CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Puppies => Topic started by: Sarafina on July 22, 2010, 06:00:42 PM
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How much exercise do you give your cockers every day? How much is recommended?
I own a 7 month old cocker spaniel girl. Every day, I take her for one long walk, about 1 hour. (many of you will say that puppies need less than that, only 30 mins if it is 6 months old. However, I see that that is not enough for my dog - then she will go "crazy" inside ) She loves to be out for walks. I also go for 2 short walks, morning and night. (We dont have a garden, so this is the exercise that she gets). plus sometimes we visit friends with dogs, so they can play together.
Is this to much or too little exercise - any thoughts??
I will probably walk a bit more when she gets older, and I am also planning to start jogging with her. Does anyone have experience with running with cocker spaniels - do they like it?
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The rule of thumb for puppies in order to protect growing bones and joints is 5 minutes of exercise per month of age but they can have this 2-3 times per day so at 6 months that's 2 or 3 30 minute walks. An hour at a time every day is a bit too much for a pup of that age, pups aren't very good at self regulating and will often take more exercise than is really appropriate for them. Things like clicker training and playing games are excellent for keeping them occupied and wearing them out mentally.
I jog 5 mornings per week for about 30-40 minutes and I alternate taking Rodaidh or Caoimhe with me. I live on a shooting estate so I can run with them off lead on the estate roads which are really quiet and they trot along just in front of me. They seem to enjoy it although it's not good for the ego when I'm gasping for breath and they're barely panting :lol2: I would wait until your pup is a year old before starting to run with her though.
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Ours usually have at least 50 minutes a day walk or walks, mostly off lead. We also spend quite a bit of time playing with them, plus they play with each other quite a bit. Mental stimulation can be as or more tiring for them than physical exercise, so play and training time is really important. The worst thing you can do is to take them for short walks during the week then marathons at the weekend; although I'm guilty of this sometimes ph34r
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When you say she "will go crazy" inside - what do you mean?
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You could prob shouldnt extend the walks any further just yet. You can always try walking somewhere and then having a picnic or read a book for half an hour while they rest there legs and then do a bit more. That way they are out for much longer and she'll be shattered by the time you return without the joint damage,
With regards running my OH does it and has found that they can zig zag in front of him if hes not careful. We started with heel and then slowly upped the speed and they're improving. I suppose its like anything, you might need to do abit of training before they understand what to do. I start teaching heel at different speeds for the min while you wait for her to reach a year. I wouldnt do any serious running before then as you risk joint damage.
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Daisy is also 7 months and is in the same routine as your girl, I have heard mixed things about 'over' exercising and most have been that it is more concerning for larger dogs (and if they are over weight) as they have more weight to carry on their joints however cockers being smaller (Daisy being smaller than average) I have been advised not to fret too much about duration. I do not think I am over doing it at the moment and try not to let her run for long periods. :003: Agree on the training too it really stimulates and tires her out when we play 'go find' or new tricks....latest being push the door shut ;) and rest when she'll lay on her side and wait for a sneaky treat! :015:
Keep doing what you're doing!
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I do find it concerning that so much advice being given seems to be to ignore the advice.
The 5 mins per month rule is there to protect joints from future damage - surely as owners we owe it to our dogs not to put them at risk of health problems later in life??
Ok, an occassional longer jaunt isn't going to be a big deal, but to regularly over-exercise I personally think is irresponsible... We stuck to the guidelines, basically, up until Honey was 1 yr old. We also had to devote time to training so that she had enough mental stimulation so she didn't go stir crazy in the house.
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have to agree with Nicola and Karma
Sorry but I have had a dog that has been damaged by too much excercise when too young and TBH NEVER again as taking heed now and following the rule of thumb will save your dog more agony in older age
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I have to admit that I have found Murphy is much more tired from going to an obedience class (where the training is quite full on) than walking for miles. He has been for whole day walks or runs with other dogs and he's actually less tired from those than from the mental stimulation. It's all to do with adrenaline and the young dog not knowing it's limits. Very much like children with eating, you put an adult sized portion in front of a small child and often it will eat the whole plate and be sick afterwards because the child hasn't learned when to stop. I've never seen it in dogs but as I've said in other posts I've seen these things in horses all too many times and with devastating results. Ok a Cocker isn't as heavy as a horse, and maybe you don't need to worry very much because they're not a big, heavy, late maturing breed but the 5 min rule has been around a long time and unlike a lot of these other 'rules' that have stood the test of time (like a bitch should have a litter before being spayed to prevent health problems was disproved quite a long time ago) it hasn't (yet) been disproved.
As Karma said the odd hour long walk hopefully won't hurt, I got lost a few times when Murphy was a pup and ended up out much later than I intended. But I'd stick to the 5min rule. She may still be going out for an hour or so but just not all in one go. In addition some people believe that too much stimulation from over walking can actually make them more excited, You have to consider too that the more she's walked, the fitter she will be, so the harder to handle she'll get because she'll basically be a pre-pubescent child who is as fit as an olympic athlete!
