# Border Collie pup- walking...How long/far?



## Cornholio

Hi folks- we got our BC pup Cally at 8 weeks, from a litter of 4 bitches/4 dogs((Runt never made it through) and we know both parents, domestic rather than true working dogs. Everything seems to be going well- she sleeps in the porch no whining, or messing at 8hrs alone, has now got her basket in a cage which comes to my work twice a week in my van, again no problems. She is almost fully toilet trained(occasional mishap weeing when over excited playing). Socialisation is going well not spooked by anything yet (she's met other dogs, sheep, a psycho rescue cat my mother in law has, horses up close, chickens/ducks/turkeys, cars, people of all ages from toddlers to seniors to name but a few!)
However.....her energy levels are through the roof(I'm sure they all are!!). We live rurally and have a bit of land around the house so she gets out and runs amok around the place, but even including frequent play sessions it never seems enough. She is still quite mouthy and occasionally snappy, we're working on this.
A few of the local sheep farmers and gamekeepers have advised to walk her until she is too tired then carry her home if necessary, but this flies in the face of all vet/book advice. But 10-15mins? This ballpark figure for a working dog AND a toy lapdog surely cannot be the same?
We have taken her out for a walk through the forest trails at the back of ours and being honest we did 4.5 miles in 2 1/2hrs, her off the lead and setting the pace- no running, hard surfaces, jumping and when we got back she slept soundly after her food. She was at the door before us when we got back.
Is this too far? Should I just build a pen in the garden(would be maybe 15m x 5m) and put her in there? We aren't running her at our pace, towing her on a bike or putting her through extreme terrain?
The vet said today no more than 15mins a day....are we facing a litigation scenario whereby vets feel compelled to advise no real exercise til a year old. Probably have an obese and lazy dog by then!!
I would really like some advice on this, especially from any experienced BC owners as obviously I don't want to ruin the pup but I'd like to make sure she is well exercised because I see a huge difference in her behaviour- she calms down with exercise (how many of us know obsessive distance runners etc who go nuts if denied a run through bad weather/injury?)

It seems bizarre that nature would allow something to evolve with an "engine" that could wreck the "chassis"?!


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## Cornholio

Oops - she's 11 weeks old today, forgot to say!:001_cool:


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## LeeM018

With BCs you'll do just as well to expend her energy on mental activities while she is developing. You just need to find a way to channel her energy (easier said than done - i know).

With regards to exercise, I think the tiring thing is ok as long as it is free running exercise and not forced wallking. You should be able to judge when she has had her fill for the day. Just be careful not to over do it with her for fear of doing her bones more harm than good. We take our Flattie (12 weeks) out in an enclosed field once a week for a run around and he'll burn fuel for 15 mins before collapsing for the rest of the day.

As for the 'forced' walking by lead, i think the old rule of thumb is 5 mins for every month while they're pups. 

Good luck with her....brilliant dogs are BCs.


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## cinnamontoast

Cornholio said:


> and being honest we did 4.5 miles in 2 1/2hrs,
> The vet said today no more than 15mins a day


Would you let a 2 year kid walk that far? Quick answer, no, of course not you'd have the pushchair to hand for after the first quarter of a mile.

As LeeMO18 says, the rule is 5 mins per month of age for puppies plus 10 mins (on the lead, so you control the pace ie don't let the puppy run round, control it so it goes steadily)

I'm really surprised you would walk the pup that far: ours are 5 months and they get the 5 mins per month etc and will do til they're at least a year.

Having had one dog with two snapped cruciates, quite possibly due to excess exercise as a pup and my complete lack of knowledge, I would never dream of allowing my puppies to run round like that again. You could well be storing up problems for the future. I think (sorry) that you've actually been a bit stupid to let the pup walk/run/whatever, that far in an uncontrolled manner.


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## NicoleW

My puppy is 5 months old, and he gets 2 x 30 minute lead walks a day. 

We don't do any offlead at the moment because we're trying to get him walking nicely and where he can go offlead there's generally a dog or two about and we don't have 100% recall at the moment.

