# How much time do you spend outside with your cockapoo?



## Nicky79 (Nov 3, 2012)

Yesterday I talked to my neighbour about her dog and how long she takes him for a walk or plays outside. She said that alltogether she spends about 3-4 hours outside each day. 

A 1,5 hour walk in the morning (meeting other dog her briard can play with) and two more walks of 1 hour at lunchtime and in the evening. That sort of scared me a little. 

I will be able to take our dog out in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening, but I don't think I can manage 4 hours a day. She will be with me in the practice too, so that she will rarely be left alone. Only if I go somewhere where dogs are not allowed.

How is your everyday routine? How much time do you spend outside with your dogs?

Looking forward to your replies,
yours
Nicky


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

if I took Lady out for 4 hours a day...she would fall asleep while walking.

What kind of dog does that lady have?? all dogs have different energy levels....even within a breed energy levels can vary.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

My dogs would love to be out for 4 hours a day - well the collie would, if it was raining Kiki might just say - let's have a sofa day!!
I'm out for between 1/2 and 3/4 hour in the mornings and about the same at lunch time. Most days I walk up to get my daughter from school with the dogs so we're out for about 1/2 an hour then - if it is lovely weather we may go home via the fields and then it could be twice as long with lots of rushing around with other dogs...
Last think we go out for about 15mins onto the field at the back of the house so that they can empty before bed time.
Dogs get used the routine that you have with them - the most important thing is that they spend time with you!


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## Nicky79 (Nov 3, 2012)

She has a briard. I know that this is a far bigger dog, but she said that even if the dog is smaller I will need to take her out for at least 3 hours. What are your experiences?


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## Nicky79 (Nov 3, 2012)

She also said that "only walking" is not enough and that I will have to choose a place where they can be active and also in contact with other dogs...


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## janee (Mar 25, 2012)

3 mornings a week I take them both out for 1/2 hr quick walk, 2 mornings my daughter takes one of them out because her walks not long enough one dog will not go as she only goes out for about 10 mins. They both go out for 1 to 1.5 hours in the afternoon, at the weekend my hubby takes them out for an hour in the morning or we take them into town for the day with us. We don't have a problem with hyper dogs in the house they are quite happy to sleep when nothing is happening and while we are at work. Most people don't have time to walk their dogs for 3 to 4 hours a day.


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## Chumphreys (Oct 1, 2011)

Most days I have Malie outside for about 3 hours.She happily sleeps for the rest of the time indoors 
XClare


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## DEBS (Aug 10, 2012)

My little poppit is 6 months old and is more than happy with an hour and a quarter every lunch time and a half an hour running with my husband at around 6 oclock in the evening.
We have a playtime indoors at around 3 oclock when we practice staying, waiting and finding games.
He's in his crate for 4 hours in the morning while I'm at work but enjoys and seems content to lounge around or follow me with his toys while i do things around the house.


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## Joshinjune (Nov 4, 2012)

I have a northern Inuit (large dog) and she has always been fine with 1x 1hour walk every day! Any more, and she'd collapse lol!! I think all dogs are different, and they just get used to your routine as someone has said.  if your dog seems happy, and is relaxed round the house, then it's probably all fine  x


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## Fifi (Aug 11, 2011)

I usually walk Gaia for 1.5 hours in the morning, at least three quarters of that is off lead running with other dogs. My OH takes her for 30 to 45 mins in the evening (off lead in summer on lead in winter). We usually have at least 30 mins training at some point during the day.


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## Hfd (Aug 19, 2011)

On my days off Billy gets around 1 hour in the morning mostly off lead then maybe another couple of 15 min walks through the day on the school run. If I am at work he gets around 30 mins morning, lunch and tea time. So max 1.5 hours per day, although he would be happy with 45 mins or 2 hours - he is easy going. On a weekend we often go out somewhere. I actually think 3-4 hours is excessive, most dogs will fit into whatever routine suits you. Also - running around off lead with another dog for 15 mins is equivalent to a much longer lead pavement walk so it depends on how and where you walk.
H x


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## Lozzie (Apr 1, 2012)

I would say that on average, my two get one half an hour walk a day. I know that doesn't sound like much but at the moment I am at home all day with them and they follow me around and sleep at my feet all day. They will occasionally (once or twice a day) have a good doodle dash round the house that can last up to twenty mins at a time and they play together on and off throughout the day. As has been said, your dog will fit to your routine. If I let them, my two would happily go all day but the thing is, they don't need it! Providing you give your dog good exercise (both mental and physical) and a healthy diet you will have a fit and healthy dog!


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

well like i said before i have an invisible fence in yard, so every time ginger goes out she is off lead.and she is out a lot during the day we take her out about every two hours ,and if i'm out working in the yard she is out there with me running all over the place.the only thing that ginger don't do in meet other dogs, but she gets planty of exercise....lumpy


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Sounds very dedicated doing 4 hours every day. I think Millie would collapse if she had that much walking every day.

Millie get a morning walk of about 50 mins and an afternoon walk of 20/30 minutes. If I'm short on time I let her do a plenty of sniffing and following scents as this stimulates their brain. 

