Dog after a season

[888sally888]

My dog (9 months old) finished her first season a week ago and seems to have slowed down a bit.

By the end of her normal hours walk she is quite reluctant to carry on walking.

Has anyone else found this? Many thanks.

[lankeela]

Er - an hours walk at nine months? What are you trying to do walk the legs off her? This is far too much, and don't forget, the weather is getting warmer all the time so she will feel it more, as well as having been a bit under the weather with the season.

Give her a couple of shorter walks a day rather than one long one, and in the warmer weather make sure its either early morning or late evening, when its is cooler. Keep any long walks until she is at least a year old, and later if she is a big breed.

[888sally888]

Yes - thats a good idea. Maybe I will try 2 shorter ones a day in the warm weather.

Up until now though she has always been fine on long walks but as you say maybe the season has affected her more that I realise.

[lankeela]

The walk may not affect her visibly, but you are walking off any goodness the food is putting in. She should be exercised gently so she can grow, or you will end up with a tall, thin, beanpole, with no substance.

[888sally888]

Good point - shorter walk today and extra cuddles (as if she doesnt already get enough!!)

Funny how dogs become your baby isnt it??!!

[ganesh]

I read somewhere that a puppy should get 5 minutes per month of age, twice a day (as a rough guide). This would make a 9 month old require 2x45minutes a day, not a great deal less than what you are giving per walk and perhaps not enough altogether,so I would disagree with Lankeela.
And what's wrong with being shattered at the end of it,we are as well if we've had a good healthy run or long walk!!

[ganesh]

I would add,of course that with the heat of the summer,maybe an early morning and evening walk would make sense.

[888sally888]

Yes think that may be better. Took her for a shorter slower walk today and she was a bit better.

Have also changed her diet to chicken and mixer twice a day which I think will give her a boost. She was on Hills tins but I dont think she is very keen.

[lankeela]

Don't know where you read that, but if thats what you think is right, who am I to argue? But then I expect you would let a toddler walk for a few miles and think it would do it good to become tired out.

Puppies are babies, and need time to grow and develop, not to use up all their strength in walking without letting their limbs, bones and muscles develop. Fact.

[ganesh]

I believe I read it in the Puppy Manual given to me by the Kennel Club and it seems to be about right for my dog.
And actually little kids do run around like crazy until they are exhausted. Fact!
Yes, a three month old puppy can cope with 2x15 minutes a day.
I know you are very knowledgable about dogs as I have had advice from you before and seen a lot of your threads but I don't know why your tone is harsh over this one as I am only mentioned what I read ,and I will try and find it and quote from it seeing as you disagree with it.

[ganesh]

Also,your nine-month old puppy is almost grown up and now sexually mature and certainly cannot be compared with a toddler!
You cannot compare a dog's growth with humans in that sense because we cannot even walk until 12months whereas a four-legged dog can walk almost immediately. We're also not capable of reproducing until about 13 yrs old and a bitch can at around 6months (which would be equivalent to a 4 or 5 year old!)
I know dogs are domesticated but I reckon a nine-month old wild dog or wolf would be running around more than 1 hour out of 24.
So, I wouldn't feel guilty Sally ,it depends on her breed of course which you don't mention ,but I would rather see a lean.fit dog than a fat one any day!

[ganesh]

P.S Sorry to bang on about it but you can see where I got that '5minute' info if you look up the Kennel Club web-site and click on early days exercising.

[kita1]

Much of this depends on what type of walk we are talking about.

A 'walk' to some people is a route march - a non stop 'brisk' walk for the full hour.

Other people would 'stroll' along, stopping every now and again and letting the dog sniff around the scents.

Some people exercise their dogs whilst riding a bike!

Also, is the dog on a lead (eg forced to walk at owners pace) or free to nose around at its own pace.

To 888sally888

I have an 11 year old dog (old for his breed) and in the hot weather he went on his usual walk (about an hour! on his insistance) towards the end of the walk he HAD to sit down every 10 yards or so - he had basically run out of puff! Now it is cooler he is back to not having to sit down at all. In your case it was probably just the combination of the first season and the hot weather. Some dogs also go off their food a bit in the hot weather and when they come into season.

[888sally888]

Thank you to all for your answers.

Just got back from a 35 min walk and she is puffed out but not exhausted!!

She gets so excited when we go out she must love it.!

[spiritulist]

Yes. After a season they are sometimes quiet. She is maturing and doesn't feel to good at the moment as her hormones will be all over the place. So much so that she could suffer a phantom pregnancy later, this is not unusual. Give her a bit of time to recover and at 6 weeks post season she will be at her prime, feeling good and looking fantastic.

[888sally888]

Thats good to hear - she has been 'helping' me around the house this morning. She certainly hasnt lost her spark and nosiness!! Also adding some chicken to her diet seems to have helped (not that she's spoilt!!)