Every week or so I try to get out to let him have 45 minutes ish with a few dogs he knows offlead. 

If I don't walk him twice a day he's very restless, can be quite mischevous and chases his tail alot.


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## Rolosmum

We take our 18 week ESS pup (who comes from hard working dogs), out for approx 40 mins in a long grass/path/slight slope setting, most of which is at his own pace, except for a few distance recalls where obviously he sprints to get back, but he often goes to ground to investigate a stick or stops to investigate stuff, so spends less time full on than the time out.

He has a walk like this around 3-4 times a week in the morning the other days in the mornings he has around 30 mins on the park near us, off lead but a less busy than above, cos more sticks to stop and chew.

He then will get another gentle sometimes on lead park walk for around 30 mins which includes sometime sat waiting for daughter to come out from school, and then another 20 mins or so on some evening (poss off lead if meets doggy friend, or on a long lead).

We spend time training him intermittently but at least 3x5-10mins a day working on stuff from his training class. 

This sometimes seems liket isnt enough for him, but we usually add a little extra mental work rather than physical, hiding treats in a treat ball or more practising training.

He only sleeps briefly during the day regardless of the exercise he has, but flakes around 8pm with us chilling in the evenings, and then sleeps through till around 6am ish in the morning.

Our pup we are told (and you can see) has a very fit athletic looking body with fabulous muscle definition, and we seem to have set a ratio of exercise both mentally and physically that works well for his age/stage.

We are looking forward to the days of the longer walks, but in all likelihood this will reduce to twice a day, cos of the logistics of our work at home and the dog, he may be able to walk for hours, but i dont think the groups of 2-3 year olds we have in tow will be able to!


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## Cornholio

Thanks for the replies, I think I'm on Lees wavelength though. I'm just finding this whole 5mins per month thing baffling and wondering where it first came from and when?
My partner rented a house prior to the one we now share across the valley next door to a sheep farmer who has probably got about 30 collies on the go at any given time. None of the pups he rears (and he's one of the best sheepdog trainers in this area) get this kind of mamby pamby treatment. They run around the farm all day and the minute they _want_ to work they can start. She lived on this farm for 8yrs next to them and in that time I've never seen a lame or crippled dog- and he lets the old ones roam free once they are past it. Some blind and deaf but not with mobility problems. His dogs are not genetically different so why are "domestics" treated so differently?
I'd rather walk her and monitor how she is(is it tired/falling back/sitting) on forgiving terrain than walk around with a stopwatch.
It also raises issues over socialisation surely? what chance have we of meeting other dogs etc in our current maximum of 13 minutes 45 seconds(2.75 months x 5 mins)? Or should we just carry her around Paris Hilton style ?:scared:

(Her "zone" in the house includes the living room and hall which have laminate flooring. Is it better having her run around mad sliding into the caithness slab hearth/woodburning stove/ jumping off the couch onto the hard floor all day than expending that energy outside on a thick carpet of larch needles on top of a soft wet muddy forest floor for an hour or two experiencing new sights/sounds/smells/people ? :confused1


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## Cornholio

Rolosmum- looks like a good schedule there, will need to read up on some ideas for "mental" tasks for Cally. She gets so bored with toys in no time even when we remove them for days then re-introduce them. 
One of those "Boomer Balls" looks good for a BC. Vet says she isn't allowed to run either though!


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## NicoleW

Have you taken her to puppy class? That'll be a great way for her to work out

You could try putting her dinner in one of thsoe toys you have to roll around for it to come out? Kongs are good too, they have to use their brain to figure out how to get things out. 

Try teaching her some tricks, after you've gotten some obedience down


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## Rolosmum

Cornholio said:


> Rolosmum- looks like a good schedule there, will need to read up on some ideas for "mental" tasks for Cally. She gets so bored with toys in no time even when we remove them for days then re-introduce them.
> One of those "Boomer Balls" looks good for a BC. Vet says she isn't allowed to run either though!