At weekends she has a longer walk of 2 maybe 3 hours, but this often includes a stop for a coffee for me 

Cockapoo's will slot into your lifestyle and will walk as much or as little as you do. You'll know if they need an extra walk, they get a bit restless.


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Mine usually have at least an hour in the morning, more if the weathered good or I'm walking with someone or bump into other walkers. This will differ between lead walking if weathers dire, off lead in woods etc or throwing a ball. That's it ..... Occasionally and I mean occasionally I might go again in the evening but that's cos I want to, they are happy to come but don't pester to go out again. If your home Nicky they'll be happy with your company and the walks will fit in around what suites you....I often wait til later in the day in the hope that the weather improves x


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Think these answers show you that no - you do not have to spend hours every day, 4 days a week Dudley gets 30 mins in the park about 8am - usually meets other dogs to play so is often filthy and tired after, maybe 30 mins lunchtime but not always, and about 45 mins in the eve. the other 3 days its more like an hour mid morn and 30-45 early eve. This seems just about enough for him although I think he would love to be out 30 mins about every 2 hours during the day if he had his choice! I imagine if you do longer walks all the time it builds up the stamina and then its hard to go back to shorter, the other thing to remember is vets see problems with dogs that get hardly any exercise during the week and then taken on 5 hour hikes at the weekend!


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## Nicky79 (Nov 3, 2012)

Thanks so much for all your replies. That helps a lot!
I am far more relaxed now. It is just that during my psychotherapy sessions with my patients I cannot pay so much attention to our dog. That made me a little afraid that I will not manage that all, so that we all are happy with it. 
But I also think time and experience will show.


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

well i don't know if ginger would co laps after a 4 hour walk ,but i know i would, i haven't walked 4 hours in one day since i left the navy Haaa Haaa. but i do know my ginger gets planty of exercise.,when she is done and i bring her in ,she is in her bed for about a hour or so for a good nap,,and me also LOL....Lumpy


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

When you're in a session will your Cockapoo be in the room too? 

Millie just likes to know I'm around. When I'm working she can't really be in the room, but she waits outside. If I'm doing nails I leave the door open and she wanders in sometimes. Clients love it, they like to greet Millie and make a fuss. 

Just thinking some of your patients may like it too. 

Very occasionally I have clients who ignor Millie, but they are few and far between. 

What I'm trying to say is, they like our company even if we can't always walk them loads.


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## Nicky79 (Nov 3, 2012)

I would like to take her wih me during the season, means in the same room. If it works out and she is not running around all time and jumps on my patients' nap.
But if it doesn't work out, I would probably have to crate her or shut the door on her, which I would not like so much. I have six patients a day (50 minutes one session), so she would only have the ten minutes with me in between and then a walk of 25-30 min. after three sessions...


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I wouldn't think many of us have 4 spare hours a day to take our dogs out! Mine get 2 half hour walks off lead a day. They are flat out running, playing or chasing balls or squirrels and are pretty exhausted at the end of our walks.
They also play a lot in the house and garden, and in the evening if they have any energy left they play chasing games around the house.


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Nicky79 said:


> I would like to take her wih me during the season, means in the same room. If it works out and she is not running around all time and jumps on my patients' nap.
> But if it doesn't work out, I would probably have to crate her or shut the door on her, which I would not like so much. I have six patients a day (50 minutes one session), so she would only have the ten minutes with me in between and then a walk of 25-30 min. after three sessions...


That sound like a lovely idea, I think she will be an excellent addition to the session. We all know how calming and therapeutic dogs can be. One of the main reasons I bought Millie into our home, was to help tap into my son's depression. She seemed to know from the start that she was here to help heal him and has always been a very calm and patient dog (in the home, outside she has a wail of a time running around )

With training I think your cockapoo will be a great addition.


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## Von (Nov 1, 2012)

The trainer running our puppy foundation class told us that they need five minutes exercise for each month of their age, twice a day. At 12 months a minimum of an hour, split into 2 sessions and never more than 45 mins per session. We are talking energetic exercise here, not a potter around the garden, though the 90mph puppy dash counts.

The trainer said the reason for limiting this type of exercise with those over 12 months is because we can inadvertently make them into 'working' dogs, who are on the go all the time, and not happy unless very active. These dogs will make a job for themselves if there isn't one presented to them, and it may be a project like building it's own dog flap, as our friend's Labrador once did. Obviously this is fine (not the dogflap!) when chanelled to positive behaviour if you want the dog to be a working dog, but what a lot of folk want are dogs who will enjoy energetic exercise, but be happy to chill out in between.


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## jen (Aug 6, 2012)

I take my Harley out about 8 - 10 times a day for about 15 mins. each time ~ And let me tell you, that about kills me!!:
Not to mention, Harley runs around the house all day! I do know one thing ~ he sleeps well!


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

Jen..well it is the same with me .it seem every time i turn around ginger is talking to me about wanting to go out, and i guess it is about every hour or so .now in the morning she tears through the yard like 90 mph LOL.and then she will go out and just putter around have a pee and come back in then in the evening it the same thing she races around the yard again.and when she comes in she lays down for a good long time but that is not counting her racing around the house two or three time a day so i think she get all the exercise she can handle ''...lumpy


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