# exercise for young dogs



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Moved to its own thread:



Tiago Fontes said:


> Whats your opinion on exercise and young dogs ? (6 months and up).
> 
> 
> Thank you


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## Tiago Fontes (Apr 17, 2011)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Moved to its own thread:


 
Good idea. Please do share your views.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

I don't have one .... I've seen some interesting threads here on the subject, though. 

Here's one:

http://www.workingdogforum.com/vBulletin/f50/working-dog-walks-exercise-14443

Even though it didn't really start as a question about how to exercise a pup, there are a few posts in there that address that directly (after you weed through the usual "banter" ... :lol: )


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Why would you NEED to exercise a pup? Isn't the natural interest in the environment and time walking with the handler enough? Climbing over rocks/logs, digging in dirt, jumping towards tall grass all sound like good stuff to me...=;


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## Meg O'Donovan (Aug 20, 2012)

When mine arrived at 10 months young, exercise was the order of the day to keep/restore sanity. Once she learned (fast) to swim, she did that every day and built really lovely muscle. We are waiting for the river to drop/slow so she can start again. She enjoyed swimming, and was happy to face the current and paddle to not to be pushed downstream. Good workout.
Not knowing that it wasn't recommended, we did quite a lot of jogging too, usually for extended periods. She didn't enjoy this as much as she was often on leash (right after I got her), and so didn't get to explore, but had to sustain the pace. She even ran a 10 km race with me (well, we weren't really racing...). By the end of the race she was lagging behind me, even across the finish line. She slept well that night. 

Through the fall and winter, we did brisk walking, with her ranging far, so she probably does double what I do.We walk at least an hour day, everyday, then and now. We also did skijoring which was a great workout (pulling and running). Her running offleash when we are on XC skis is good, because traversing deep snow is a workout. I worry about her belly feezing when it is really deep snow. 

I probably get about 5-8 km day now, because my work is cutting into our leisure. Her ranging adds quite a lot more km to that daily walk. I'd like to do more of the extended walks (e.g. 8 hours) now and then to ensure endurance. She's only done that once, and seemed fine with it, not lagging at all,but ready to rest at the end of the shift. She'll be 2 years young in July. She doesn't need as much exercise now to behave well. She is maturing. When she was a rascal, the exercise made her easier to manage and it was something that we both enjoyed doing together.
Below are a fex pix. The cattleguard jump is from when she first arrived, lacking confidence. Nowadays her ears and tail are up!


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## Jim Leon (Jan 21, 2010)

A topic in which in which I have knowledge and success, the physical training and maintenance of the canine.
I have built up and trained many coonhounds. And qualified my Standard Schnauzer as a working pack dog, under Siberian Husky Club of America rules.
When I compare my long-backed female Mal to my square built St Sch, it is evident that the Mal is not built to carry weight, obvious enough. Nor is the Mal built for the kind of short tight turns the St Sch can make when herding goats.
The exercising we three do together is distance running, up to three miles, on turf or trail only, never on pavement of any type.
Swimming, for as long and cold as they can stand it .
And mountain hiking with packs. The St Sch at a bodyweight or 45lbs. can carry a pack with 11lbs. of sandwiches and water all day over any terrain. The Mal at a bodyweight of 62lbs. carries a pack with two 16oz water bottles only.
Both of my dogs are lean and strong. The Mal can make herself ballistic.
I recommend running with dogs as a way to enhance the bond. I believe there is primordial instinct aroused in both the dog and the human when running together through wilderness. Especially at night.
Most importantly, never, ever run your dogs on pavement. Ever.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Jim Leon said:


> ....
> The exercising we three do together is distance running, up to three miles, on turf or trail only, never on pavement of any type.
> Swimming, for as long and cold as they can stand it .
> And mountain hiking with packs. The St Sch at a bodyweight or 45lbs. can carry a pack with 11lbs. of sandwiches and water all day over any terrain. The Mal at a bodyweight of 62lbs. carries a pack with two 16oz water bottles only.
> ...


You're talking older than the O.P. mentioned, right?

He was saying 6 months (and up).


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## Jim Leon (Jan 21, 2010)

Connie Sutherland said:


> You're talking older than the O.P. mentioned, right?
> 
> He was saying 6 months (and up).


Yes, pardon. My enthusiasm got the better of me.
No backpacks or long distance runs, or ice cold swims at 6 mos.

Previous poster mentioned walks in the woods, climbing over branches, general puppy running around, that's great for a 6mo. pup.
I see no reason why a 6mo. should not be taken on long walks, up to 2 miles, in cool-mild weather. And gradually built up to longer distances.

Also I would run 40yd. sprints with a dog of 6 mos. Just make sure to rest a few minutes between sprints and only run him until his tongue is hanging. Not until he flops down. On turf.


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## Meg O'Donovan (Aug 20, 2012)

The biggest issue my young dog had with exercise was not duration nor intensity, but the condition of her feet. Living urban before I got her, mostly in a kennel, it took some time before her pads thickened tough enough to go the distance. Even during the winter, her pads seemed less tough than my other dogs'. I used Musher's Secret (which I read about on this forum; thanks!) and it helped, but it is a work in progress. She doesn't seem to get stiff or sore. If anything, her pads get sore first. 

We are lucky enough not to run on pavement. For me, "distance" running is more than 10 km. Trail running is gaining popularity around here, and there is even some cani-cross (which looks a little weird to me; I wouldn't want to be harnessed to my dog; I'm not that fast!). There are lots of logging roads, cow trails, deer trails, and mountain bike trails to walk/run.

Running in the woods is bliss. 
Here are her before & after pix, at 10 months (before I got her), and at 15 months, after our summer of swimming, etc.


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## Sue DiCero (Sep 2, 2006)

We do normal play and exploring. When the dog is older, we introduce to the bike for the AD. Our dogs are in good enough shape, swimming, etc that the extent of the AD training is up and back to lake (1.5 miles) 2x times. 

Mia is our "conditioning" dog. No issue with the 12.5 miles for AD - she wanted to run more.

Agree on the pad thing. More people condition for the pad issue for the AD, more than anything else.


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## Meg O'Donovan (Aug 20, 2012)

What is "AD"?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Meg O'Donovan said:


> What is "AD"?



Short for "Ausdauerprüfung."





ETA

Here's a conditioning essay:

http://siriusdog.com/ausdauerprufung-ad.htm


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Short for "Ausdauerprüfung."
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Thought it had to do with* attention* issues.....


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