# Need advice about my sprollie



## Adam Skalski (May 29, 2019)

My sprollie is 8 month old, he's lovely, lively and clever.
I've been told that young dogs shouldn't run more than 40 min a day. Is 8 months still young dog? He's getting moody at home growling for no reason at my daughter. He doesn'twant to ccome back to me in the end of each walk. And I don't know if letting him off the lead for 30 min twice a day is enough to keep him stimulated.
I'm ready to give him plenty of exercise, but I'm not sure if it's good for him.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

I doubt the 2 are connected tbh

When is he growling at your daughter? Dogs usually give a number of signals before a growl so perhaps these have been missed?

He could be Resource Guarding or displaying anxiety and wants to be left alone.

Maybe get a vet referral to a good behaviourist who uses positive, reward based methods to assess him (and situations/family dynamics etc.) and suggest how to address this issue.

As for the recall issue, keep him on a harness and long line and continue to practise. Make sure he doesn’t see Recall as an end of his fun. Mix it up - recall, hold him, treat/praise and release to “go play” again.

Aside from exercise, using their brain will reap rewards so do some periods of training to keep him stimulated if you think he’s bored.


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## Adam Skalski (May 29, 2019)

That's great, thanks. What about amount of exercises? When sprollie is old enough to get full two hours a day of exercise as its recommended?


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## tabelmabel (Oct 18, 2013)

Adam Skalski said:


> When sprollie is old enough to get full two hours a day of exercise as its recommended?


Check with your vet, but usually between 18 and 24 months when the skeleton is mature.

Physical exercise wont tire a dog like yours out though. It just makes them fitter and need more and more.

Its mental exercise that tires them. Of course, when they are pelting through the countryside, they are getting mental exercise as well but they do say half hour of scent work is equivalent to 2 hrs run. I can well believe it. I have a high energy dog and she is knackered after half hour search work, or obedience.

Do you do training classes with your pup? You wont be able to get into agility or flyball yet but have a look out for scentwork or rally o. I just started rally o with my dog and it really tires her.


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