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Original poster

Puppy - how long to walk for?

9 replies

Gorran · 21/06/2012 11:27

We have a 12 week old lab puppy, who can start going out for walks on Saturday. I've read that the rule of thumb is 5 minutes for every month of their life, so 15 minute walks increasing to 20 minutes when she's 4 months old etc.

My query is this - is that once a day? Or can I take her out twice a day for 15 minutes each time?

OP posts:
CakeMeIAmYours · 21/06/2012 12:55

Hmm, not sure to be honest. We only did one a day until 6 months old, but did lots of training sessions not that you'd know it now that he's a willful teenager which really tire them out and much better for the joints.

Also need to be careful re games, 'fetch' really bad for joints (all that sudden stopping/turning etc)

Original poster
Gorran · 21/06/2012 13:29

Thank you. Any ideas for training sessions? We don't start puppy classes til next month and I'm unsure what to start teaching, without have to relearn a different way once the classes start. We've done 'sit' and have been practicing recall in the garden (both reward based).

OP posts:
daisydotandgertie · 21/06/2012 17:07

It's once a day.

And it applies to forced - ie on lead exercise. It doesn't include puppies just being puppies.

It is also not a rule, more of a guide to what is sensible.

For training, keep going with 'sit'. There's no way it's perfect yet. And recall is vital, so keep working on it being perfect. Also it will be helpful to learn a wait or stay command. I don't bother with a lie down because I have no need of it, but if you do - teach it.

Then add in distractions and keep on training. Don't ever give him the chance to learn to ignore your commands, so make sure he's concentrating on you and does as you ask when you're training.

And don't teach sit or lie down by pushing on bottoms. Do it by using treats over the nose, low and backwards. They have to look up at it, and as it moves they have to put their bottoms down to keep looking at it.

LadySucre · 21/06/2012 17:14

oh daisy that is interesting! I always did the push bottoms when training to sit. But your way makes more sense!

Puppypanic · 22/06/2012 23:12

Hello Gorran!

Our new pup belts around with my boys a fair bit in the garden and I worry at how much is too much? He is 8 weeks old, sleeps loads in between his play but have been doing a fair bit of fetch so will stop that now. Can you let them run with the children much or should that be discouraged? They are at school so it really is only an after school session that they are charging around together.

Original poster
Gorran · 22/06/2012 23:19

Hello!

Hope it's all going ok? I'm currently sat in darkness in our dining room where Daisy is in her crate for bedtime. She whines if you don't sit in here for 10 mins or so, so here I am... I wonder if I ought to just leave her to whine really, it surely wouldn't last forever and she'd soon learn? What are you doing re crate training?

Anyway, back to the subject in hand! Daisy also has a good run around the garden once/twice a day with my girls. She doesn't go too crazy tbh and it's never for a prolonged length of time. The vet said that this type of exercise is ok, it's the on-lead walking which needs to be restricted,. But also never to let them run so much that they're tired out.

Daisydotandgertie - thank you. No, of course 'sit' is not perfect, we shall continue with that (and have been), and have been teaching the way you describe, not using any physical stuff at all. We're keen to teach 'wait' as I think that's useful for feeding etc. - how would you recommend we go about this one? Thank you again for all your advice, it's proving invaluable!

OP posts:
Puppypanic · 23/06/2012 11:28

Ah yes I was sitting in darkness the night before last at 3.30am! Had to stay with him to stop him whining as DH needed to be up early for important meeting. Last night he did the same but DH away so quietly put him outside for a wee and then back into his crate. He whined for 10 mins, I went back to bed and stuck my earplugs in and he slept till 7am.

He's in the crate now as I desperately need him to sleep for a bit so that he will come out and be awake for a couple of hours so he will then sleep this afternoon as I need to go out for a couple of hours!!!!!! Complicated or what. It really is so like having a new baby although at least you can go out and leave them I guess unlike a baby!

Wallace · 25/06/2012 13:15

Your Daisy is just a bit younger than my Daisy :) Ours is a 15 week old black lab.

We also do "off" and "take it"

Have you read Ian Dunbar's After Getting your puppy?

Wallace · 25/06/2012 13:16

We also play puppy hide and seek - we hide then call and she has to find us Grin

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