How much exercise does your cockapoo get?

[FlyingHighandDry]

Can you settle help settle an argument between me and DH?

DH walks our cockapoo (11 months) every morning.
They do approx. 4km but this is steep terrain through woods and DDog is off lead the majority of the time so walks much further than this.

He gets another slow sniffy walk when I or DC get home from work.

DH is adamant DDog should then have another long hill walk in the evening.

I think he gets just as much benefit from another slow sniffy half hour walk.

DDog has someone at home with him most days. He’s never left alone for too long.

Would welcome your thoughts!

Im very glad you said that - because my cockapoo sleeps nothing like 22 hours a day, and I’d be v worried if he did!

Have just looked back through the report we got; apologies, I had exaggerated the sleep! It recommended around 18 hours sleep / day (this includes relaxing /napping). The emphasis was very much on avoiding over stimulation. Here's the opening paragraph:

If he is mentally stimulated and mentally tired, then his overall stresses will be reduced and he will be more relaxed and calmer in general. Stress reduction and stress management adds years to a dog’s life. Not so long ago, dogs weren’t taken anywhere and they lived much longer, whereas now people are told to take the dog everywhere, and they just can’t cope with the overstimulation, and this is reflected in their lifespans.

Avoiding excessive ball chasing and stair climbing was also recommended to protect bones and joints.

If he is mentally stimulated and mentally tired, then his overall stresses will be reduced and he will be more relaxed and calmer in general. Stress reduction and stress management adds years to a dog’s life. Not so long ago, dogs weren’t taken anywhere and they lived much longer, whereas now people are told to take the dog everywhere, and they just can’t cope with the overstimulation, and this is reflected in their lifespans.

Totally agree with (most of!) this BUT a 4km walk (just walk sniffing etc) is not going to overstimulate a dog.

I would question the science and evidence to back the stress reduction detracting years from a dogs life. It makes sense but very little evidence to back it up .

People are taking this advice so literally. Dogs need walks they need to sniff they need to engaged in doing what dogs do.

They do not need to chase balls, constantly be on the go in day care and in the home.

Good quality exercise and good quality rest = healthy relaxed dog

Perhaps I should have given background. We contacted behaviourist after adopting a rescue (8 months old at the time) who was displaying some stressed behaviours and separation anxiety.
He's got an MSc in Animal Behaviour (behaviourist, not DDog, he's only qualified in squirrel chasing and sheer daftness 😁) so I think his advice is evidence based, as far as possible.

He definitely wasn't against long walks but emphasised the importance of not 'creating an athlete' (unless an athletic dog is what you want) in a bid to tire them out. I remember him saying that daily training (brain training) and play was as important as exercise to provide balanced physical and mental stimulation, alongside adequate rest time. Think he meant taking the dog everywhere with you (busy markets, kids sports events l, hectic day care environments etc) resulted in overstimulation