I'm doing a course and would appreciate your input . . .

[shivvy]

I am doing a canine behaviour course and for one of the questions I think I would find it useful to get the opinion of other dog owners.
The question is . . .
"Walking the dog on the lead is one way of using up a dogs excess energy, what other ways are there to exercise a dog? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the different ways to exercise, if any, and which types of dog do they suit in particular?"
I have terrier crosses but would be interested in the opinion of people who have other breeds of dog.

Thanks for your time.

[ummmm]

Fetch. I had a springer...they have lots of energy. I just sat in the garden throwing a ball for him. He'd happily to it all day. What he loved the best was swimming....

[shivvy]

Thanks ummm. You say that he loved swimming and chasing/retrieving the ball. Which do you think used up his energy best?

[Tilly2]

I play football with my staffie. I just kick the ball and she dribbles it back to me. The GSD just runs round and round the two of us, barking. They love it.
The neighbours don't.

[flump1]

I agree with ummmmm, it is fetch for me and my hound too. When we play fetch she goes off at a rapid rate of knots to get to thrown object. She returns at a reasonable pace with the prize. When I walk my dog on a lead, she stops and sniffs every couple of yards, almost dislocating my arm in the process . She loves playing rough and tumble , it is fetch that uses most energy.

[weecalf]

Get your self a working dog that will use up his energy and think of all that money coming in .

[lankeela]

Interactive dog toys such as those by Nina Otterson are useful to keep a dog's mind exercised, and games such as hiding a treat under a cushion and getting them to 'seek' it keep them occupied. This is particularly helpful if you have a dog recovering from injury that needs restricted physical exercise such as cage rest. Training classes although only of a short half to one hour session tend to tire a dog out as much as a long run. Swimming is a very good exercise particularly for overweight or injured dogs recovering from an operation when they can't be exercised normally. Working breeds of dog such as Collies or Gundogs who have been bred to work all day require far more exercise than some of the other breeds who have been bred to be companions. The size of the dog is not an indicator of the amount of exercise needed, as some of the smaller terrier or working breeds need far more than the giant breeds who although needing regular exercise don't need as much energetic or lengthy exercise.

[shivvy]

Thanks for all your answers.