How much walks/excercise does your cocker have

[Adzloz]

As Riley is only 15 weeks he has been having usually 2 x 20 -25 mins walks each day. He is shattered after them and sleeps quite a bit.
He isnt off lead yet.
How old is your cocker and how many / long are their walks?

The weather temperatures at the moment may be making him a little more sleepy - my lot are zonked out during the hottest part of the day, with exercise at  more cooler times   

Actually I think your spot on there, he is a very hot little pup, he slept most of saturday which was our warmest day here so far.

[Adzloz]

Hi i am new to all this - forums and cockers! I have a 15 week old working cocker.   I take him lead walking for about 20 mins unless we are out somewhere then we take lots of breaks and let him off lead when safe to do so but he pulls and his neck looks sore - any ideas? We go to classes so stop, change direction etc but nothing has clicked yet lol

[Jane57]

Im far from being an expert  it is really hard as Riley tends to pull a bit too, I wear a harness on him , only a collar with lead the odd time .
We do that too, we stop and he sits and realises he isnt going anywhere till he stops pulling.
We all do the same with him on walks (even my 20 year old son) who I didnt think would have the patience.
Everyone needs to adopt the same approach.

Your could try what some do and take some treats and encourage him to walk beside you while giving him the treat etc.

[dianna1]

The weather is foul, I frontlined the dogs and didn,t want them drowned so on with their jackets.

We have done 3 very short walks 15mins and spent nearly an hour getting dry.

Where's the summer relaxation weather?

[Sheryl]

I agree with Helen...the 5 minute rule is there to protect your dog. Their growth plates have to be protected until they have grown and hardened.  They do not grow or harden from exercise but time.  Unfortunately it could be the dog that pays the price for anyone who chooses to ignore this well documented advice.

[scotsclyde]

This 5 min rule confuses me. What are the rules to it. What constitutes a walk?  Playing in the yard? Running in a field? Playing in the house? Strolling along a grass pathway?  Do you time your dog in any form of exercise and then crate to rest the puppy? 
I walk my 22 week old puppy for a hour. If I did the 5 min rule we would get 30 feet from the house and then would have to turn back. He would get very little exercise. He walks a couple of feet and then sniffs for a few mins. Rinse and repeat.
My walk is walk the canal path to park (takes me and puppy about half an hour, I could walk it in 10 mins without puppy)
I then allow Piper to run around the park offlead for about 10 to 15 mins.
Then take a 10 mins walk back to house.
He is tired but not exhausted.
When he was younger it was just a short little walk.

[Jane57]

This 5 min rule confuses me. What are the rules to it. What constitutes a walk?  Playing in the yard? Running in a field? Playing in the house? Strolling along a grass pathway?  Do you time your dog in any form of exercise and then crate to rest the puppy? 
I walk my 22 week old puppy for a hour. If I did the 5 min rule we would get 30 feet from the house and then would have to turn back. He would get very little exercise. He walks a couple of feet and then sniffs for a few mins. Rinse and repeat.
My walk is walk the canal path to park (takes me and puppy about half an hour, I could walk it in 10 mins without puppy)
I then allow Piper to run around the park offlead for about 10 to 15 mins.
Then take a 10 mins walk back to house.
He is tired but not exhausted.
When he was younger it was just a short little walk.

Im new to it all too really, on our info sheet from the breeder there was a specific area that said not to over excercise cocker pups in the early days, Then in my cocker book I read about the rough 5 min per month plus 1 , some say twice , some say up to three times per day.
That along with their regular activity in the house/garden etc is what I think they meant.

We had three walks of about 25, 25 and 10 mins yesterday and Riley was flat out at 8pm, then slept from 9.45pm - 6.45am.
Riley is only in his crate over night OR if we go out and there is no one home, which I must admit hasnt been that often since we got him.

[LurcherGirl]

I tend to apply the 5-minute rule only to hard impact walking, like road walking. I can't see the difference between running about and playing in the house/garden and doing the same in the park, so I don't time puppy walks in the park as such. Though I don't actually walk puppies in the park much as such, but rather a short road walk there, then lots of training and playing in the park as well as some relaxing (sitting down and do nothing) rather than cover great distances as such - much as you would with a 2-year old human toddler really.  

[bec1970]

Brodie is 14 weeks and goes on 3 15-20 min walks a day all wood and field walks and she is off the lead and whistle trained 2 peeps and she comes to me

Dan that is very good, Winnie is 12 weeks & has only recently started going out for walks. We take her for around 15 mins twice a day, her recall is average, she will usually come back unless she sees something more interesting!! Did you follow Top Barks recommendation for recall or do you have your own?

[Helen]

I tend to apply the 5-minute rule only to hard impact walking, like road walking. I can't see the difference between running about and playing in the house/garden and doing the same in the park, so I don't time puppy walks in the park as such. Though I don't actually walk puppies in the park much as such, but rather a short road walk there, then lots of training and playing in the park as well as some relaxing (sitting down and do nothing) rather than cover great distances as such - much as you would with a 2-year old human toddler really.  