The training is basically clicker training with sit, lay, stay, wait, leave, give/drop, heel and recall etc, practising the act and then how to use it through real life situations, he is doing well and likes the treats! We have one more week of our 7 week basic training and will then prob follow on with intermediate after christmas especially useful as he approaches adolescense i think to keep up a training regime and mentality, hopefully to make it easier and more enjoyable for all of us!

We have just bought a treat ball which Rolo seems to like, he isnt particularly motivated by the puppy kongs.


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## luvmydogs

I think most working breeds are tough enough to allow the pups to run as much as they want. Mine certainly are. I would follow your instinct - don't walk her miles, but let her run around on your land as much as she wants. However I do believe they need lots of mental stimulation too, and often this tires them out more than anything else. You don't want a dog with muscles like arnold schwarzenegger and a brain like mush!


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## sue&harvey

You may want to look at what you are feeding too, as this can cause excessive energy. If you are feeding Pedigree, Bakers, or any other supermarket brands, it's a bit like the Mc Donalds of the human world  There are many other foods like Arden Grange, Skinners, Jameswellbeloved, Wainwrights, Acana, Orijen which may help with excessive energy.


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## [email protected]

Its so interesting reading all of your comments. I took on a rescued 6 month old Border Collie, Skye, who is now 10 months old. I totally agree that exercise should be monitored and restricted when are growing pups and that it is difficult sometimes, particularly with this energetic, fabulous breed!! The whole family is responsible for her exercise here so, as we're all walkers, she gets varying amounts of exercise day to day, anything from 1 mile to 4 daily, some of it on the lead, most not. I do walk her around the local city for socialisation with my Vizsla who is 10 years old. 

We won't be taking her out on the 10+ mile bike rides yet for a while but the Vizsla still comes along. When she's fully mature she will love joining us.

I think the suggestion of training classes is good as it gets them concentrating and socialising at the same time but to be honest, I've yet to find my local one!! 

A very interesting elderly man in my village used to work 11 border collies for the local farmer. He said that, although they are bred to do a lot of miles, his dogs would also be shut up when not working in their outdoor kennels so exercise would be full pelt one minute and hours of waiting around the next!!

One thing I have learned.......if you're holding a ball, this breed will do anything for you !!!!:thumbup:


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## [email protected]

Sorry, forgot to reply to Sue&Harvey. I totally agree with your comment regarding diet and energy levels. This is so important and will have a major effect on any dog. Dogs can be like children whereby colourings can affect their behaviour big time. I feed a really good quality complete food along with some fish mousse for her evening meal. My dogs have fantastic coat conditions and are a joy to 'pick up' after !!!!!!!!!


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## Cornholio

The local classes won't allow her until she is 14 weeks old. Many of her siblings are still local so when we do take her along it'll be like a family reunion!
The nutrition thing maybe needs investigated- giving her Pedigree wet food at the moment but going to try some "working dogs puppy" dry complete that a colleague of my other half swears by (I don't know if this is a trade name?). My other half says her mum used to give their collie/alsatian/several other breed mongrel "Vitalin"- it looks good enough from what I've read but seems to be mail order only? Anyone used this?
Thanks again for all advice, neither of us have raised a puppy before!


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## sue&harvey

Cornholio said:


> The local classes won't allow her until she is 14 weeks old. Many of her siblings are still local so when we do take her along it'll be like a family reunion!
> The nutrition thing maybe needs investigated- giving her Pedigree wet food at the moment but going to try some "working dogs puppy" dry complete that a colleague of my other half swears by (I don't know if this is a trade name?). My other half says her mum used to give their collie/alsatian/several other breed mongrel "Vitalin"- it looks good enough from what I've read but seems to be mail order only? Anyone used this?
> Thanks again for all advice, neither of us have raised a puppy before!


I believe one of the Vitalin isn't too bad. There are some great deals to be had if you can buy on the net. Zooplus are doing BOGOF on Acana at the moment, and many pet shops stock good quality foods too. Try to pick one that has a good % of quality meat, which should be first on the list, and not so many filllers.

