Preparing For Our First Walk!

[~Jilly~]

Well we've still got 9 days to go but I know we'll get there eventually and we're all looking forward to it!

Bella frequently sits looking out of the front door, I'm sure she'd love to get out there! and I can't wait, I hate being cooped up indoors and there's a limit to how much you can carry her about the little puddin'

Anyway, I have two questions -

I know they shouldn't get too much exercise at this young age (she'll be 13 weeks) but what is too much? what length of time and how many times a day should we be taking her out?

Secondly, we have tried getting Bella used to her lead in the house/garden and while she doesn't have a problem with it (she took to her collar straight away) she thinks it's a toy dangling above her and bites it! Then she does her falling on the floor, rolling on her back, legs in the air while chewing 'toy' routine I was thinking that when we take her out she'll be too interesting in everything around her to bother with the lead - or is this just wishful thinking? Do we need to keep practising or can we just wait until it's time to go out and hope for the best?

[Annette]

Don't think you will have any problems with her chewing the lead once you get out there! It will all be sooooo exciting!

Have you tried taking her out in a back-to-front rucksack? It really is important to get in as much socialisation as you can at this stage. Obviously you can't put her down, but she can experience traffic, people, busses etc.

As far as exercise is concerned, a simple rule of thumb is to let her have 5 minutes walk for every month of her age, so at 3 months she can have 15 minutes walk. I don't think it's set in stone, but getting out for walks isn't essential from an exercise point of view at this age (they run around enough at home, generally), but it is for their socialisation. Too much too soon can have long term effects on hips and other joints so it is worth being quite careful at this stage.

When we were researching this there seemed to be some confusion about whether the guide was for 15 minutes total walking in a day, or 15 minutes twice a day. We are so enjoying our walks that we have interpreted it as twice a day! Hope that's ok!

[~Jilly~]

Don't think you will have any problems with her chewing the lead once you get out there! It will all be sooooo exciting!

Have you tried taking her out in a back-to-front rucksack? It really is important to get in as much socialisation as you can at this stage. Obviously you can't put her down, but she can experience traffic, people, busses etc.

As far as exercise is concerned, a simple rule of thumb is to let her have 5 minutes walk for every month of her age, so at 3 months she can have 15 minutes walk. I don't think it's set in stone, but getting out for walks isn't essential from an exercise point of view at this age (they run around enough at home, generally), but it is for their socialisation. Too much too soon can have long term effects on hips and other joints so it is worth being quite careful at this stage.

When we were researching this there seemed to be some confusion about whether the guide was for 15 minutes total walking in a day, or 15 minutes twice a day. We are so enjoying our walks that we have interpreted it as twice a day! Hope that's ok!

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I'd hoped that would be the case with the lead so I'm glad to hear that!

We haven't got a suitable backpack so we bought one of those dog bag things but she's soooo excitable bless her, she climbs out of it in mid air!

She does get plenty of socialisation though, we've taken her to different relatives houses and she's mixed with different animals including dogs that are much bigger than she is and she isn't phased by anything, she's also been out and about and to the pet shop several times (in our arms) but she's so excited when someone says hello to her, she's just dieing to get down on the floor so she can explore properly, it will be so nice to let her down onto the floor. We've been working hard with her socialisation and we've been doing different things with her since the day after she came home

I understand that she doesn't need the exercise for exercise sake but she so loves being outside (unless it's raining ) it will be nice to take her out and let her experience the great outdoors. I don't want her to get too much exercise for the reasons you have outlined but I'm sure she is going to love her walks so I think 15 mins twice a day sounds ideal

[PennyB]

Isn't there a clip on the backpack. I put Wilf in a harness and attached him to that so he didn't fall out

[~Jilly~]

Isn't there a clip on the backpack. I put Wilf in a harness and attached him to that so he didn't fall out

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there is a clip inside but she climbed her legs out and basically was then only attached by her collar, it was ok because she had only climbed out into my arms but we ended up in a big knot it's easier to just carry her in my arms

[PennyB]

At least if they're in a harness its safer and useful to still take the pack with you as you've only got one pair of hands (I would take mine to the bank etc. and the most useful place to put him was back in the pack)

[lynsay_wag]

Aaw she will be so interested in everything else she will forget about her lead. Oscar is now nearly 21 weeks and sometimes its a bit of a nightmare taking him a walk because he thinks everyone is his best friend! Therefore he pulls trying to get to everyone! Its so cute with his wee tail wagging though. Good luck!