After finally getting my head around Twitter and really starting to enjoy the interaction there I realised this morning that I had already spent an hour adding people and replying to @s. If you haven’t yet joined I now, finally, can recommend it. It just takes some time to get in to the swing of it. Follow me if you want to see what I am up to.
Anyway, I digress. I decided it was time to spend some quality time away from the mysterious world inside my laptop and take some of my own advice on how to have a happier life with your dogs and go for a big walk with the three dogs. They get walkes twice a day, every day, but it is nice every now and then to go for a bit more of an adventure.
How Much Exercise For Dogs?
So we set off on what was to be a two hour walk to the top of the mountain that we all live on. It is a very steep climb and we end at a thousand metres up with fantastic views of distant mountains and little Catalan villages (not that the Dogs appreciate the view).
The Dogs loved it. They were running back and forth like loons. There are so many tracks to follow and scents to trail that they were completely in their element. All the while I was thinking, “ah, they will be nice and tired when we get home. There won’t be much activity this afternoon”. I know how much exercise Dogs need depends on the breed, size etc but I felt sure it would have tired them out.
Not so. Since we get back at twelve thirty the following has occured:
- They slept for thirty minutes almost immediately.
- They came and all sat around me while I returned to the world inside my laptop
- They moaned at me for a bit
- They went in to the Kitchen/Diner and played (loudly) with each other
- They all watched me make lunch
- They all watched me eat lunch
- They then proceeded to play (loudly) again, for TWO MORE HOURS!
Until I finally let them outside to play.
How Can Dogs Need So Much Exercise?
I am amazed how energetic they are today. I don’t know if the buzz of the walk has got the Demon Dogs so hyped up that they just want to go on playing for ever. It’s not that I mind. It’s great to see such happy and playful Dogs. I just wonder where it all comes from. They are acting like Christmas came early and were surrounded with loads of new Stuff for Dogs.
As I sit here typing this with my half frozen hands (another story) I can hear the little hyped up bundles of doggie terror running back and forth outside the house playing with a sock that a certain Faye stole like the Dog laundry thief that she is!
Update. An hour later and they are still at it!
How Long To Exercise A Dog?
How Much Exercise Dogs Really Need
As my story shows, Dogs can need a lot of exercise. Exactly how much exercise a Dog needs will of course vary from Dog to Dog. Any Dog owner should be taking their Dog for a minimum of two Walks a day. At least one of these should be for as long as possible. At least a half hour.
On the wekends try to go for a walk with the Dogs for a good few hours. A tired Dog is much better behaved and will thank you for a long Walk. Exercising Dogs is very important. It helps to bond and it certainly burns off that excess energy that otherwise translates in to bad behaviour.
Why not try a fun activity such as Dog Powered Scooters? It is a great way to tire them out and a lot of fun.
Only you know how much exercise Dogs will need. Just try to give your Dog as much exercise as possible.
I can vouch for this!! My family takes my dog for usually 2 long walks every day, and she’s a lot happier for it!! 🙂
We’ve yet to wear our dog out yet. She didn’t get a two hour walk this morning, but she did play loudly, snore loudly, sit and watch me make my lunch, came and sat next to me, with her head on my laptop while I ate my lunch. Fully sympathy for you. She’s currently curled up in a ball next to me snoring loudly.
emchi’s last blog post..Dusting of Snow
Hi Emchi. Glad to have you here. Sounds like you have a real snorer there with you. I wish mine would do a bit of sleeping today. I really don’t know what’s got in to them today. They are never normally this hyped.
I suspect my four dogs are on speed, but I can’t find their stash.
jan’s last blog post..Martha Stewart’s new puppy
My dogs are getting on in years – they are 6 and 6.5 so a long walk will tire them out for a little bit longer than when they were younger. Still it seems that after a point the more exercise they get, the more energy they have.
Riayn’s last blog post..When Jesus isn’t behind the couch
There is no doubt about the exercise and dogs behavior thing, my dogs are always happy chaps but they are happy in a way I can better cope with after a big walk. I must admit though I am struggling with their five am walk with my bad knee now the ground is covered in ice. Any tips?
Michelle’s last blog post..I have heard of men who are excited by fake boobs, but this is ridiculous.
Hi Riayn. I have quite a few years to go then before my pesky pooches settle down, although our previous Dog could run for four miles easily when he was about 13!
Hi Michelle.
Five am! Now that is dedication. Hope you have some super sturdy footwear with all that ice around.
I work in a shelter, and from personal and professional experience, know that the amount of necessary exercise varies tremendously. My parents’ Australian Cattle Dog can take multiple multi-mile runs daily and still have energy to go, go, go! But we get a lot of dogs in the shelter who simply want to veg out nearly 24/7.
Your points about getting any dog out and about for at least 2 walks a day are well taken – though I’m often guilty of only one 20-minute walk a day with my 3 (possibly soon to be 4?) big pups 😛 I’ll take your advice and try to do better – my girls deserve it!