I noticed a real difference in my boy getting him onto a decent diet. 
All the best


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## Twiggy

Personally I think walking an 11 week old BC pup for 2.1/2 hours is much. much too long.

I've owned and trained Border Collies for well over 30 years now, plus I see another 20-25 on a weekly/monthly basis and have therefore also seen many with cruciate, OCD, joint problems, etc. etc.

Most Border Collies don't do 'tired' and you can't physically wear them out. It much more about mental stimulation, training and management. 

The last pup I had two years ago was a great big maniac and as I also had three other collies, including a 15 yr old with failing eyesight and hearing, I used to take the pup out for about 20-30 minutes just before it got dark and trained/played with her, so that we got some peace in the evenings.


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## SlingDash

Here we go again. There was a huge discussion not long ago about the 'rules' surrounding exercising young pups, and I'm almost tempted to keep schtum, but I won't.

Border Collies need both mental and LOTs of physical stimulation - they are hyper dogs, and you're asking for trouble if you don't give them an awful lot of exercise. We have never stuck to any 'five minute rule' and, to be honest, I think five minutes exercise per month of age is ludicrously little for any dog - especially for a border Collie.

As soon as our dogs have had their jabs, they are out and about with us on some long and some shorter walks from a pretty early age. Perhaps two and a half hours is a little much for a very young pup, but there is no proven link between over-exercising young puppies and joint problems in later life, so I'd say enjoy yourselves, and don't get obsessed by time limits.

Some folk will say that you shouldn't over-exercise the 'giant' breeds because of the aforementioned joint problems, and even that's debatable, but I don't think border Collies are commonly prone to such things. They are bred to work and run and run and run, and any very young pup WILL tire soon enough, so as long as they are given plenty of opportunity to rest as and when they wish, then there is no reason to worry. 

Apparently, a working Collie can run up to seventy miles a day!


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## [email protected]

Hi Cornholio, your comment about Vitalin - its been around for a very long time and not quite so popular these days as it has a very high cereal content in it but very small meat content. Dogs who are on a higher meat content diet tend to have better coat conditions, energy levels, general health overall. Unfortunately the higher meat/fish content diets come at a price but you feed a lot less per day than the cereal based diets so it averages out on a higher spend initially but levels out generally on cost per day. Have a look at the better end of the market for complete food i.e. Fish4dogs, Arden Grange, Eukanuba. They all sell off their websites. I prefer to feed the fish4dogs as I also like their wet fish mousses and they have great fish skin treats too so good for dogs skin. Hope this helps :thumbup:


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## luvmydogs

This vitalin is a good one: Healthy, Natural & Wholesome | Adult on Vitalin Pet Food


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## Colliepoodle

I could be wrong - I don't know that much about feeding, other than Bakers is crap - but isn't a "Working Dog" food designed for, well, a working dog?? That is, a dog who needs extra whatevers for energy because it's out and about all day? 

The fact you've got a working BREED doesn't necessarily mean you've got a working DOG.


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## luvmydogs

Re: working dog food - often it is just labelled as working to avoid VAT. Look at the ingredients.


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## Colliepoodle

luvmydogs said:


> Re: working dog food - often it is just labelled as working to avoid VAT. Look at the ingredients.


Ooh, really?? I didn't know that! How does that work, then?


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## OllieBob

How things have changed over the years. I grew up with working collies and from 3 months the pups followed us round the farm all day. If we were fencing or other jobs when you are static for a period of time the dogs would be lying down waiting or sniffing around, in between they were on the go all the time. Never saw or had any of our own or any local dogs with hip, elbow, shoulder or knee problems. The rule was that all dogs had to have warmed up muscles before running (bringing stock in) and no excessive amounts of time doing hard, fast running, short bursts only ie outrun or quick spurt to get them back in line, the rest of the time it was a steady pace.


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## luvmydogs

Colliepoodle said:


> Ooh, really?? I didn't know that! How does that work, then?