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I enjoy reading everyones views and past experiences. I would never deliberately ignore advice if I thought it would hurt or inflict future health problems on Daisy however our creatures descend from the wolves after all and would not have a 5 minute rule in the wild, they will behave naturally and not hesitate in letting you know they are tired. We like to compare them to children but they are dogs. I can't help believing the ‘5 minute rule’ is perpetuated by breeders looking for a get out if a pup develops genetic problems.
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We also had to devote time to training so that she had enough mental stimulation so she didn't go stir crazy in the house.
Karma has hit on what I believe is a very important point here - the value of mental stimulation.
I do wonder just how many dog owners misinterpret their dog's "lively", "manic" or "stir crazy" behaviour and think they need more exercise, taking them for longer and longer walks, when in fact what they actually need is mental stimulation from games, training, etc.
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Is there any science behind the 5 minute rule? I'm not saying it's wrong but just haven't seen anything and would like to read the evidence behind it, I'm sure it's been done by someone.
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I enjoy reading everyones views and past experiences. I would never deliberately ignore advice if I thought it would hurt or inflict future health problems on Daisy however our creatures descend from the wolves after all and would not have a 5 minute rule in the wild, they will behave naturally and not hesitate in letting you know they are tired. We like to compare them to children but they are dogs. I can't help believing the ‘5 minute rule’ is perpetuated by breeders looking for a get out if a pup develops genetic problems.
Yes, dogs are related to wolves. But wolves aren't taken for walks... wolf cubs stay at the den and the rest of the pack bring food back to them. Their early exercise is limited to play with their siblings... They gradually join the hunting as they mature... So, yes, an 8 month old may join in some hunting.... but he's still not taken for an hour's walk every day.
And at the end of the day, dogs aren't wolves... they are dogs.
I fail to see how adhering to a highly recommended restriction on exercise for the first year of a dog's life is akin to treating it like a child...
Dogs don't let on they are tired... it is up to us to make those decisions for them. I recall one walk which was a long one for Honey - it was a COL meet and much more than she was used to at her age... she was limping but still refused to rest.
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I enjoy reading everyones views and past experiences. I would never deliberately ignore advice if I thought it would hurt or inflict future health problems on Daisy however our creatures descend from the wolves after all and would not have a 5 minute rule in the wild, they will behave naturally and not hesitate in letting you know they are tired. We like to compare them to children but they are dogs. I can't help believing the ‘5 minute rule’ is perpetuated by breeders looking for a get out if a pup develops genetic problems.
Yes, dogs are related to wolves. But wolves aren't taken for walks... wolf cubs stay at the den and the rest of the pack bring food back to them. Their early exercise is limited to play with their siblings... They gradually join the hunting as they mature... So, yes, an 8 month old may join in some hunting.... but he's still not taken for an hour's walk every day.
And at the end of the day, dogs aren't wolves... they are dogs.
I fail to see how adhering to a highly recommended restriction on exercise for the first year of a dog's life is akin to treating it like a child...
Dogs don't let on they are tired... it is up to us to make those decisions for them. I recall one walk which was a long one for Honey - it was a COL meet and much more than she was used to at her age... she was limping but still refused to rest.
Totally agree with Karma.
Also i dont think that the 5 min rule is a bredders get out clause should anything go wrong , i think its based more on the fact that a developing puppy has soft immature bones. It is true that larger breeds take longer to develop but it does still apply to other breeds.
I personally used the 5 mins rule as a guide.
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I can't help believing the ‘5 minute rule’ is perpetuated by breeders looking for a get out if a pup develops genetic problems.
Right, so sensible advice not to over-do exercise is being perpetuated by breeders out of self-interest? What a low opinion you must have of all breeders ph34r
The "five minute" rule isn't actually set in stone anyway - it's just a useful "rule of thumb" so owners have a rough idea of how much exercise might be too much (but it only applies to "forced" exercise anyway not to general running around and playing in the garden) Just to show you that there is a wide range of respected organisations (charities, trainers, vets) also strongly advising that puppies should not be over-exercised and allowed free rein to tire themselves out, here are a few links:
http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/az/e/exercise/exercisepuppies.aspx
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/395
http://www.acorndogtraining.co.uk/puddling.htm
http://www.k9obedience.co.uk/puppies/puppycare/earlyneeds.html
http://www.darwinvets.com/cats/arthritis-dogs-and-cats
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I enjoy reading everyones views and past experiences. I would never deliberately ignore advice if I thought it would hurt or inflict future health problems on Daisy however our creatures descend from the wolves after all and would not have a 5 minute rule in the wild, they will behave naturally and not hesitate in letting you know they are tired. We like to compare them to children but they are dogs. I can't help believing the ‘5 minute rule’ is perpetuated by breeders looking for a get out if a pup develops genetic problems.
Yes, dogs are related to wolves. But wolves aren't taken for walks... wolf cubs stay at the den and the rest of the pack bring food back to them. Their early exercise is limited to play with their siblings... They gradually join the hunting as they mature... So, yes, an 8 month old may join in some hunting.... but he's still not taken for an hour's walk every day.
