How Much Is Too Much?

[»Tina«]

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Hi all,

I've just read the whole lampingman's thread on ped whippet racing, it's got me thinking about the walks I take with my dogs,

I take my 3 everyday for about an hour, we start by going up the school field, cut through the fence into woods, follow the track into what we call the meadows (which is a huge long field) get to the end and then walk all the way back,

all the dogs are let off as soon as we are on the school field and Chance and Binx go mad chasing each other until we reach the wood which is about 500 yards, then walk through the woods until we reach the meadows,

then they go mad again running up and down, over the stream into the woods, they don't stop chasing each other and have a great time!

with Binx being nearly 5 months is this too much for him? I know he'd HATE being put on the lead while watching Chance run around, but I don't want to damage him in any way! it's so confusing!! He loves his walks!!

any advise?

 

[dessie]

Sounds a bit too much at 5 months to be running and chasing for an hour with adult fit dogs to me.

 

[»Tina«]

ok guess he has to be put on his lead for most of the walk, I just don't want to risk harming his little bones, at what age would this walk be fine? (free running).

 

[kris]

i think prob different breeds need diferent amounts and at different ages.with dobermanns i used to give them 20 min runs 2 or 3 times a day until they were about 9 months old then gradually increase them untill the were adults.but i was always careful not to overdo it or tire them out.when the cervical spondylosis survey was being conducted at liverpool university my dogs were x rayed and scored and we filled in the questionnaires.one of the questions was about exercise.also feeding on the ground or a raised surface.i always fed mine from a bowl placed so that they didnt have to splay their legs to reach their food also i think it makes for indigestion.when dr lewis finished collating his results exercise was one of the contributory factors with this defect and also food.i think with a young dog who is still growing too much exercise is a bad thing.just take it easy.

 

[»Tina«]

I will do Kris :thumbsup: Binx aint gonna be too happy though :wacko: what I might do is take Chance out for her run (and Indi), then call back at the house for Binx for the last bit of the walk together, that way he can have a little run with Chance still, but without over-doing it

 

[dessie]

Sounds good. And be careful the older ones don't hooly with Binx too much and knock him off his feet constantly or run so fast that he overdoes it trying to keep up

 

[»Tina«]

Dessie, thats one thing Chance has never done is to tumble any other dog over, and Indi is a toy yorkie so theres no way of him doing that to Binx lol, thanks for the advise though :thumbsup: