Puppy walking - How far??

[Alan Taphouse]

Oscar (11 weeks) has now had his jabs and is allowed out so we took him (with our Westie, Marley) down the tow path on the Chichester canal on Saturday.  The plan was to carry him most of the time as both the breeder and the KC say that small puppies should not be walked on a lead until they are 3-4 months old.  He was squirming so much that we let him walk and he had a great time meeting new people and other dogs and - more importantly for us - Marley was getting on with him much better than he does at home.
Yesterday we took him and Marley blackberry picking in a nearby field so we let him off the lead and he spent half an hour running up and down like a lunatic investigating all those doggy smells etc.
What is the difference between Oscar running about in the garden to talking him on a short walk in his development.  He needs to socialise so has to go out.  Any thoughts??

[Sara750S]

Oh dear I didnt see the KC bit about no lead till 3 - 4 months - Toby went out on one after jabs. But within seconds of being on stream side path we let him off. He didnt move far from us and still doesnt really.

Oscars blackberry run around sounds wonderful.

[LurcherGirl]

What is the difference between Oscar running about in the garden to talking him on a short walk in his development.  He needs to socialise so has to go out.  Any thoughts??

There isn't a difference! I would make sure that you limit the hard impact walking on tarmac for example, but a run around in the park is ok and as you say necessary. I tend to liken it to a small toddler. You take him to the park to the play ground and let him run around and have fun for an hour or two, but you wouldn't go for a two-hour hike with him... same common sense applies with a puppy.  

It is also important to teach the lead walking as soon as possible too as it's much easier to reinforce the walking nicely in a young puppy than try and correct the pulling in an older dog.  

[pennylopey]

Is there a general guideline as to how long they can be out for?

Alfie can start going 'walkies' at the weekend and we have a park that is two minutes away, so he'd be walking two minutes on pavement then roaming free, well on a long lead anyway! How long should we be letting him out for?

Also, he doesn't do recall at the moment, if you call him he doesn't reliably come, so I don't want to let him off yet, but what sort of age should I be looking at him being lead free? I'm scared in case he runs off and never returns!!

Penny

[mkidd]

We were worried about Maisy running off never to return as her recall definately isn't 100% but when they are out somewhere new they will spend the whole time within a 5 metre circle of you initially. We were advised to let them off the lead ASAP so we just had to be brave and go for it!

[writercat]

I let Griffin off the lead on his first walk. Made sure we were in the middle of the park with nothing but lots of green space in every direction. He was fine! He stayed pretty close to me and came when called. Two weeks later and he's getting braver, but he'll still come when I call him, even when there are two crazed border collies distracting him!

I stick to the five-minute-per-month rule in the evenings, but in the morning he's out for 45 mins. That's about 20 mins of VERY slow walking on lead (sniffing, mostly) and 25 mins of exploring the park. If I stuck rigidly to the rule in the mornings he wouldn't be able to socialize with other dogs, since it takes us at least 10 mins to get to the park at his leisurely pace!

[Alan Taphouse]

Thanks for all the comments.  Since my initial post, Oscar has been out with Marley everyday off the lead and loves it.  We are out for about 45 minutes, I carry Oscar for about half of the time.  The only downside when carrying him is muddy paw prints on my shirt!!  He (so far) has always come back when called and I will generally give him a treat when he comes.  I have also spoken to Oscar's breeder about how far to take him and she has said that when playing in the garden Oscar can always stop for his own time out when he wants to (in practice, not very often as he has so much energy!). So when we are out, carrying him for some of the time, gives him the time out that he requires.  The breeder has said that providing that we do not take him for a 10 mile trek these walks will not do any harm at all.
Oscar is now 12 weeks and will sit when asked and we are working on the stay and recall.  He starts puppy classes on the 6th September when the training starts in earnest!!
Nearly lost him on the way home today - too many admirers - they all wanted to take him home with them!