Its a loophole, the government have said no VAT on working dog food so manufacturers are selling some food as for working dogs. For example Burns do a working one which has exactly the same ingredients as their adult one, but its cheaper cos VAT free.


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## Kwag

Cornholio said:


> Hi folks- we got our BC pup Cally at 8 weeks, from a litter of 4 bitches/4 dogs((Runt never made it through) and we know both parents, domestic rather than true working dogs. Everything seems to be going well- she sleeps in the porch no whining, or messing at 8hrs alone, has now got her basket in a cage which comes to my work twice a week in my van, again no problems. She is almost fully toilet trained(occasional mishap weeing when over excited playing). Socialisation is going well not spooked by anything yet (she's met other dogs, sheep, a psycho rescue cat my mother in law has, horses up close, chickens/ducks/turkeys, cars, people of all ages from toddlers to seniors to name but a few!)
> However.....her energy levels are through the roof(I'm sure they all are!!). We live rurally and have a bit of land around the house so she gets out and runs amok around the place, but even including frequent play sessions it never seems enough. She is still quite mouthy and occasionally snappy, we're working on this.
> A few of the local sheep farmers and gamekeepers have advised to walk her until she is too tired then carry her home if necessary, but this flies in the face of all vet/book advice. But 10-15mins? This ballpark figure for a working dog AND a toy lapdog surely cannot be the same?
> We have taken her out for a walk through the forest trails at the back of ours and being honest we did 4.5 miles in 2 1/2hrs, her off the lead and setting the pace- no running, hard surfaces, jumping and when we got back she slept soundly after her food. She was at the door before us when we got back.
> Is this too far? Should I just build a pen in the garden(would be maybe 15m x 5m) and put her in there? We aren't running her at our pace, towing her on a bike or putting her through extreme terrain?
> The vet said today no more than 15mins a day....are we facing a litigation scenario whereby vets feel compelled to advise no real exercise til a year old. Probably have an obese and lazy dog by then!!
> I would really like some advice on this, especially from any experienced BC owners as obviously I don't want to ruin the pup but I'd like to make sure she is well exercised because I see a huge difference in her behaviour- she calms down with exercise (how many of us know obsessive distance runners etc who go nuts if denied a run through bad weather/injury?)
> 
> It seems bizarre that nature would allow something to evolve with an "engine" that could wreck the "chassis"?!





cinnamontoast said:


> Would you let a 2 year kid walk that far? Quick answer, no, of course not you'd have the pushchair to hand for after the first quarter of a mile.
> 
> As LeeMO18 says, the rule is 5 mins per month of age for puppies plus 10 mins (on the lead, so you control the pace ie don't let the puppy run round, control it so it goes steadily)
> 
> I'm really surprised you would walk the pup that far: ours are 5 months and they get the 5 mins per month etc and will do til they're at least a year.
> 
> Having had one dog with two snapped cruciates, quite possibly due to excess exercise as a pup and my complete lack of knowledge, I would never dream of allowing my puppies to run round like that again. You could well be storing up problems for the future. I think (sorry) that you've actually been a bit stupid to let the pup walk/run/whatever, that far in an uncontrolled manner.


I literally joined this only so I could shut this down in the nicest way possible....

Imagine if you had about 100x the energy of most normal humans and I put you inside the house all day and expected you not to get crazy in the house... then sat you in a crate for a couple hours a day. Then took you outside for 15 lousy minutes on a leash at the pace of a grandma.... then expected you not to chew anything or act like a brat..... in my honest opinion that sounds pretty stupid no? My 3 month old collie/aussie goes on two off leash walks 1hr each everyday and does doughnuts around the big dogs with energy to spare... never forced to run but on her own accord loves to motor around.... (seems odd that she'd decide to run if she wasn't meant to)

Also Look into "pets go raw" it's human grade natural raw dog food. Feeding a dog kibble is a sin. (Unless you'd be okay with eating premium plus crackers for the rest of your life)

Common sense isn't so common I guess.


