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Post by gofish2 on Sept 23, 2017 18:27:46 GMT
I have a 3 month old pup (Oscar) who is absolutely delightful and could teach our forwards a thing or two (has a good eye for a ball, and can retrieve from tight angles) He has bags of energy and needs a lot of exercise. I've got quite conflicting information about how long his walks should be each day and some seem to think it should only be 5 minutes per month (15 minutes a day) because of stressing his joints. Does anyone have experience of this breed, or for that matter any working breed?
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Post by MJB on Sept 23, 2017 19:02:09 GMT
I have a 3 month old pup (Oscar) who is absolutely delightful and could teach our forwards a thing or two (has a good eye for a ball, and can retrieve from tight angles) He has bags of energy and needs a lot of exercise. I've got quite conflicting information about how long his walks should be each day and some seem to think it should only be 5 minutes per month (15 minutes a day) because of stressing his joints. Does anyone have experience of this breed, or for that matter any working breed? We've got a Lab so obviously might be very different but we stuck to 5 minutes per month for the same reason.
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Post by Paul Cannell on Sept 24, 2017 9:59:26 GMT
I've owned a couple of springers and have a 7 year old snoring by me as I type. Trying to remember but I think we have done this: for the first few weeks (not more than 5 or 6) after they've done the injections and are street legal - walk them for 15 - 30 minutes at a time, once or twice a day, gradually moving towards longer walks. After that you've got a 3 month-old dog that you can exercise as much as you want.
Springers are tough little bastards and inquisitive - the longest we've walked in one stretch was 12 miles (the 12-y-o we had then was knackered) but half that distance is a walk in the park for a springer. If I may give you some advice, get it socialised and walk it off the lead as much as possible.
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Post by Marked Ox on Sept 24, 2017 10:23:36 GMT
I've owned a couple of springers and have a 7 year old snoring by me as I type. Trying to remember but I think we have done this: for the first few weeks (not more than 5 or 6) after they've done the injections and are street legal - walk them for 15 - 30 minutes at a time, once or twice a day, gradually moving towards longer walks. After that you've got a 3 month-old dog that you can exercise as much as you want. Springers are tough little bastards and inquisitive - the longest we've walked in one stretch was 12 miles (the 12-y-o we had then was knackered) but half that distance is a walk in the park for a springer. If I may give you some advice, get it socialised and walk it off the lead as much as possible. Agree on your last bit of advice. We did that with our Cocker Spaniel many moons ago and he was no problem off the lead. As an aside, to help stop digestion problems and an*l gland problems (he used to suffer these and after using Bran he never had problems again) then mix a small handful of Bran into their food.
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Post by 54-46 on Sept 24, 2017 13:08:44 GMT
I have an 8 year old Springer/Collie cross, who our puppy trainer compared to a learner driver going out in a Lamborghini to. We've had a lot of fun and living in the middle of nowhere near Wallingford, quite a few occasions of running after deer! If I had to give one piece of advice really work on recall, and you will be rewarded with the most loyal and faithful dog known.
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Post by gofish2 on Sept 24, 2017 16:46:14 GMT
Thanks this is really helpful. I may be a bit biased but mine is a very bright and receptive dog (probably more to do with the breed). He's been crate trained from day 1, but the door is always open during day. His recall is very good and off the lead 9/10 he returns very quickly. He was treated like royalty at the Swan in Swinbrook (which I recommend) today and then ran his bits off in a nearby field. Paul, so you began walking for longer periods at 3 months? I walked him for 45 minutes yesterday and he managed perfectly well so perhaps (as he is street legal) he's ready.
I've also learned that he has a passion for carrots and has eaten the thyme I 'was' growing- he's going to have parsley this week too as his breath leaves much to be desired! That aside, he's real joy, even the needle like teeth!
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Post by Paul Cannell on Sept 24, 2017 19:29:51 GMT
I was probably over cautious, as I don't know you or your dog.
Good advice here but I suspect you'll work it out yourself.
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Post by backonthecoupon on Sept 25, 2017 8:02:30 GMT
The 5 minutes per month rule isnt based on anything particularly scientific. If you limit a 3 month springer to 15 minutes a day itll be eating the walls, at the crucial time for socialisation.
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Post by gofish2 on Sept 25, 2017 9:33:33 GMT
Thanks for that. I've decided to take him out 2x20/25 a day increasing to 2 x45/60 for exactly that reason- he has access to the garden through the day and I work from home which helps a lot, but there is clearly no substitute for a good walk, for either of us!
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