Exercise

[Jennifer and Jack]

Please excuse me if I am making discussions when I should not be or if I am supposed to post somewhere else. I am new to this and so far all I have done was discussions.

 

I am wondering about exercise. How much time do you daily spend making sure you dog is exercising. I mean when they are actually running, walking, playing or chasing.

 

I know that I could not handle a bigger dog if that meant bigger dogs need more exercise. Jack goes to play group on average two to three times a week, where he is romping with other dogs for at least three to four hours. He gets two to three half hour walks daily. Which are about a mile each time. I do two "play times" a day which I sit on the floor with him and throw his toys back and fourth. ( I also use this time to train him)

 

The only time he seems tired is after the several hours of play groups. I was wondering what you all do for exercise, I know walking is key because it helps them with their innate drive to walk.

 

I am just looking to give Jack the best and most healthy exercise life, I don't want to over do it but I don't want to under do it.

 

Thanks for advice.

Jennifer and Jack

[BG and Gavin]

It sounds like you are doing a great job with physical exercise.  If he still isn't tired, I would do some mental exercise with him.  Training, hide and go seek, find the treats, treat balls, things that require concentration...  These can be just as tiring as physical exercise.  Do you have him in an obedience class yet?  Our guy would be tuckered right out after an hour of class.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Hey Thanks, Yes he has gone through obedience training and we currently are in an advanced class right now. I think that is a good idea. I am going to start hiding things for him to find. He does get tired after an exercise, but he takes a brief nap and he is ready for round 1 million!!!

 

Thank you for your reply.

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

I personally probably don't walk them enough these days, but working and weather right now make it difficult.  R&B go to daycare 2x's a week, and have a great sitter 2 days a week who loves to take them to parks and run and play. I guess it depends on their energy level too, Rosey can go go go, but Bandit has a tendency to play for 30 and sleep for 3 LOL!!

 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

My two doodles have very different activity levels. Fudge is two and needs a lot more sleep than Vern. She gets bratty when she is tired, so I make sure she gets her rest. She could go to bed at 8 pm and sleep until 10 am. Vern, is a whole different dog.  He is one and needs at least two walks a day or we are up throughout the night. He takes cat naps and then is ready to roll. They both go to a dog sitters one day a week and come home very tired. I go to the nearby tennis courts a lot and let them run off leash and I throw the ball for both of them.

 

I think you sound like you are doing a great job with Jack.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I sometimes wonder if Tara gets enough excercise. In the winter she gets a walk of about 1/2 hour in the morning and then we high energy play for about the same amount of time in the evening.  The rest of the day she is very calm and just seems happy to be sleeping or chewing her bully sticks or going for a ride or just hanging out.  This is the reason why I haven't increased her exercise-because she doesn't show any signs of not getting enough really.

[Eva (Lilo and Rocky)]

both my doodles are very active and need lots of exercise. They are getting a 1 1/2 - 2 hr offleash hike in the morning and 1/2-1 hr walk or backyard romp in the afternoon (we have a large yard and can play ball with them so thet get to run a lot). Add to that playtime inside the house in the evening or outside if the weather is good. In the summer, they also swim in the lake on top of this and I also sometimes do tracking exercises. When we are not exercising them, they are outside chasing critters or guarding the yard and house. They do not sleep much during the day at all. Lilo is 6 and Rocky is 5 1/2. They've always been very active and are not showing any signs of slowing down. At least they keep us fit!

[Smita, Ollie and Juno]

Wow that's a lot of exercise! Ollie gets only one 30 minute walk a day and some time in the yard to do zoomies and fetch. He also gets training sessions every day and plays with the kids. He shows no signs of boredom so I guess he's getting enough.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Darwin gets a short walk every day, and a little jaunt around our apartment's dog park in the morning. We usually can't take him during the time other dogs would be there because of a specific dog owner who brings his aggressive dog (grrr) but he can run around on his own.

He is a very mellow dog and doesn't need much exercise. We take him to daycare a couple of times a month and when he gets home he is tired for days! We have tried to increase his exercise at different times, but he always poops out and it's clear he doesn't like to exert himself TOO much. LOL we like having a "lazy dood" 

[Leslie J]

Cocoa is a total couch potato.  She usually goes on a walk or two around the neighborhood so she can sniff around, but she is definitely not a power walker.  She has three favorite "spots" in the house where she sleeps and she rotates between them throughout the day. 

 

She doesn't lack energy and enjoys playing fetch or running around the yard with my boys, but she doesn't demand exercise.  When I was sick with a bad cold last week and didn't have the energy to walk her she didn't complain a bit.  In the morning after sleeping in her crate all night she doesn't get up for a while after I open the door.  She then goes potty and lies around and snuggles with my kids a while...

 

After writing this I'm thinking that I must be a bad doodle-mom!  I guess I better take Cocoa out for a power walk this afternoon!  I'm good about making sure my boys exercise and run around but I've been remiss about giving Cocoa a workout!  I'm feeling quite guilty...

[Jennifer and Jack]

Thank you for your encouragement... I think you guys are all doing such a good job and I also feel encouraged to go further with Jack in using his brain. We have started doing advanced training, I was told mental stimulation is good for them too.  We are just starting recall with a 20 foot training leash. I can't wait to start sniff therapy.

 

Leslie, if Cocoa is happy that is all that matters. Jack requires less exercise then when he was a puppy but he still is not even two yet. Today for example he went to day care and romped for hours, when I realized I was going to be late in picking him up. I knew he would not be able to take the continued play without a nap so I had to ask them to crate him for a nap. To much exercise is not good for them either. Jack is only 11 pounds and I am astounded at how well he can keep up.

I for sure have noticed that Jack will sleep more and for longer periods. If your dood is happy and not overweight, you don't have to worry.

 

All of us love our doods so much and we are all doing the best we can, I think sometimes it is nice to get ideas from each other. I have learned so much just in the week I have been on here...

 

Love and Hugs from

Jack and Me..

[Leslie J]

Thanks for making me feel better!  It's funny my human boys are all very high energy, but Cocoa is a very mellow dog (and she's only 18 months old, so she is also young).  Luckily she is very thin, so I don't have to worry about her weight.

 

Cocoa is so mellow that she wanders into her crate at about 8:30 pm and doesn't come wandering out until 7:00 in the morning.  You'd think she was exhausted from a day like Jack has!  Instead, she's most likely been laying around except for a couple walks around the neighborhood. 

[Jessica & Lucie]

Jack sounds like a very lucky and well exercised doodle. I wouldn't worry about him not being tired after walks, I have a high energy doodle and she will try to take whatever opportunity to engage me in play possible, even after long walks and her usual exercise. Once she realizes I'm not going to play (of course we do have play time but not during work time) she settles down. Her relaxed state is rarely sleeping, but its not bouncing off the walls bothering me either.

Lucie is 1.5 and she gets total 2-3 hours of actual running/playing/walking a day. 1.5 -2  hours is an off leash 4 mile hike in the woods, and another half hour leash walk. I am pretty sure she convinces me to play with her or other people in our house for at least an hour a day! Since I've had her, I've noticed that my energy level and exercise has increased too :)