With respect, this is pretty different to a 40 minute 'walk' - even though it's probably through fields and woods and not roads it's still a bit much for a pup that's barely over 4 months.

[LurcherGirl]

I tend to apply the 5-minute rule only to hard impact walking, like road walking. I can't see the difference between running about and playing in the house/garden and doing the same in the park, so I don't time puppy walks in the park as such. Though I don't actually walk puppies in the park much as such, but rather a short road walk there, then lots of training and playing in the park as well as some relaxing (sitting down and do nothing) rather than cover great distances as such - much as you would with a 2-year old human toddler really.  

With respect, this is pretty different to a 40 minute 'walk' - even though it's probably through fields and woods and not roads it's still a bit much for a pup that's barely over 4 months.

I agree, and I didn't reply to any particular post, just stating my take on the 5-minute rule for puppies.

[Black Beauty & Silverfox]

Hi Jane

We met last week at Marsden and as Miya is a working Cocker her exercise is presumably totally different.

I usually take on Cleadon hills or the beach and we're out probably an hour all told.

Is she old enough to be doing an hour's walk? Looking at your previous posts she's only about 3 or 4 months and if so an hour is much too long a time for one walk. Show type or working, the general rule is about 5 minutes walking per month of age to avoid potential damage to their bodies and possible consequences in later life.

Hi

Sorry haven't replied early but have just finished with my Union Jack.

Firstly, I have to say that I don't go for the 5 minute rule.

Miya is 17 weeks this Friday and since we were able to take her out we've extended her walks every 3rd day. Working on the principle that increasing her activity would generate bone density and therefore reduce fragile, brittle bones in later life.
She is off lead most of the time but she stays very close to heel. She has an insatiable appetite for exercise [like a Springer] and never tiers. I carry a water bottle and treats as training also takes place on our outings where she is so enthusiastic.
Never felt the need to time our walks but this morning was 40 minutes so perhaps an hour is an exaggeration.

Finally, it is our belief that Miya is enjoying outdoor life to the full rather than an existence of curling up in a bed for most of the day indoors.

Sorry I really don't agree with your principle and have never heard this thinking before.  Given the incidences of joint injury that occur with young cockers and the cases of arthritis later on in life I would re-consider your thinking.

She has an insatiable appetite for exercise because you allow it - you need to work her brain as well which will tire her out far quicker than wearing out young joints.  I would concentrate more on training her and using her working cocker brain 


Well we'll just have to agree to disagree!

Dogs, humans, we're all going to suffer with some form of arthritis in our later life, but we still have to live that life. No doubt if my dog spent the best part of her life curled up in a nice soft bed and I wrapped myself in bubblewrap our joints may not creek as much when we get old.
My dog and I prefer to smell the sea air, explore the woods with the scent of pine. OK, we may not be around as long as the less energetic but we certainly will have enjoyed life to the full.

No doubt there are plenty of 5 minute ruler's out there, but I think it's a piece of nonsense generated by people who presumably prefer there dogs wrapped in cotton.

Incidentally, I don't allow her an insatiable appetite, it's already in the dog. When we come back from a walk you can see in her face and the movement of her body, she could turn around and do it all again.

[elaine.e]

No doubt there are plenty of 5 minute ruler's out there, but I think it's a piece of nonsense generated by people who presumably prefer there dogs wrapped in cotton.

[/quote]

As you say, we'll have to agree to disagree. But to say that the 5 minute rule was generated by people who presumably prefer their dogs wrapped in cotton wool implies that those of us who use that rule also prefer our dogs wrapped in cotton wool, which is rude quite frankly.

I've kept to the 5 minute rule with all my dogs when they've been puppies. They had plenty of years as adult dogs to enjoy longer walks and I think my patience with their puppy walks was rewarded by their continuing good health into old age. They've led full, active and healthy lives and even the one that lived until a few days short of his 17th birthday was still walking soundly right up to the end of his life.

[Helen]

The most highly bred field trial champ working cockers (which, with respect, will have far more stamina then your working cocker pup Carnall) are not free exercised to this extent while they are young pups - obviously the people that breed and train to this level have no idea at all either Elaine.  I've yet to see a field trial champ wrapped in cotton wool....

I've also yet to meet a working cocker owner who doesn't believe their dogs could run and run and run all day - they should ALL have that stamina, it's what they were bred to do - it's up to the owner to make them work their brains as well to tire them out mentally as well as physically.

My dog and I prefer to smell the sea air, explore the woods with the scent of pine

Do you really think none of us enjoy that with our adult dogs?   

[debbiedaywalker]

When I got my first Cocker, eighteen years ago, I didn't know about the 5 minute rule.  Even so I didn't overdo it with her - common sense really. Their little joints and bones are still growing, like previously said - you wouldn't let a 2 year old child walk/run for a hour.
Now that I have an adult and a puppy (16 weeks old) I walk them both together for 15-20 mins, then carry pup for the rest of the way - all 15lbs of him  which he is quite happy to do