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## Guest

Kwag said:


> I literally joined this only so I could shut this down in the nicest way possible....
> 
> Imagine if you had about 100x the energy of most normal humans and I put you inside the house all day and expected you not to get crazy in the house... then sat you in a crate for a couple hours a day. Then took you outside for 15 lousy minutes on a leash at the pace of a grandma.... then expected you not to chew anything or act like a brat..... in my honest opinion that sounds pretty stupid no? My 3 month old collie/aussie goes on two off leash walks 1hr each everyday and does doughnuts around the big dogs with energy to spare... never forced to run but on her own accord loves to motor around.... (seems odd that she'd decide to run if she wasn't meant to)
> 
> Also Look into "pets go raw" it's human grade natural raw dog food. Feeding a dog kibble is a sin. (Unless you'd be okay with eating premium plus crackers for the rest of your life)
> 
> Common sense isn't so common I guess.


Not quite sure why you're commenting on an 8 year old thread...

The guideline is 5 minutes per month of age, on lead. If the dog is off lead then they can do more - within reason. Puppies don't have an off switch when it comes to running around like loons so it's the human's job to step in and moderate it. Personally there's no way in hell I would walk a 3 month old puppy for 2 hours a day, but it's not my puppy.

It's not loads of exercise that a puppy (or dog) needs - in fact that just creates an adrenaline junkie. Puppies need mental stimulation, that's what actually tires them out. Lots of little training sessions, play and games that make the puppy use their brain.

In terms of 'feeding kibble is a sin', you might want to put your hard hat on. Most people here feel strongly that what you choose to feed has to suit you and the dog. There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeding kibble (although hopefully it's a good quality one). Raw does not suit every dog and it does not suit every owner. People here feed everything from raw to kibble to wet to home cooked. On this forum we don't go out of our way to make people feel crap about the choices they make for their dog.


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## Siskin

Well said @McKenzie


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## Rincewind

As a first-time puppy owner I can sympathise with your dilemma . I have a working Cocker spaniel pup who is now 11 months old and One of the reasons I chose the breed was because of their energy levels however at eight months his exercise regime was one hour in the morning one hour in the afternoon and he never showed any signs of tiredness . He did however have a suggestion of a limp so I took him to the vet and £1500 later I found out he had a suspected joint condition ( Subchondral sclerosis ) . Now the vet told me I exercised him to much and put him on restricted walks for six weeks . He’s fine now and back up to ninety minutes a day . Personally I think the five minute rule is just not enough for active pups but that’s just me ....pups are a worry !!!


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## Rincewind

Didn’t realise it was an old post Doh !


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## Happy Paws2

Old thread or not, who said walking for 15 minutes and then shutting a puppy in a crate. 

over walking a puppy can damage their hips, but at home they should have the freedom to run and play as much as they like never just shut in a crate.


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## labradrk

Kwag said:


> I literally joined this only so I could shut this down in the nicest way possible....
> 
> Imagine if you had about 100x the energy of most normal humans and I put you inside the house all day and expected you not to get crazy in the house... then sat you in a crate for a couple hours a day. Then took you outside for 15 lousy minutes on a leash at the pace of a grandma.... then expected you not to chew anything or act like a brat..... in my honest opinion that sounds pretty stupid no? My 3 month old collie/aussie goes on two off leash walks 1hr each everyday and does doughnuts around the big dogs with energy to spare... never forced to run but on her own accord loves to motor around.... (seems odd that she'd decide to run if she wasn't meant to)
> 
> Also Look into "pets go raw" it's human grade natural raw dog food. Feeding a dog kibble is a sin. (Unless you'd be okay with eating premium plus crackers for the rest of your life)
> 
> Common sense isn't so common I guess.


I personally think you should be doing more, after all shouldn't a breed like that be running up to 100 miles a day? I would expect a dog like that even at 12 weeks old to require 6-7 hours of exercise, minus that lousy leash of course. Sinner 

Also I hunt, kill and butcher my dogs own meat, I'd never feed any commercially prepared meat; it won't be organic and GM free will it?