And at the end of the day, dogs aren't wolves... they are dogs.
I fail to see how adhering to a highly recommended restriction on exercise for the first year of a dog's life is akin to treating it like a child...
Dogs don't let on they are tired... it is up to us to make those decisions for them. I recall one walk which was a long one for Honey - it was a COL meet and much more than she was used to at her age... she was limping but still refused to rest.
Totally agree that although hardwork at times, it is important to restrict puppies until they are physically mature, and the five min rule is a good guideline to work to - particularly where walking on hard surfaces or at a constant pace. It is soft developing bones and growing joints that you are trying to protect, I don't quite understand the 'child' reference either :huh:
I've run (and cycled) with all of my adult dogs and to be honest, the cockers have found it hard running on lead. Off lead is no problem for them at all, but on lead road running at a constant pace doesn't seem to suit them that well... my Weim can keep a steady pace up for a very long time, but the cockers seem to like stop/start running more, so if you can run with her off lead (once she is well over a year) then you'll probably find she prefers that as she can zoom ahead then rest when she needs to.
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I enjoy reading everyones views and past experiences. I would never deliberately ignore advice if I thought it would hurt or inflict future health problems on Daisy however our creatures descend from the wolves after all and would not have a 5 minute rule in the wild, they will behave naturally and not hesitate in letting you know they are tired. We like to compare them to children but they are dogs. I can't help believing the ‘5 minute rule’ is perpetuated by breeders looking for a get out if a pup develops genetic problems.
Yes, dogs are related to wolves. But wolves aren't taken for walks... wolf cubs stay at the den and the rest of the pack bring food back to them. Their early exercise is limited to play with their siblings... They gradually join the hunting as they mature... So, yes, an 8 month old may join in some hunting.... but he's still not taken for an hour's walk every day.
And at the end of the day, dogs aren't wolves... they are dogs.
I fail to see how adhering to a highly recommended restriction on exercise for the first year of a dog's life is akin to treating it like a child...
Dogs don't let on they are tired... it is up to us to make those decisions for them. I recall one walk which was a long one for Honey - it was a COL meet and much more than she was used to at her age... she was limping but still refused to rest.
Completely agree with Karma. And would just add, if you find that your dog has a condition that has a number of possible causes, you really want to be in a position where you can easily discount those causes you had some control over..... if you can't you can be left with a lot of self doubt and guilt.
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Been mulling this over overnight and I think that, if you can honestly say your pup is in complete control of it's own walk - how long it's out for, it can stop and sniff whatever it wants, whenever it wants, and there is no playing with older dogs (only with pups the same age), no lead walking, no ball throwing - then, yes, a pup can regulate its own exercise.
I think, with a medium sized breed like a Cocker, once your approaching 1 yr you can be a little more flexible in the application of the 5 min per month rule (Honey had several hour long walks when she was 10 months - but that's only 10 mins extra on a few occassions, not double the recommended amount every day.)
Yes, the 5 min rule applies more to on-lead exercise which is harsher on developing joints than pottering around a field, but it is worth having in the back of your mind.... we didn't apply it rigidly - for her first walks at 12 weeks, she was probably out for 20 mins, (10 mins lead walking, and 10 mins off lead when we got there) but then we didn't increase this until she was 5 months... She also did puppy romp, which was 1 hr off lead - but the important thing here was that they were all puppies, so there was no pressure from anything else to keep going - and they did rest when needbe.
We all have to make the decisions we are happy with, but I sincerely hope you are never in the position that Maggie is talking about, having to look back and consider whether anything you have done has caused a health issue... :-\
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>:D I seem to have ruffled some feathers in some of you. We each have our opinion however I would not make someone feel they were creating future problems for their dog. I am a responsible owner and take advice from my vet who says it would be very hard to damage a puppies growth plates through exercise. I live next to a beach, she is mainly off lead and walking on sand so I do not think this is a problem.
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>:D I seem to have ruffled some feathers in some of you. We each have our opinion however I would not make someone feel they were creating future problems for their dog.
No feathers ruffled - members are just stating their reasons for disagreeing with you ;) Yes you're entitled to your opinion but other people are entitled to theirs too and it's not like we are alone in advising caution when exercising puppies - this advice is pretty much universally accepted these days.
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>:D I seem to have ruffled some feathers in some of you. We each have our opinion however I would not make someone feel they were creating future problems for their dog. I am a responsible owner and take advice from my vet who says it would be very hard to damage a puppies growth plates through exercise. I live next to a beach, she is mainly off lead and walking on sand so I do not think this is a problem.
As I said, everyone is entitled to make their own decisions on this and I sincerely hope you don't regret your decision in future - the fact is dogs have been damged by over-exercise, and if people are to make their own decisions, they need to know this.... how much weight you want to give the risk of damage is up to you, but it would be irresponsible of us not to mention the risks on a thread about how much exercise a pup should be given....
Certainly no feathers ruffled here ;) (and I'm not sure I understand your need to use the "Evil" emote to respond to people who have disagreed with you with perfectly reasoned and polite posts... :dunno: ...but again, still no ruffled feathers!)
