GOLDENDOODLES 4+ YEARS IS YOURS LAZY???

[Jennifer]

Chance is SO lazy. It has been a little better since we got our mini, but Chance is still just lazy and is getting fat. Any suggestions, ideas to get him moving, besides the obvious walking (which we do)

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Dogs are just like people, some are couch potatoes as they mature and some will play fetch until their paws bleed even at twelve. Lots of dog trainers call it drive. Mostly even couch potatoes like a brisk walk in a new place or even going the other way around the block. I mostly just walk my dogs in the neighborhood but I have several different walks. The same route taken the other way is an entirely new adventure for a dog. Keep a pocket full of treats and intersperse you walks with "games" - I can only play on the leash games where I live. Games can be sit, stay, sit and stay and watch the tennis ball, children on the swing, etc. One game that my dogs particularily love is heeling while I weave my way in and out of a tot climber at the playground. They also like to play treasure hunt and look for smelly treats that I have hidden in the yard. Start with just one treat placed in plain sight while they wait and watch and then use the cue word - I use "find". Before long they can find it after they have watched you hide it and then when they have not seen you hide it.

You can do the same thing with finding you in or out of the house - of course you have a nice smelly treat for them if they find you. I have had dogs that would "hide" for me to find them, but not many -this is prettty sophisticated and I do not know really how to teach it properly. Both times it just sort of "happened".

[Eva (Lilo and Rocky)]

My doods are 4 1/2 and 5 now, and they are not lazy at all. They still require 2-3 hours of daily high-intensity exercise to behave in a tolerable manner inside the house. And, they rarely take naps during the day and prefer to roam the backyard and hunt down squirrels and mice until after dark. I take them on offleash walks every morning and pick a different trail every day so they don't get bored. Perhaps try and stimulate your dogs nose and other senses, and he might just want to move more. If he's getting overweight, you can feed him smaller portions.

[cfkhi48asl50]

Our Gracie Doodle is 5 years old as of Thanksgiving and she has as much energy as she did when she was 1 year old.
Every time we are at the dog park or meet up with someone hiking, they ask her age. They cannot believe she is 5 years old - the vet can't even believe it. I guess it is her diet and the fact that she has always gotten a lot of exercise. I try and hike with her 5 days a week or so - about 2-3 miles and I let het run off leash. She loves it. I trhought she would have mellowed by now. She is great - lays around and is calm provided she gets her run in... Anybody else have a old doodle with puppy enery?

[Wendy]

Motta and Miley are 8 months old now... I think they will be 9 months soon.. but even at this are they aren't high energy puppies. They are just really calm. We play fetch for 15 or 20 minutes or go for a nice 30 minute walk and they are happy campers! That's all it takes!