What is Your Doodle's After Walk Behavior?

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Tara who is a 20 pound mini always returns home from her walks and just goes FLAT! I thought the mile and a half walk was not too far for her but lately I had started to think maybe I was wrong.  So today, after the walk she again went flat but I picked up her favorite ball and offered to play soccer. Well, we played about 15 minutes of soccer then I set up a make shift agility course in the house and she ran it for another 15 minutes...up and down...up and down.  She still wasn't tired but I WAS and ready for breakfast so I stopped. Hmmmmm.

Now I am wondering if her walks are LONG ENOUGH??? I live in an area with VERY steep hills so her walks are not on an easy flat surface. And her walks are at a fairly fast pace without many stops.  I also always assumed since she is 20 pounds that her exercise requirement would be far less then that of an 80 pound doodle. That she would only need about 1/4 as much walking distance to meet her needs.Is this illogical?

Now I am also wondering if she is just laying around totally bored waiting for me to initiate something?

So I am curious about how other doodles behave after their walks. Are they tired? Are they revved up and and ready for more?? What does your doodle do?

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Fudge, Vern, and I go for a walk every morning.   I would say we walk two miles in a somewhat hilly area. When we come home, they might wrestle for a couple of minutes and then it is nap time and they sleep between 2-3 hours. This is when I get the majority of my work done. This is why I go on walks in the morning...LOL! After they get up, we usually go on another walk and usually they are tired after that one too. If we don't do an evening walk or late in the day walk, we pay at bedtime with two doodles raring to go.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

So you are walking twice as far but your doods are quite a bit bigger. Tara has slept for most of the day since our big morning but I'm not sure she wouldn't be raring to go if I picked up the ball and squeaked it. I'm afraid to!! LOL!

Yes, Tara has an evening energy surge too!  We usually play "retrieve or catch" just before bedtime too. If not, once we get into bed, she will bring us her ball or bring a bully stick into the bedroom for something to do. :(

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Fudge wears out a lot faster than Vern and really requires far less activity. Unfortunately, for her, Vern doesn't see it that way. She will not stop until I make her and her behavior gets noticeably worse when she is tired.

[Coco Chanel and Cheryl]

Coco and I walk just over a mile 2 times a day. On the weekends we do 3.5 miles and it takes us about an hour and a half, or longer if we run into friends and she plays!! She will come in and play with a ball for another 15 minutes and then sleeps for about 2 hours. She does not stop until I let her. She will play until I stop and then she sleeps!! Coco is just about 50 pounds!!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

This is how I think Tara is too. She just stops because I stop. It is kind of nice that she doesn't NAG me though. I used to have a dog that would THROW the ball at me if I didn't throw it for her! :(

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Myla comes home flops on the floor with a big moan! Chloe gulps water and runs back to the door like lets' go again-that was fun! She could walk forever and not be satisfied. I think Tara is just resting up for her next surge and she's not bored.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Jennifer, Tara is sleeping right now and I just picked up her favorite red ball :) and tossed it to her. She just looked at it and it bounced off of her head!!! I tried twice more. The second toss bounced off of her head too but and by the third toss she was ready to GO!

I can't believe how different your two doodles are!! So funny!

[Katie, John & Parker pup]

Parker is 55lbs so different than a mini I would assume but he will come in and take a nap after exercise...but he will nap on and off throughout the day with or without a walk lol because he is a lazy bum. If we take him on field trips to parks for runs/swims with other dogs then he comes home and collapses!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Awww that is because Parker is a GROWING BOY! LOL!  That's what puppies do-play, sleep, play, sleep! :) What else is there? Oh, yeah...EAT!

[Kimmy & Chewie]

I totally understand how your feel. Chewie's behaviour confuses me too. Sometimes he seems exhausted after relatively short walks (say 15mins) and naps for as long as 4 hours afterwards. Then there are days where I take him out for hours (walking/playing/running), but he doesn't take any naps after those. It's a mystery!!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Exactly Kimmy! There were days when I considered having her thyroid tested!! But now I think she might actually be normal! :)

[Kimmy & Chewie]

Funny you mentioned testing his thyroid. I was just diagnosed with a thyroid disease called Hashimoto's thyroiditis" which causes sporadic periods of "hypers" followed by periods of "hypothyriodism".

Maybe Chewie has the same condition? That would explain a lot of things! LOL