One final thought, though.... I have very bad joints myself, and have always found walking on sand much harder work for my joints than walking on grass... :shades:
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This is a really interesting thread. I'm enjoying reading it. But I really feel I need to have my input too! :005:
I remember when Murphy was a pup my mum wanted to take him all over the place on walks she had done with her Springer but other than the odd time I was very strict about the 5 min rule and I think he's better off for it. Also if he were to develop any problems, as Maggie said, I could virtually rule out over walking as a pup.
With dogs being descended from wolves, they were bred out about 7000+ years ago so in that time with selective breeding dogs are actually almost completely different from the wolf, and as Karma said a young wolf wouldn't be going out on huge hunting trips until it was much older.
So people don't like dogs to be compared to children but I remember watching a programme about incredibly bright children, some could do maths, english, chess, science, music. etc. I remember one girl in particular who was an exceptional pianist and violinist at about 8yrs old. When the programme revisited all the children the next year this girl had awful carpel tunnel syndrome and could no longer play the piano or violin and doctors were warning if she didn't stop playing them she would never recover. Obviously the parents wouldn't accept this. But as a dog owner and as the dog can't understand why it is feeling pain then I would want to try to limit any factor that may potentially cause the dog pain. Like over walking on soft bones and under-developed joints. In that way puppies are like children and if they enjoy something enough they will keep going until something hurts so much it's impossible to do anything.
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This is such a simple guideline which is recommended often, I cannot begin to understand why someone would ignore it and "possibly" run the risk of damaging their pup's joints?
Why over do it? Just doesn't make any sense to me :huh: :huh:
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I only knew about the five minute rule when I joined Col. I was not told by either the breeder or my vet about restricting exercise. Dylan and Jessie were both off-lead as soon as the proper time after vacs. We walked them in a country park not a lot of pavement walks except to get to the country park. BUT they were not allowed as pups to jump on to furniture or run up and down stairs babygate put across the bottom stair or jump into the back of the car they were lifted in. They did not start any flyball and fun agility till they were the right age.
I have never had any joint problems with them. In fact the vet said they had excellent muscle tone, when I had their hips checked to start agility.
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If one wanted to make a comparison between children and puppies there is plenty of evidence of overuse injuries in youngsters who have played too much sport. I'm a football coach by trade and the amount of young players we see with complaints such as osgood schlatters disease is amazing. This is directly linked to too much too young and can have a lifelong effect. The five minute rule seems a sensible rule of thumb for puppies and probably the sort of sensible limit that most people would stick to anyway even if they weren't told.
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Hello Sarafina,
I have always tried to stick with the 5 mins rule, and like you we do not have a garden Selby is 8 months and he goes for a walk at about 8 ish for about 30 mins then I take him for about 5 mins just really to do what he has to about 12 and then about 4 another 10 mins and then about 7 for about 5/10 mins just to do his business and then for a wee before bed, but we do alot of games and just having fun he loves searching for things, and I am quite proud of him he is really good at it. Hope this helps
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Jessie I'm glad you brought up the jumping issue. I think thats as important if not more important than the 5 min rule.
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Look at the Burns website on care of puppies. exercise section makes interesting reading.
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Burns website is simply another opinion as valid as all others I've heard. There seems a lack of real scientific evidence and that then opens itself up to people manipulating the issue for their own reasons. Could unscrupulous breeders/ blame over exercise for joint problems and could pet food manufacturers encourage more exercise to encourage bigger appetites. mmmm surely not ;)
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Well, I for one am not prepared to take the risk. My 3 month old pup is getting a 15 min walk 2-3 times a day. If it happens to stretch to 20mins, I'm not going to beat myself up over it, but I won't be making a habit of it. I will take lots of care till he is a year old, for me the risk just is not worth it.
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Burns website is simply another opinion as valid as all others I've heard. There seems a lack of real scientific evidence and that then opens itself up to people manipulating the issue for their own reasons. Could unscrupulous breeders/ blame over exercise for joint problems and could pet food manufacturers encourage more exercise to encourage bigger appetites. mmmm surely not ;)
The difficulty is, to acheive what you are talking about would mean subjecting animals to too much exercise to monitor what the effects were - would any animal lover really want that?
And what about unscrupulous vets saying there's no risk so that they can charge extortionate fees to rectify the damage later in life... (I'm NOT saying any very who has questioned the 5 minute rule has done so for this reason, just pointing out that everyone can be shown to have an agenda, and personally I'd rather err on the side of caution especially in a situation where there is absolutely no down-side to limiting exercise...)
It seems to me to make sense that juvenile bones aren't going to stand up to the same treatment as adult bones... the 5 minute rule is, to my mind, a sensible and easy framework to ensure people don't do too much.
Well, I for one am not prepared to take the risk. My 3 month old pup is getting a 15 min walk 2-3 times a day. If it happens to stretch to 20mins, I'm not going to beat myself up over it, but I won't be making a habit of it. I will take lots of care till he is a year old, for me the risk just is not worth it.
That just about sums the situation up for me... why take the risk?
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There seems a lack of real scientific evidence and that then opens itself up to people manipulating the issue for their own reasons. Could unscrupulous breeders/ blame over exercise for joint problems ..
Interestingly over-exercise or too much of the wrong kind of exercise is thought to be one of the factors contributing to the development of HD in dogs genetically predisposed to this condition so any breeder pointing this out would not be unscrupulous but simply stating what's already known (any number of veterinary sites refer to this so I won't bother listing them here)
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There seems a lack of real scientific evidence and that then opens itself up to people manipulating the issue for their own reasons. Could unscrupulous breeders/ blame over exercise for joint problems ..
Interestingly over-exercise or too much of the wrong kind of exercise is thought to be one of the factors contributing to the development of HD in dogs genetically predisposed to this condition so any breeder pointing this out would not be unscrupulous but simply stating what's already known (any number of veterinary sites refer to this so I won't bother listing them here)
You misunderstand me slightly, what I mean by unscrupulous breeders are breeders who continue to use affected dogs and then blame over exercise for the problem when in fact genetics is the major contributing factor. Most of the science points to breeding issues and nutrition with some mention of exercise. I am not against the five minute rule and think it's sensible generally, but I do feel it is used to cloud bigger issues surrounding pedigree dogs. However that's probably for a different thread and I'll probably get this discussion closed if I continue, I seem to have that effect :005:
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There seems a lack of real scientific evidence and that then opens itself up to people manipulating the issue for their own reasons. Could unscrupulous breeders/ blame over exercise for joint problems ..
Interestingly over-exercise or too much of the wrong kind of exercise is thought to be one of the factors contributing to the development of HD in dogs genetically predisposed to this condition so any breeder pointing this out would not be unscrupulous but simply stating what's already known (any number of veterinary sites refer to this so I won't bother listing them here)
You misunderstand me slightly, what I mean by unscrupulous breeders are breeders who continue to use affected dogs and then blame over exercise for the problem when in fact genetics is the major contributing factor. Most of the science points to breeding issues and nutrition with some mention of exercise. I am not against the five minute rule and think it's sensible generally, but I do feel it is used to cloud bigger issues surrounding pedigree dogs. However that's probably for a different thread and I'll probably get this discussion closed if I continue, I seem to have that effect :005:
We all know there are unscrupulous breeders out there but it is easier than it has ever been before to check on things like health test results so puppy buyers must share the responsibility if they continue to buy from breeders who don't health test or who breed from dogs with poor test results. Anyway, we've discussed this many times before on COL so it's probably best to keep this thread on topic ;)
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Whilst there is probably no scientific study backing up the 5min rule there is enough anecdotal and informed opinion backing it that I have always born it in mind. That does not mean that I have obeyed it to the letter however. ph34r
I think you have got to apply a bit of common sense and realise that every walk will have different impacts on a pups joints. If a pup or dog is, even slightly, overweight that will increase the strain on its joints considerably. I cant see that a 1hr puppy romp would be any less damaging than the average 1hr walk - not that I think you should avoid these types of activity - you just wouldn't do them every day.
The point about jumping is interesting - we took Saffi to the beach recently and she was very involved in my daughters crabbing exercises among the rocks and rockpools - this involved, for Saffi, a lot of climbing up what looked like nearly shear rock faces and flying leaps off and into the water. I'm sure this was very hard on her joints but she was having such fun I couldn't bring myself to stop her. ph34r
One potentially joint damaging activity I would definitely like to stamp out, is jumping up onto the kitchen table - and jumping down again onto the tiled floor when she hears anyone coming! >:D we have taken to tucking the chairs in and making sure we don't leave food up there, but to no avail - I think the memory of the sausage roles she found there once is just too strong! :005: Any ideas on how to stop a 10 month old working cocker jumping?
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I cant see that a 1hr puppy romp would be any less damaging than the average 1hr walk - not that I think you should avoid these types of activity - you just wouldn't do them every day.
But it is... there is lots of rest time, puppies often go and lie down on their own for 5 mins, and there is no distance covered. If there are a range of puppy ages/sizes the very small ones are seperated even further, so that they are not pushed into overdoing it with bigger/older pups.... but the key thing is THEY set the pace... they are not following owners on a walk.
I do agree with the rest of what you said, though... ;)
As far as jumping, you need to make it more rewarding for her not to jump up to the table... scatter treats around the floor, so she learns to start searching these out rather than looking to the table...
It's hard if she's doing it when you are not there...
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But it is... there is lots of rest time, puppies often go and lie down on their own for 5 mins, and there is no distance covered. If there are a range of puppy ages/sizes the very small ones are seperated even further, so that they are not pushed into overdoing it with bigger/older pups.... but the key thing is THEY set the pace... they are not following owners on a walk.
When you are out walking - at least when you have only one dog, don't you tend to let them set the pace anyway? - well within reason - I cant keep up with Saffi ph34r :005: The rest periods in the puppy play would have to be compulsory - there is no way Saffi would have taken time out from play if there were other dogs around.
