Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:16 am Post subject: Keeping to 5 min walking rule when you have multiple dogs?
Bella will be 6 months next week. I am finding it increasingly hard to keep to the 5 min rule.
I tend to walk them alternate days together for a number of reasons but mainly because I enjoy taking them out together, and they enjoy being out together too, and also because on some days I find it hard to fit in 2 separate walks. When walking them together the walk tends to be between 45-60 mins which is obviously over what Bella should have for her age.
On the days when she has a separate walk I do stick to the 5 minute rule
Being a working cocker spaniel she does have lots of energy and even after a longer walk she is clearly not completely knackered
We do short periods of training everyday as well but we do enjoy our off-lead romps across the fields too!!
When Ruby was a pup I found it much easier to stick to the rule but having 2 dogs is a bit more tricky!!
So what I am asking is - is it going to harm her having longer walks like this ?
Thanks
Chloe
Last edited by rubyrubyruby on Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:35 am; edited 1 time in total
Chloe, what I have done when we go out together for an hour, with one who needs building up and not really up to that long is walk for maybe 15 mins, then head back the way we came and exercise the fit ones with ball while the less fit one just hovers round sniffing. They then are not having to do more walking than necessary.
It works for us, and they are all happy being together.
I don't know much about Working Cockers, do they have hip and/or elbow problems within the breed?
I've never restricted my Miniature Poodles, in fact it's only been my Labs I've been careful with, all the other pups went out for as long as I wanted and it never seemed to do them any harm, in fact for the energetic one's it did them the world of good to blow off steam outside instead of indoors.
I thought the 5 min rule was only for breeds who could have genetic joint problems.
Jules - I thought that rule applied to all puppies because of damaging joints/bones during the growing stage ? If it is supposed to be just for those breeds which have joint problems then that's good news for Bella (and me!)
I thought the same as Jules. I don't know a massive amount about working cockers but I walk 2 four days a week and have done since they were 6 months old.They've always had an hour together with my other dogs and never seem to be tired...EVER! I'm pretty sure their owner didn't follow the 5 minute rule with them even when they were tiny. They are litter sisters so run even more when together. I didn't think they were prone to genetic joint problems (they are 3 now and have had no problems healthwise at all) but am very happy to be corrected!!
I hope someone more experienced can advise you better.
Just to say also that Bella is so pretty Chloe...gorgeous colouring
Cockers aren't prone to probs like labs although I have seen that some working cockers are hip scored.
If I can give her the same amount of exercise as Ruby that will be great as I would rather she burns off excess energy out on a walk rather than bouncing around inside
Barbara - thank you for your comment about Bella Her colouring does seem to create a lot of interest when we are out. Somebody asked if she was a setter puppy the other day!
Jules - I thought that rule applied to all puppies because of damaging joints/bones during the growing stage ? If it is supposed to be just for those breeds which have joint problems then that's good news for Bella (and me!)
Chloe
As far as I'm aware, the rule was bought about to try to stop bad joints from getting worse. Good joints shouldn't have any problems coping with whatever life throws at them.
Also there is an awful lot less weight on a Cocker's joints than a Labrador's, so you're far less likely to accumulate any damage, even if the joints weren't so good.
To be honest, my jury is still out about restricting exercise in Labs, as there has never been any hard or fast evidence that exercise causes problems, or that restricting it stops problems either.....And I'm just one of those sorts who questions everything and needs Evidence .
I tend to treat the creature in front of me as a Whole, rather than just treat bits of it. If I have a pup who is bouncing around like a nutter indoors, then as far as I'm concerned, it might as well run about outside and I know training does wear a lot of young dogs out, but it most certainly doesn't wear out the most energetic one's enough to stop them from needing a darn good run too. I also don't really go along with the lines, if you get them fit they demand even more exercise, as I've simply never found this to be the case.
Look at the photos of Twoee in my sig pic. She was 18 weeks old there and ran, nay "Hurtled" about on that beach for about 2 hours. I tried to slow her down, I tried carrying her, but nope...she was FAR too busy for any of that nonsense. Was I worried...was I heck.... She is a Poodle, she is born to RUN and I would image a Working Cocker is built much the same.
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. She is a Poodle, she is born to RUN and I would image a Working Cocker is built much the same. 
