - he takes much longer to settle down. It's key. While he gets 5-10 of training every time I get a chance, it's that structured 15 minutes that works his brain and gets him ready to switch off. It's the time I teach him something new. You can see his brain working.

Like you, I used to think it was the physical exercise that wore them out but it's not. An hours walk tethered to a human who walks much slower than them will never tire a dog out. But couple that with making the dog think - and I reckon it's the magic combo. Plus, you end up with a really cool impressively trained (and bonded dog).

Would you mind explaining what you do during the structured time?

[VizslaMomma]

Photos of my darling Murphy :)

He is indeed a darling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Big grin from me.