As far as jumping, you need to make it more rewarding for her not to jump up to the table... scatter treats around the floor, so she learns to start searching these out rather than looking to the table...
It's hard if she's doing it when you are not there...
Its always when we're not there - she knows she is not supposed to do it - hence the hurried exits when we come into the room. Once she has jumped off can you tel her off? - This is getting a bit off topic - I should probably start another thread ph34r
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Thanks for all the answers, a very interesting discussion so thanks to all of you! I would love to hear more opinions, and I also have one more question: how much do you exercise your adult cocker spaniels?
When I say "she goes crazy in the house" if not exercised more than 20 minutes or so, I mean running around / jumping up on the sofa, etc. Also, she just seems more HAPPY when she has been out for longer. I had heard about the 5-minute rule of course, but I also take advice from the veterinary, and I spoke to a woman in the Norwegian Spaniel Club (as I live here in Norway.) They both said that: this is individual, you know your dog best and just use common sense, and see how your dog reacts to it. You can try and sit down and relax for a bit, and let the dog decide the pace you walk at (sorry if my English has some faults..)
The worst thing you can do to your dog, is too little acitivity and too much "boring" time in the apartment.
PS. I dont take my dog on 1 hour walks EVERY day, but perhaps 5 times a week, the other days she gets a bit shorter walks.
When I walk my dog in the forest, I dont walk particularly fast. Still, she runs back and forwards, probably walking 2-3 times as much as I do on the same walk... This, she decides for herself. Also, when I sit down for a while, she continues to run around and looks like she doesnt need a break. I keep her off-lead most of the time, as we walk in the forest.
I also agree with those of you that say that dogs are animals, originating from the wolves. They are "built" for more active lives than we humans can offer them.
I sometimes take my dog to a friend, who lives on a farm. After playing for an hour with her dog, my pup is much more tired than after we have walked for 1 hour.
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Sarafina
Could I just ask how much time you spend each day with her playing and training? For me, this is as important a time as actual walks, as it stimulates them mentally as well as physically.
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Sarafina
Could I just ask how much time you spend each day with her playing and training? For me, this is as important a time as actual walks, as it stimulates them mentally as well as physically.
Maybe half an hour per day, altogether (or less, I have to admit, some days only 5-10 minutes).. something like that. She plays with the kong, we throw sticks that she can carry back to us, sometimes we play on the veranda with a tennis ball. When I walk her in the forest, I "hide" behind trees so she can find me. We train on sit, lie down and come to us, and stay there, and so on. As she is 7 months old now, it might be time for her to learn more tricks :blink:
But you are right, this is something we might have overlooked and that we could have done more of. Thanks for good advice in this thread. I will try and do more playing and training - and walk a bit shorter than we do now. As it is now, I take her out: morning when she wakes up for 5-10 mins for her to do her thing, lunchtime maybe 20-30 mins, evening 1 hour (will cut down on that one) and nighttime around 8 pm for 5-10 mins. 4 times per day, is that enough?
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This has been a really interesting thread to read, roxy who is 7 months old has walked some of the yorkshire dales, up pen-y-ghent and round the hole of horcum near Whitby, so a good few miles. We dont over do it but ive never strictly followed the 5 min rule. ( We got roxy in the winter so it was too cold for her anyway) When we got my first dog Roly, i never heard of the rule, me and my sister used to walk him every where, played and walked with him for hours when he was a puppy, hes 17 now and still gets up in the morning with no problem. Sometimes i think it depends on the dog too :D
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Sometimes i think it depends on the dog too :D
It may well do. But the thing is, we've no way of knowing how the dog might be affected, have we?
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No i guess not but you could stick to the rules and do 5 mins per month of age, and do it religiously and still have problems with the dog. Its just genetics and you dont truly know until they are older or until they have problems, if they do
xxx
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No i guess not but you could stick to the rules and do 5 mins per month of age, and do it religiously and still have problems with the dog. Its just genetics and you dont truly know until they are older or until they have problems, if they do
Well, as I said earlier, I would rather play it safe, minimise the risk and lessen the chances of there being a problem later on.
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I think this topic is really a matter of opinion with such a lack of evidence. I think some will play it safe, others find a balance and some will disregard the whole thing as nonsense. My own opinion is that it's more down to genetics than how you exercise your puppy but over exercise in a dog that is susceptible will accelerate the problem but thats just based on my own reading and anecdotal evidence ;) I think you can time your walks to the minute or take them up mountains daily but you've got what you've got, years of breeding have seen to that, and you're not really going to effect too much at all.
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Theres so many variable to consider in a puppys exercise.
I live in a small terrace. My mum lives in a huge bungerlow which includes a circlular route round the house. My dogs have been known to charge around there full pelt for a good half an hour and are allowed under the 5 min rule. Whereas a park walk may involve lots of play and very little actual walking but have gone on for up to an hour and have broken the 5 min rule yet is likely to have had less joint impact.
IMO its about firstly making sure you get a health checked puppy and then getting to know your dog and reading the signs of them becoming tired and pushed too far whilest being mindful of the guidlines. And ensure While they're young control their weight with food limits. Everyone will strike their own balance and it will be interesting to see what becomes later.