[seaangler]

Again and again i see adults out with there children over the park with there young puppy's ...And yesterday over the park is the start of the football for the youngsters...And of course the parents take along there puppy too..

I was walking past the pitches with my young pup in my arms and making my way over to the food trailer(for a cup of tea) when these young children came bounding over with a very leggy working cocker..Did not wont to say to much thinking it mite be a sproker(very long in the leg) and only 14 weeks old(they said)...I put my gemma down to play a bit with the there puppy...When there mother came over...look mummy the little girl cryed aren't they sweet together...After a few minits i picked little gemma up as this other puppy was getting to bouncy and chasing around like the bat out of hail...

The mother said why are you picking your up they are having so much fun...I said this perticlour breed will go down on its front legs given to much exercise( i like to build them up slowly as with my other dogs)...is it not a cocker she said...Its a spaniel a field spaniel..O she said so is ares she said...Are you sure you are not getting mixed up...As to what she said...A working cocker...Whats one of them she said...I said what yours is..Is she K/C registered i ask her...Whats that she said..Have you a pedigree for your dog...No did not wont one she said the man said it would cost more to get the paper work..(got me thinking) ..but did not say any thing...

In the meantime the little girl was asking for me to put gemma down to play with her puppy..I said she has already been walking and playing a bit longer than i would like her to...Go on the mother said...I said sorry but you should also be resting your little puppy to...She said it will run all day with the kids and they play for hours in the back garden the children love her playing ball with them...I said yes it is a little cute thing bit long in the leg but still cute all the same....I said you will have to be care full to much is bad for a young puppy its in its spurth growth at the moment..(what is that she said)....(Doing my head in now explaining all the time)...I said your pup is growing at a fast rate and it needs time to build up...other wise your pup will later have deformity's because you have not rested your dog...

O she said are other dog was alright and and live to be 14 years old...What was that i said..A mongrel...she said...And how far do you walk yours...About ten minits tops then i carry her put her down for a bit on soft ground..I then sit down with her and she what she does...If she starts to wonder off i call her back...I can not let Trixy of as he will not come back and your does...(Come back)....I said your letting it get out of control to much playing around with the children and not enough training along with rest for your pup also(it needs time out)....Whats that she said I just gave up and went on my way....

[Jonnydog]

I've been trying to stick to the five minutes per month rule on our two walks as they are always off-lead and Penny runs like crazy all the time, in and out of ditches, up and down banks and in and out of the sea at the beach. By the end of the walk, she's usually wet through and zonked.

She gets a fair bit of exercise at home, running about and playing with her toys and Jonny, and I've been taking her out on her own for very short lead walks occasionally as we've started puppy classes so have to practise!

I think it's important not to over-exercise while they're growing so fast.

[Miadanu]

We also stuck to the 5 minute per month of their life rule whilst Merlin was growing up.  He seems to have done ok with it so far (although I guess we won't know for sure until he's an old man!).

[cangrejo]

We've been sticking to this too, obviously having an older dog his needs are different but I want them to learn to walk together so we do Charlie's walk with Dexter riding much of it in a rucksack on my front. Knowledgeable dog owners have commented on what a great idea this is (got it of COL so can't claim it as my idea  ).  But I've had a few people comment when we've been far out in the fields and Dexter has been running around that it's too long a walk, I point to rucksack and say he rides in this most of the way and they give me a look like they don't believe me and go on to tell me how long I should be walking my pup 

[Pam501]

Hi there.  I've just been reading all your posts re exercising. 

Hi Seaangler, I know we have had posts about this the other day and I have taken your advice on board.   I've never had a cocker spaniel before but you are obviously well experienced and I think it does make sense not to over exercise when they are growing so quickly.  I am very aware of this now and suppose there is plenty of time for lots of runs.  I'm not confident enough to let Toby off the lead yet (he's  nearly 14 weeks) although I can't wait until I can take him out and watch him having a good run.