Do you feed breakfast or go for a walk first?

[Keepsmiling1]

Hi

My puppy is almost 12 weeks old and will be able to go for walks next week. I am trying to work our what our routine will be in the morning.

I get up at 6.30am and leave the house just before 8.30am. I had thought about taking pup for a walk when I wake up (only a short one while he is young) and then giving him breakfast about 7.15am. That would give him an hour to go to the toilet if he needs to before I leave. I am only gone around 3 hours but he still isn't house trained so I would need to take him out.

Does this sound best or do some people give breakfast first then go for a walk?

What breed is your pup? Is it a breed prone to bloat? I would be leaning towards out to pee then feed asap. Walk as late as possible before you need to leave. What is pups routine for the rest of the day?

When mine was a puppy she had breakfast at about 7am, but always made sure there was at least an hour before her walk after finishing eating. Now she's older she gets breakfast after her morning walk.

Battendog has always eaten after walk. When he was small his early walk was a very short one anyway.

On a weekday he has a walk first, I am up at 5:30 and give him a walk at about 6am and he will then usually have breakfast at about 7.30am

On a weekend he has breakfast first but still usually at about 7.30 /8am.

Pee, breakfast, walk.

Straight out for an hour's walk. Breakfast about 30/40 mins after getting home. But I have two breeds that are prone to bloat so I am quite careful.

I walk first. My dog is more willing to do as he is told with a treat reward on an empty stomach.

Walk then breakfast. Keeps them interested in the treats.

Always a walk first - then they have an appetite for treats/training.

Walk then breakfast! They always are interested in treats and when they come back they're hungry..

He is a poodle cross so only small. I leave the house about 8.30am and my dad comes at 10.30am ish to let him out and have a play. Then I'm home at midday so will take him for a walk then before he has his lunch. I am home for the rest of the day so we will Potter around, get the DCs from school etc. He will have another evening walk too (may not have 3 walks when he is only little).

Those who have a walk then breakfast - are you at home all day so can let them out for a wee/poo? That's my only concern - that he will eat breakfast and then an hour later I leave for work so may not have been the toilet in that time.

I am often out for a few hours after I feed mine without any problems. They can manage for 8 hours on a night time. But they are adult dogs.

Breakfast first then walk. She is a Labrador. I am not certain she would actually leave the house without her breakfast! She has mastered the art of a stock still, silent stare into her bowl.

Doesn’t really matter . I get up , feed ( only to get the greedy creatures off my case ) , have a coffee , walk then off to work .

Unless it’s really hot I always do breakfast then walk about an hour later

we try to do walk first, then a brief pause, then breakfast. Behaviour of the younger dog is significantly better if she's walked before 9am!

Can’t believe how many people feed before exercise

You wouldn’t eat yourself and then go swimming

It’s not good for their stomachs.

Wake up
Wee
Breakfast
Half an hour digestive nap
A short training walk
DPestypup is 18 weeks old.

I fed my dog at 8am and about to walk her now. I wouldn't say that was exercise
Immediately after eating!

Puppies only need 5 minutes of walking per month of age. So your walk would be around 15 minutes. I’d get up, wee and walk and have breakfast when you get back.

My dog is 5 months, she goes out to pee and poo after waking, then breakfast and then a walk around 60-90 minutes later. Her morning walk is our school run at 8.30am and she definitely wants to eat earlier than that.

Walk first then breakfast for my terrier cross. Exercise seems to stimulate his bowels more than food

Pea
Breakfast
Bit of a rest while kids and rest of family getting ready
Walk

Thanks for all the replies.

Yes we will probably only take him out for 15 mins at first so will probably get up at 6.30am and take him straight out then back for breakfast.

Our dogs go to the garden 1st thing, then eat, then have the option of more garden but don't go for their walks until an hour or 2 later. I'm sure this routine was based on various guidance I read ages ago, that might no longer be the thing to do, but back then it was to let them into the garden after any event, and an event it's having slept, eaten, guests arriving, etc.