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## kittih

As I understand it the 5 minute per month rule relates to enforced walking. Eg on a lead moving forward at a steady pace.

If you watch young mammals behave naturally then they have short burst of energy, some mooching about, a nap then rinse and repeat. The surfaces would be varied and generally much softer than pavement.

Repetitive walking at a steady pace especially on hard even surfaces can cause issues with the joints hence the advice to minimise this. Taking a pup out on the lead for an hour to mooch about sniff around and rest as and when the mood strikes is different to walking at a steady pace.

I think the confusing thing about the 5 minute rule is it is often quoted but with no terms of reference. So people who are perhaps "walking" their dogs longer are not actually asking them to do an enforced walk and those who are who are sticking to the 5 minutes might think it includes any "going out the house for a walk time" and wonder why their pups still want to run around.

I think the key is to keep enforced walks to a minimum, allow natural exploring at the pups pace with rest breaks, don't encourage repeated high impact movements such as chasing a ball, jumping or running up and down the stairs and make sure the pup gets lots of brain activities to wear themselves out rather than relying solely on exercise.


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## Kwag

Do wolves hunt for kibble ? All your doing is dehydrating your dog... no wonder they have joint problems! Get off your wallet now or later its up to you if you want to let your dog suffer with kibble and dehydration.

I like the idea of hunting for my dogs food and think you may be on to something there... I’ve never hunted for me but I will for her.

I’ll also continue to let her be a happy dog and run/play and have fun.... and you know what... either way she’ll be happier.

Don’t know about you but I’d rather live 12 happy years outside playing then 15 years of 15 min a day and the rest of the time in the house.


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## Kwag

Also as far as mental stimulation tiring them out... take an Olympic athlete, put em in a room with a bunch of books all day and let them do their favorite sport for 15 min a day and see how they do... maybe they’ll be tired at the end of the day but they will definitely be depressed. These are animals and so are we. Just some food for thought. Good luck to all


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## Jamesgoeswalkies

Kwag said:


> Do wolves hunt for kibble ?


As dogs have evolved over some 30,000 years domesticating alongside humans, I am not sure of the relevance of the question. Dogs are natural scavengers ..........



Kwag said:


> .. take an Olympic athlete, put em in a room with a bunch of books all day and let them do their favorite sport for 15 min a day and see how they do...


Take a small child (which is what a puppy is) and put them through over strenuous exercise regimes and they will never *be *an Olympic Athlete.



kittih said:


> <<>> keep enforced walks to a minimum, allow natural exploring at the pups pace with rest breaks, don't encourage repeated high impact movements such as chasing a ball, jumping or running up and down the stairs and make sure the pup gets lots of brain activities to wear themselves out rather than relying solely on exercise.


Exactly.

J


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## Jacquelinewoody

Cornholio said:


> Oops - she's 11 weeks old today, forgot to say!:001_cool:


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## Jacquelinewoody

Hi i share your frustration as we have a 14week old border collie who I am training as a assistance dog and even though he is now taking my husbands coat off, picking up anything he drops, fetching his shoes as well as the usual sit,down,stay etc he is so full of beans so what we do is my husband does a 15-20 min lead walk in morning and I take him in the afternoon on a 30ft long line for some fetch and recall for around 30 mins. Its never enough but I try and be sensible and don't over do it. This is exactly what we done with our border collie that we lost in August last year and he was fine.


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## kittih

Jacquelinewoody said:


> Hi i share your frustration as we have a 14week old border collie who I am training as a assistance dog and even though he is now taking my husbands coat off, picking up anything he drops, fetching his shoes as well as the usual sit,down,stay etc he is so full of beans so what we do is my husband does a 15-20 min lead walk in morning and I take him in the afternoon on a 30ft long line for some fetch and recall for around 30 mins. Its never enough but I try and be sensible and don't over do it. This is exactly what we done with our border collie that we lost in August last year and he was fine.


Hi, the OP who you quote originally posted 10 years ago so hopefully they have outgrown the issue. Good luck with your pup and his training. He sounds lovely.


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