# Exercise off the Lease at 6 months



## geoff8893 (Aug 24, 2014)

Molly is just a little over 6 months and she has Boundless energy. She now has about a total of 60 minutes aday usually divided over 2 periods morning and evening. I am cautiously letting her off the lead in a field or park if yhey are no hazards or distractions nearby. What I would like to know is that on a good day she can be off the lease and zooming around me and following me for a good 10 minutes before I need to put her back on the lease . How long would 10 minutes off the lease equate to in walking on a lease. ??


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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

Mmm - I'm not good at sums, but I do like seeing mine off leash, they will do at least 3 or 4 times the distance you would whilst walking, with them whizzing back & to.
I think one of the recent dog programmes onTV showed this.


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## Miss Lilly (Sep 12, 2014)

Hi

If I understand correctly, then Maggie is walked on a lead for 2 x 30 mins per day with very little off lead 'play'? 

I think the 5 minute rule (5 minutes exercise for each month) applies largely to on lead walking. This is a repetitive form of exercise that stresses joints much more than free play (within limits) and, given a young pup's inclination to follow you, does not really allow a pup to rest when it needs or wants to.

However, if you watch your pup playing off lead, you will notice that he/she will rest when needed - even if playing with another (well-matched) dog.

I think off lead exercise should not be counted as part of the 5 minute rule. And I think its important your puppy is allowed off lead and to play with other dogs - as much for the purposes of socialisation as the building of core strength.

Everything within reason tho' - and some older / bigger dogs will want to continue to play well beyond your pups limits, or too roughly - at which point it's probably a good idea to intervene.

Hope this helps


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Miss Lilly said:


> Hi
> I think off lead exercise should not be counted as part of the 5 minute rule. And I think its important your puppy is allowed off lead and to play with other dogs - as much for the purposes of socialisation as the building of core strength.
> 
> 
> Hope this helps


This makes sense to me because otherwise we'd have to count and restrict indoor play too which might involve plenty of walking around sniffing and exploring. I think it is more about overdoing it by taking long walks, or jogging or not letting them go at their pace.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Absoloutely - off lead should not be done to excess but as the dog can please themselves more when to rest does not count in the normal number of minutes. It is the all important time when the pup learns all about different surfaces and some social skills.

Molly took her job very seriously when Chance was a puppy and I think Chance was just over 3 months here when Molly was teaching her the valuable skill of getting as muddy as possible 










While off lead call her lots and reward with lots of tasty treats or a game for coming back to you.


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## Lottierachel (Mar 3, 2013)

I read in an article that a dog with the energy levels of a cockapoo should have a _minimum_ of 20 minutes off lead exercise per day - no matter what sums you do, this can't be replicated with any amount of on lead exercise! 

If you are unsure of your dogs recall and are worried about hazards, try a long line (a reeeeally long lead - not an extendable one, they're lethal!) so Molly can go running off, you can practice calling her back and rewarding her, but if any dangers come along, you still have her on the long line. 

There's nothing like seeing your dog running at full stretch across a field or park - they look so happy!


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Absolutely nothing like seeing your pup enjoying running full pelt gleefully playing games of chase with doggy friends and then collapsing down panting before leaping up for another run!
And then the pride when your pup charges back to you when you call. X


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## geoff8893 (Aug 24, 2014)

Thank you all for your ideas and advice. The Loooooong (not a spelling mistake) lead sounds like an excellent idea whilst i am still training her . As for having 20 minutes off lease time, i feel we are a long way from that at the moment. Her recall is excellent if there is only me there in the field or park. If there is another dog or person within 50 yards she will go running after them and only come back on the second or 3rd call even with high value treats . I therefore try and risk manage the environment . So far we have not gone longer than 10 or 12 minutes without a potential hazard appearing on the horizon.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Long lines are excellent 

Just a thought but does she get to go and play with the other dogs sometimes (as long as both dogs and owners are agreeable) With Chance it was very much one of the things I used to my advantage. The fields where I usually walk the majority of the dogs are friendly and happy to say hello so I would keep her attention with me when she saw another dog and then when they were close enough if the owners were happy release her to go and say hello. So her reward for doing as I asked her was to get lots of fun and lovely treats from me AND get to say hello to the other dog too  The long line gives you some added security that she can not go racing off. 

Just one extra thought I try to avoid calling if my dog has decided to go somewhere unless it is dangerous. If there is a high chance they will ignore the recall I don't use it.


