How much walks/excercise does your cocker have

[karen488]

I do think the 5 minute rule is a good guideline for protecting your puppy. I was very good at keeping to the rule with Darcey but have to say that I haven't managed to be as good with Bingley  I did keep to the rule for him as a young puppy but now he is 9 months old and seems to be pretty much fully grown. I do think it's a good idea to keep to the rule but it is a bit of a blanket rule  I would have thought that a cocker could walk further at a younger age safely than some of the larger breeds? Can anyone point to the research that the rule was founded on?

[jaybee]

I try and stick to it, and the majority of the time we do. Agree with debbiedaywalker really - a lot of it is just common sense.

One of my friends has a tiny pup, and she has really damaged one of her growth plates, she's been in and out of vets for weeks now poor wee thing (and the bill is becoming astronomical as you can imagine). Seeing what a state her poor little pup is awful. Now i know the impact of growth plate injuries, I will try my best to stick to it.

[cazza]

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.    

Couldn't have put it better myself

It really annoys me when people don't think to tire the dogs brain out and just think about walking them

OK back on topic of OP

My two get 30min off lead walk in the morning (Mon to Fri) A run in the paddock for 30 min at lunchtime and then a good hour in the evening at least once if not twice - this is when I am working

Weekends and school holidays are a different ball game and we could be out anything up to 4 hours - but then my two dogs are 3yrs and 6 yrs old

When they were wee they followed the 5 min per month old rule - and if we get another young one they will be following that rule also

[Clare B]

The five minute rule makes perfect sense, I didn't know about it when Flo was a pup, was only told not to over exercise her.  But I remember walking her to my daughters school in the morning when she was 3/4 months old , and it's a twenty minute walk, when we got about five minutes from the school she would stop and howl (  caused many passer Byers to giggle) I would then have to carry her the rest of the way and then all the way home she certainly knew she didn't want any more.  Now she pulls like a train the whole way dying to be at the school gates to kiss all the kids.

[Sula]

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

Hi there - getting a dog to stop pulling requires a lot of patience and time - but recently my back has been acting up and I cannot risk my rescue dog pulling suddenly - so I was looking on Amazon and saw an advert for Company of Animals Lupi Harness, M. I got the medium as we currently are owned by a boxer/collie cross aged 18 months. It was amazing how well it worked and my 2 sons who do not exercise control too well founs it great also. It only costs £7 so I thought it was worth trying 

[dal55]

The five minute rule is meant to protect your dog and surely breeders( whether it be worker or show, know much more about this than most of us. If this is wrapping them up in cotton roll long live cotton wool and hopefully Cass will continue running in her dotage !!
Remember also that Cockers will do anything to please you and will run their legs of at the drop of a hat.
Recently Cassie was quite ill and spent 5 days in the vets............... she still wanted to go for walks/chase balls and as Helen explained to me on COL they will run on adrenalin.
A friend had two labs and walked them for miles as pups. They are both now stricken with arthritis at 8

[cazza]

A friend had two labs and walked them for miles as pups. They are both now stricken with arthritis at 8

Aww poor things

Knew I had gone wong following the 5 min rule as my last lab lasted far too long    15 years and still no sign of arthritus - mmm something for following the 5 min rule I think    (please note this is tongue in cheek comment )

[dewey]

my 10 month old Morgan has one hour in the woods early in the morning, another hour around 1.30 then an walk along the canal at 6 then of course there is mad hour just before sleep when he is like a clock work toy gone man then suddenly drops 

[Evadee]

Our two have 30 mins in the morning and about 45 mins in the evening.  The walks will get longer once Jake gets to 1 year old, they were walked separately until a couple of months ago.

We followed the 5 minute per month of age rule or 1 min per week of age.

[Jonnydog]

Having an older dog with arthritis and a one year old cocker, walking has to be tailored to suit both, as I haven't really time to walk them separately. I find the best way is making at least one walk somewhere Penny can charge around madly while Jonny and I walk at a sedate pace! We have a nice big field nearby, or the beach. I take Penny for a lead walk most days as well as her afternoon scamper. I'd say we do about an hour and a half offlead all told, plus an extra half hour lead walk for Penny.