It's a common misconception that Herding Breed dogs need to be endlessly walked ! Unfortunately their fantastic work ethic on farms, has led people to believe that for a Herder to be happy , they need a few walks a day, every single day!
But, guess what!
This isn't true!
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE WALK OUR DOGS EVERY SINGLE DAY?
You build an Athlete! - That 5 minute walk on Monday pooped Fido out, but now its Friday and that 5 minutes didn't even touch the edges! And so, you keep adding 10 minutes and another 10 minutes and so on and on we go. Til now we're walking 3 hours a day, twice a day and the dog is still wired! Uh oh! You've made yourself an athlete! Our Herders were bred to be endurance workers and very easily build fitness !
You fill and overflow the emotional bucket! - This is especially true for our Reactive fur babies, but applies to all dogs. Both GOOD and BAD experiences can add water to the bucket. Got excited to see a friend, then we saw a scary dog, then we went over to a new park and there was all sorts of new sniffs! YAY! A Dog with a full or overflowing bucket may struggle to settle, be extremely restless, seem more wired than usual or engage in some cheeky behaviours like destroying things, stealing things, biting/mouthing or pulling on lead!
We Damage joints! - Ever had a really busy day? Those days when we manage our 10k steps? How do your knees and feet feel the next day? Would you want to go for a walk with those aches and pains? And would you hold your body posture correctly or do you slouch? The same happens for our dogs. When they are sore, they can favour limbs, limp or "walk sloppy". When they do this long term, they can cause muscle imbalances and issues with joints- especially in younger dogs!
WHAT SHOULD I DO INSTEAD?
Avoid Footpath/Pavement walks where possible. Encourage your dog to walk on the grass as this is less impact on their joints and better for their feet!
Replace your walks with Enrichment ! When we work out the mind, the body will follow! Consider replacing your walk entirely with sniffing , licking or herding games a few times a week!
Do long walks, every few days. Your dog will get far more enjoyment from going for a drive out to some bushland every few days for a nice long sniffy walk than from a daily pavement walk!
Warm Up & Cool Down Even for your daily walk! Your warm up and cool down should include a combination of arousal management games and a physical warm up. Giving your dog some time to cool down when they get home is important too! You can find a good warm up routine from our friends at Love Dog Training Co here:
PUPPY EXERCISE
Avoid walking your puppy until they are tired or "ready to drop". This idea belongs to the old thought that a tired dog is a good dog. We now know this is quite untrue and actually contributes to behaviour issues as well as long term joint damage.
There is no real set amount that a puppy should or shouldn't exercise. Its really an individual need based on many factors including their breed, fitness level, joint development and overall health.
Want to know more? Head on over to our friends at Love Dog Training Co and read more here: Safe puppy exercise
Not sure if you're walking your dog the right amount? Reach out today!
Comments