Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:20 pm Post subject: Looking forward to our first walk..........
Megan had her second jab last week so the day we can take her out for a proper walk is near!!! (Next Saturday). I don't know who will be more excited, me or Megan!!
I was wondering how many times she should be walked per day and for how long?
We have a park just a few mins walk away which I plan on making for (whether we get there is another matter).
If we do make it to the park, should I let her off the lead?
Any other tips anyone can give me to prepare for the big day?
Can't wait!!
Aimi and Megan
xxx
Yes the five minute rule has worked really well for us. Truffle is 18 1/2 weeks old now. Every thing is so new to them they are always looking and sniffing around, wanting to meet and be fussed by people and other dogs, that you don't always get very far!
If we go to a country park and she walks a bit further than usual, we tend to rest her up for a day or two, we play and do training instead.
Have fun. Its great to get out there and get on walks.
Thank you for that - it does make sense.
When did you first let your pup off the lead? I have had different advice from different people.
Confused!!
Aimi and Megan
xxx
Hi Aimi with regards to letting her off lead I would wait a while until you have got her recall up a bit. She needs to understand that you need her to come back to you, practise at home first say in the garden or even try a game of hide and seek indoors first. Every time that she comes to you make a fuss of her and reward her with a treat. When you call her dont over use her name, try saying "come hear girl" or something similar. I was once told that if you use there names to many times they just start to switch off.
Dont be in that much of a hurry to let her off lead, do it when you think the time is right and when you are both fully confident the last thing you want is to have a bad experience and then that will set you back a bit.
Have fun with her first and let her experience all the different things she will smell for the first time.
Get a long training lead that way she can go a bit further away from you but you have full control of her and she can practise her recall.
Sorry to go on a bit and hope this will help. Good luck with your first walk enjoy and have fun.
Ann
____________ Kimmy you will always be our superstar, we love you
Aimi,
There are LOADS of differing opinions about when to let offlead for the first time.
I always had border collies in Australia and they were never allowed offlead until well over 6 months old, and I was certain their recall was consistent.
I was advised on here to let Ozzie have offlead time right from the beginning. The theory behind it is that while the pups are still tiny they are still a bit scared of the big bad world and they will keep coming back to you for reassurance.
I was *petrified* the first time we let Ozzie offlead. We were in a fenced area of a country park and I had a bag of very smelly treats (dried liver, plus fresh ham and cheese) and his fave squeaky toy to get his attention (he goes mad for squeakys).
We let him offlead (took em three attempts to get the guts to unclip him LOL) and he instantly bounded off ahead of us. When he got about 5m away he realised there was no lead and he stopped instantly in his tracks, turned around and looked for us, and ran back. I gave him a treat and LOADS of praise. We walked a little way, probably only 10 mins, in this same manner - he kept going off for a sniff and coming back all the time. We even got him to heel offlead which I thought was excellent for a 3 month old pup.
It was scary, but I do believe that it was the right thing to do - he now gets offlead time 3 or 4 times a week and he has NEVER not returned when called. Sure, sometimes I need to be a bit more interesting than usual (depending on my competition). A pile of horsepoo he's really interested in means i have to get on the ground on my tummy, squeaking the toy like mad and sounding all excited, but he always comes back.
Maybe search for an enclosed field and try it there so you know she can only go as far as the fenceline Of course, make the decision which feels right for you on the day!
Definately do your research and make your own decision. I've done it both ways and I still feel that both ways have their merits. By the time I ever let a BC off lead I knew with absolute certainty they'd recall, wheras with Ozzie I had no idea what would happen. A good idea from anecdotal evidence off LF, but no real idea for my dog in particular.
I've always let mine off lead from their first walk (making sure it is WELL away from roads or any danger of course). I have found that, like Ness says, at 12 weeks of age, they really do not want you to be too far away and you'll get great recalls and can give them loads of positive association to coming back to you. When they get to about 6-12 months they can start getting a bit too cocky and if you wait till then to let them off lead they wont be nearly so bothered about sticking close to you. If you've let them off before that and they've already developed the habit of coming back when called you wont have nearly so many problems later on.
I off-lead all my pups from day one and give them loads of praise and the odd treat for coming back or staying with me. It pays dividends once they hit the more challenging adolescent phase.
I too let off the lead on their first walk, excellent chance for recall training, whilst they are not keen to go far from you, just choose a quiet , safe spot
____________ I am only responsible for what I say, not for what you understand !
Thanks all!!
I will have a bag of very smelly treats with me and be prepared to bounce around like a loon then!!!! (Sounds like a normal day at the office, actually).
Really looking forward to it. Megan keeps putting her front paws up on the window sill and staring out wistfully!!
Regards, Aimi and Megan
xxx
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Aimi and Megan
Of course, make the decision which feels right for you on the day!