Does anyone with old cockers have any experiences of how much exercise impacted on their dogs in old age? It would be interesting to hear from people first hand with had to deal with the dogs in old age
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I live in a small terrace. My mum lives in a huge bungerlow which includes a circlular route round the house. My dogs have been known to charge around there full pelt for a good half an hour and are allowed under the 5 min rule. Whereas a park walk may involve lots of play and very little actual walking but have gone on for up to an hour and have broken the 5 min rule yet is likely to have had less joint impact.
My understanding of the 5min rule is that that covers being walked by a person (usually on-lead), not where the puppy/dog is playing or initiating its own exercise.
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(usually on-lead), not where the puppy/dog is playing or initiating its own exercise.
So where does off lead in a park with me standing still come into it? I let my puppy dictate her own play whilest socialising with other dogs, In a park, most people would define this as a walk.
A walk isnt the same for everyone.
In allowing my dog to charge about at my parents (where their house is much bigger) arent I just cheating the rule to enable me to tire the dog out?
Im not trying to say I dont agree with limiting a puppys exercise just that the variables involved from one puppy in terms of their home life exercise is huge. So some people may need to extend the walks sightly but just make sure they build in rest breaks and allow the puppy to dictate the pace
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So where does off lead in a park with me standing still come into it? I let my puppy dictate her own play whilest socialising with other dogs, In a park, most people would define this as a walk.
I'm just saying what my vet said - that the 5min rule is for "hard" walking, where you follow a route, and the pup goes because that's where you're going, and where you set the pace. She wouldn't include what you've described (or the exercising your pup at your parents' house), just the bit to and from the park (and round it, if the pup is on the lead).
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I have also always meant it to mean on lead "hard walking"
I say this because our odler cocker had a serious back injury and his recoup has meant increasing his walking by five minutes a day.. not the time in the garden but the walking on the lead. I would think therefore its the same thing with a puppy..
Play in the garden, in the field as much as they want, its the time spent "hard walking" Or so I have always felt
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Does anyone with old cockers have any experiences of how much exercise impacted on their dogs in old age? It would be interesting to hear from people first hand with had to deal with the dogs in old age
I would also love to hear from people with older cockers, about their experiences :)
Also, in general: how much exercise is recommend for adult cockers?
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As it is now, I take her out: morning when she wakes up for 5-10 mins for her to do her thing, lunchtime maybe 20-30 mins, evening 1 hour (will cut down on that one) and nighttime around 8 pm for 5-10 mins. 4 times per day, is that enough?
How about increasing the length of her first walk to 30 mins or so? Similarly with her last walk of the day? That way, even if you cut down that third walk, she will still be getting the same amount of exercise overall per day (or even a little bit more), just spread out more evenly.
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How about increasing the length of her first walk to 30 mins or so? Similarly with her last walk of the day? That way, even if you cut down that third walk, she will still be getting the same amount of exercise overall per day (or even a little bit more), just spread out more evenly.
Very good idea! But (haha) in the morning at 7.30, I am usually in a rush to go to work (I know, I should really be getting up earlier, but...) or to tired. I will try and increase the lenght of the last walk.
But, I have to admit, in my personal opinion, I prefer to have one longer walk (that way that is "done with"), and the other walks a bit shorter just so she can do her thing. But I realise it would be better for the dog to spread it out more :003:
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[I prefer to have one longer walk (that way that is "done with"), and the other walks a bit shorter just so she can do her thing. But I realise it would be better for the dog to spread it out more :003:
I have to admit to feeling the same - we tend to do 1 "good" walk a day ph34r- Im very lucky though - Saffi has free access to 2 acres of garden/paddock for the rest. The second "walk" tends to be replaced by some ball play/retrieval training etc.
When Saffi was younger the 5 min rule used to really frustrate me - it takes about 6-7 min of on road walk to get to the forest where we could let her off lead - we would just get there just in time to turn round and come back, so there was always a temptation to stay out a bit longer. I don't think it was too much of a problem though - Saffi spent plenty of time resting her legs (lying on her back asking everyone we met to tickle her tummy!) ph34r :005:
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I know how difficult it is to take them out for longer than a short time before going to work, but have you thought about getting some interactive toys that she could play with whilst you are getting ready or cooking the dinner.
You may consider something like these http://www.nina-ottosson.com/PRODUCTS.htm.
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Very good idea! But (haha) in the morning at 7.30, I am usually in a rush to go to work (I know, I should really be getting up earlier, but...) or to tired. I will try and increase the lenght of the last walk.
The thing is, you've posted elsewhere that after this little walk she has, you put her in her "den" and go to work (and she has started to run away when you call her because she knows this is happening). With a longer walk before you leave her, she may well be more tired and easier to settle. Just think, she has just had a long night's sleep, has had her energy levels renewed, and something to eat - she may well really benefit from you getting up just 15 mins earlier and giving her a longer walk first thing.