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## geoff8893 (Aug 24, 2014)

we let her socialise on the lead both in the park and at puppy training classes. When she has been spayed in a month or two, we will be less anxious about having her off the lead near male dogs.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

I think that may be part of your problem to be honest and she is desperate to have a good play with some other dogs. On lead socialising is very false and only really a hello. I try to keep on lead greetings very quick as it is very easy for one dog to get stressed and tempers to fray far easier than offlead.

Not sure why you are reluctant to mix her? I would certainly not be letting her off lead at all if in season but other that that I think it benefits pups to learn their manners with other dogs off lead as early as they can.


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

Aw, it sounds like you're a fantastic and caring owner! 'Risk managing her environment' is a great way to describe your role  I'm trying to think back to what we did with Poppy at 6 months, I know it was difficult because she had boundless energy too but we were trying hard to stick within safe limits (I met someone the other day who had walked for 3 hours in a hilly area with a 5 month JRxpug )

Anyway, one good thing we definitely did was to practise recall between two of us with a long lead and some tiny sausage bits. We found a quiet field at first and quickly progressed to letting go of the lead as well because she was so focussed on running from one to the other - it was brilliant practise for 'sit' and 'wait' with a release command and also for whistle training. It got more difficult with distractions and to be honest her recall can still be patchy now but I just remember her (and us!) absolutely loving that game 

I do think though that we should withhold any further comments until we have seen lots and lots of photos of Molly hoto:


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## erinafare (Dec 9, 2012)

One of the best bits of advice I have had from this forum was to let your puppy off lead as soon as possible as long as it is safe.
I carried Poppy over our big safe field the day before her first walk so she could see the vast expanse. The next day at twelve weeks I lead walked her the short distance and set her free on the field. She just trotted at my side now and began exploring. She did not take her eyes off me kept checking to see if I was still there. No other dogs on field. Next day she was introduced off lead to two other adult dogs who excepted her and played gently. If she got tired or worried she came back and sat between my legs. She soon became completely socialised.
It was easier with Boycie as he had Poppy. I took him out first time to the field by himself then next day with Poppy. I now have two well socialised dogs that enjoy lots of off lead walks of course safe areas only. They also walk by my side on lead no pulling. They have a wide circle of doggie friends all shapes and sizes. The dogs play and we stand chatting x
My two have been socialised from the day I got them carried to shops etc x


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Thank goodness we have fully secured dog parks here. Since it was one of me and two of them I know they couldn't escape too far and never really free. Maybe there is one near where you live. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## geoff8893 (Aug 24, 2014)

Just had an hours walk in the snow today on field. Had a total of about 15 minutes off the lease. Here are 2 pictures i took with my phone.


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Great advice been given here. I think that the 5min rule can be restrictive and many of the various joint issues that MAY be caused by over exercise can also be caused by under exercise. Joints, need good strong muscles to develop alongside them to keep everything in place. I think most of us are equipped with good common sense and can regulate exercise accordingly. I wouldn't get too hung up on keeping strictly to the rule. A good way to do it and practice recall too is to have some time off lead, call back on lead for a couple of mins and then let off again. This way puppy doesn't associate the lead with end of fun and freedom and hopefully you will avoid the 'Mexican stand off' stage during adolecsence, when puppy will stay frustratingly out of reach at the end of the walk as they know its home time.


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

geoff8893 said:


> Just had an hours walk in the snow today on field. Had a total of about 15 minutes off the lease. Here are 2 pictures i took with my phone.


Lovely! She's a cutie pie


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## erinafare (Dec 9, 2012)

wellerfeller said:


> Great advice been given here. I think that the 5min rule can be restrictive and many of the various joint issues that MAY be caused by over exercise can also be caused by under exercise. Joints, need good strong muscles to develop alongside them to keep everything in place. I think most of us are equipped with good common sense and can regulate exercise accordingly. I wouldn't get too hung up on keeping strictly to the rule. A good way to do it and practice recall too is to have some time off lead, call back on lead for a couple of mins and then let off again. This way puppy doesn't associate the lead with end of fun and freedom and hopefully you will avoid the 'Mexican stand off' stage during adolecsence, when puppy will stay frustratingly out of reach at the end of the walk as they know its home time.


Oh yes had the Mexican stand off with Poppy at about ten months it lasted about a week. It included the walk and coming in from the garden.
It took me an hour to get her off the field it was light when we started but pitch black by then (November) in the end I walked away she followed at a distance. I needed to get her before we got to any roads. I sat down on the kerb and put my head in my hands and pretended to cry she came and sat next to me all concerned. I just cuddled her and walked home. Little minx I can tell you I wasn't happy had a little Boycie with me I was cold and dying for the loo. She had always been good up until then x


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