# Walkies



## Clairasol (Sep 8, 2011)

Hi everyone.

Firstly must apologise for not being around very much, if at all lately. Just don't seem to have half an hour to myself these days. God knows how I will cope when I have to go back to work 

Anyway, I was just wondering how many times a day you walk your poo's and for how long? Obviously age is a factor here...I'm talking dogs not humans here so I expect that are a lot of different answers.

Archie is 4 months now and I take him out twice a day,(sometimes more if my mum has the girls as it's much easier without a pushchair!) for at least half an hour each time. He has a good run off lead everytime. He's like a blooming rocket too We want to take him out for longer and go further at some point but I am unsure as to know when he is ok to do this. 4 months seems so little still and I dont' want to over do it too soon. Sometimes I think he just wants to go home as he walks right beside me then when we turn round to go home he's off like a shot running ahead.

I ask as I am concerned that he is getting too much exercise at a young age. My parents dog had back leg / hip problems from quite an early age and they are convinced that he had too much exercise as a puppy and that they should have eased him in more than they did.

Would love to hear what you do with your pups.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

what breed was your pairents dog ?

larger breeds are the ones you need to watch, however at the same time not enough exorsize can cause more problems and growing pains as the bone grows faster than the ligaments are able to stretch because the dog hasnt been able to stride out propperly (a good run to stretch the mussles and ligaments so they are ready for the bones next groth)

anyway back to cockapoos. your pup will tell you when its tiered. to just go have a nice long walk. i used to take delta way over the back feilds with the others and just carry her back if she wasnt up to walking or was too cold. i just stuck her up my jumper, her wee head popping out under my chin and headed home.


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

I think two walks at 30min a day is perfect i still do that with Buddy ,he has an off lead walk in the morning and on lead walk in the evening.

We do however try to go on a longer walk at the weekend prehaps for an hour?? While we were away in Norfolk Buddy was non stop walking sometimes we were out for 2-3hrs i must say he never stopped but boy did he sleep well that night.

Also a playdate with another dog is a great form of exercise.


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## Clairasol (Sep 8, 2011)

My parents dog was a larger breed and renowned for back leg problems in later life, however he developed it very young and suffered badly, poor thing.

The weekend walk was what I wanted to increase really but wasn't sure I should. However I think we will and see how he goes. As Kendal says I can always pick him up and carry him home if he struggles.


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

The rule of thumb is 15mins for every 4 weeks of age. 

However, this is just a guuide and doesn't last long. Your cockapoo will definitely tell you if they're tired or had enough. They'll slow down and walk with you!

Millie has around 45mins/1hr in the morning and around 30/45 in the evening. When I have time at weekend, we go for longer walks for a couple of hours, but then we plan to stop and have a coffe break too.


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## Fifi (Aug 11, 2011)

I was told the rule was 5 minutes per month (very difficult to keep too)


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

the 5 or 15 min rule regarding walking it all rubish, its aimed at large breeds but even then its not overly healthy for them to be so restricted. pups need to stride out fully and the onl way they can do that is off lead for a good run. 


but with smaller dogs its not that big a problem once you have learnt what it too much for them one time you learn how far you can walk them so they are tiered but not knackered. 

then you will be able to take them further and longer.


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## Rufini (Sep 9, 2011)

We aim to take Vincent for at least 45 mins a day during the week for walks - we would love longer but with the nights being so dark so quickly the matter of safety comes in (I live in a city so no nice fields for Vincent to run in  )
At the weekend I take Vincent out for at least an hour and a quarter each day!


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## calli.h (Aug 29, 2011)

Arthur is 5 months and does both school runs with me (and the pushchair- we look quiet the site! I have often wondered if i could attach the lead somehow to the buggie so he could pull it like a charriot but i digress!!!), after we drop the eldest off at school we have about an hours walk mostly off lead, and then a shorter evening walk about 45mins again on and off lead. He has done this for most of the time we have had him and loves it. We take him out for a good couple of hours to the woods/beach most weekends. If you think Archie would enjoy a longer stretch just try him little at a time I think he will suprise you x


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## Clairasol (Sep 8, 2011)

Well, we went out this afternoon (only one walk today as it's been even more manic than normal  ) and he was desperate to get off the lead. We went on the longer of the walks we do as I felt guilty about him not going out this morning and took drinks so we could stop off and have a sit down whilst Archie ran around and chased sticks etc etc..anyway it all went a bit to pot as whilst I was sitting there minding my own business a huge Staff cross landed in my lap. He literally jumped over the back of me onto my lap. He was huge and luckily friendly as he was jumping all over the pushchair and my eldest daughter. 

Anyway turns out I know his owners so we sat and chatted and Archie had a very boisterous,big playmate who he ran after for nearly an hour. As it turns out 'Hooch' wasn't as interested in Archie as Archie was with him and prefered to chase stones over and over. Archie was desperate to follow him down the huge hill but would run down like a rocket, stop dead, turn round and look at me and leg it back up the hill. Big scaredy cat that he is. He didn't stop till we got home, ran round the house like a loon for half hour, then flaked out for about an hour and didn't even follow me up the stairs (yippeee I went to the loo in peace !!) 

So I think we can go for longer walks and not worry so much, although I will ease him gently as I think this play date was just right for him.


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## Clairasol (Sep 8, 2011)

calli.h said:


> Arthur is 5 months and does both school runs with me (and the pushchair- we look quiet the site! I have often wondered if i could attach the lead somehow to the buggie so he could pull it like a charriot but i digress!!!), after we drop the eldest off at school we have about an hours walk mostly off lead, and then a shorter evening walk about 45mins again on and off lead. He has done this for most of the time we have had him and loves it. We take him out for a good couple of hours to the woods/beach most weekends. If you think Archie would enjoy a longer stretch just try him little at a time I think he will suprise you x


Oh my gosh, this is me...Pushchair for baby, Archie on lead, 3 year old trailing behind. The amount of times I have people in the village say to me ' ooh you've got your work cut out haven't you' or 'aren't you a gulten for punishment' is unbelievable. I do get some odd looks whilst pushing the pushchair up steep muddy hills and down dirt tracks where we walk so I have just bought a baby carrier from E-bay so at least I might look the part now.


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## calli.h (Aug 29, 2011)

Clairasol said:


> Oh my gosh, this is me...Pushchair for baby, Archie on lead, 3 year old trailing behind. The amount of times I have people in the village say to me ' ooh you've got your work cut out haven't you' or 'aren't you a gulten for punishment' is unbelievable. I do get some odd looks whilst pushing the pushchair up steep muddy hills and down dirt tracks where we walk so I have just bought a baby carrier from E-bay so at least I might look the part now.


SNAP! especially when Arthur is frantically trying to decapitate himself at the school gates trying to get to all the school children to cover them in muddy paws!! Liv is now too big for a baby carrier so I grin and bare it!! All good fun HA HA, makes you feel better knowing someone else has to do it too!! x


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