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Deleted :D waffling again ph34r
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But, I have to admit, in my personal opinion, I prefer to have one longer walk (that way that is "done with"), and the other walks a bit shorter just so she can do her thing.
I do find this statement a little sad. It is almost as though you see a dog walk as a chore. :shades:
I get great pleasure taking my dogs out and the more I take them out, the more they respond and bond with me. It may be an effort to do more walks but once you are out it is SO enjoyable. ;) The more you do with your dog, the more you get out of them :D
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Very good idea! But (haha) in the morning at 7.30, I am usually in a rush to go to work (I know, I should really be getting up earlier, but...) or to tired. I will try and increase the lenght of the last walk.
The thing is, you've posted elsewhere that after this little walk she has, you put her in her "den" and go to work (and she has started to run away when you call her because she knows this is happening). With a longer walk before you leave her, she may well be more tired and easier to settle. Just think, she has just had a long night's sleep, has had her energy levels renewed, and something to eat - she may well really benefit from you getting up just 15 mins earlier and giving her a longer walk first thing.
I have to say I agree with this.... I'm most definately NOT a morning person, and having always worked shifts I was very used to taking the opportunity to lie in until midday on late shifts... but when we got Honey I knew that would have to change....
When she was 7 months old I was getting up at about 6am, to spend some quiet time with her (as this helped stop her asking to get up even earlier!!!), taking her out for her 30-40min walk, having breakfast on return and then doing 5-10 mins clicker training with her before I left for work... this meant she was always happy to be left alone, and now looks forward to the cues for being left....
The couple of occasions recently I've had to go out very first thing before her walk, she really isn't happy to be left at all (these have been for doctors appointments, and she's had a quick 5 mins out, and this is only leaving her for 30 mins or so, but the repsonse when we get back makes it clear she really hasn't relaxed at all... very different from normal).
Growing up we had dogs who were quite happy to get up, spend breakfast with us and then be left and wait till we got home from school before a walk... but they weren't Cocker Spaniels.... ;)
Please don't think I'm having a go - but if you could add even 15 mins to that morning walk, and work in some time for clicker training, you might find you have a much more responsive, focussed and biddable dog - a real benefit as you are entering the teenage months!!! :005:
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Very good idea! But (haha) in the morning at 7.30, I am usually in a rush to go to work (I know, I should really be getting up earlier, but...) or to tired. I will try and increase the lenght of the last walk.
The thing is, you've posted elsewhere that after this little walk she has, you put her in her "den" and go to work (and she has started to run away when you call her because she knows this is happening). With a longer walk before you leave her, she may well be more tired and easier to settle. Just think, she has just had a long night's sleep, has had her energy levels renewed, and something to eat - she may well really benefit from you getting up just 15 mins earlier and giving her a longer walk first thing.
Thats right, BUT: she is not in her den all day when I am at work. Usually around lunchtime, a family member comes to see her and take her for a walk, perhaps about 30-45 minutes and play with her. But you are very right, a longer walk in the early morning would be much better. Because, as you say, she has slept all night, only to get up for about 30 mins for breakfast and a short walk, then she has to go to the den again for about 3 hours.
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But, I have to admit, in my personal opinion, I prefer to have one longer walk (that way that is "done with"), and the other walks a bit shorter just so she can do her thing.
I do find this statement a little sad. It is almost as though you see a dog walk as a chore. :shades:
I get great pleasure taking my dogs out and the more I take them out, the more they respond and bond with me. It may be an effort to do more walks but once you are out it is SO enjoyable. ;) The more you do with your dog, the more you get out of them :D
I agree on what you say, my words there sounded sad, sorry. But, I have to say, that I find great pleasure in walking my dog. I mean, this thread is about whether or not I give her too much exercise ;)
When I am out with her, I prefer being out for about 1 hour, and not rush to get home. It is just that (as dog owners without a garden) we do have to go out quite many times a day, which I enjoy, but sometimes I am in a rush or whatever. I have to admit that, because I am not a morning person, the morning walk seems a little bit like a chore. But I really enjoy my dog and the acitivty that we do togheyter.
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Carry on enjoying your dog and we can only do our best, I know the guide dogs for the blind only exercise there dogs for 10 mins a day, (thats what is was 8 years ago unless things have changed) and am sure someone will let us know if it has.
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Have any of you heard about someone who exercised their puppy too much, so that the dog got problems in adulthood?
I get the feeling that we get all these warnings, but seldom hear about anyone who was affected, or regret it. My vet agreed that over-exercise is NOT good - but, the worst thing you can do to your dog is too little activity, she said.
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Sarafina,
5 mins per month of age, 2-3 times a day, can in no way be construed as "too little activity".
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Sarafina,
5 mins per month of age, 2-3 times a day, can in no way be construed as "too little activity".
I agree, thank you! However, my puppy always looks like she wants to go out and be active all the time.. However, Im sure that just comes with being a puppy. Thanks for all the great advice here :blink:
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Sarafina, maybe then instead of hard walking for the whole walk, stop halfway and have some off the lead play time. That increases the amount of exercise without it all being hard (on the lead) walking.