Too much exercise?

Tranceypoo

Just this week I've found a new walk of 5 miles for the afternoon stroll with my younger dog, this has taken our daily mileage to 8 miles over 2 walks, my husband said to me this evening that he thinks it's too much for doggie, she has been flaked out in the evenings, maybe a bit more so than usual and he's worried that I'm going to damage her joints in the long term by too much walking (not worried about my joints though!), now I'm no spring chicken of a 20 something year old, I'm a woman of an ahem, certain age and I can handle the 8 miles per day, admittedly I'm knackered in the evenings as well, she is about 3 or 4 years old, a collie/boxer cross so high energy breeds, on the walks she is usually ahead of me on the retractable lead or sometimes walking beside me. I'm just wondering if 8 miles per day (most days, not every day, today was 6.8 miles) is indeed just too much for her?

DBB

Assuming all is well with her joints, my first observation would be that perhaps the amount of exercise increased by too much, too quickly? She is presumably well fit enough for the usual 3ish miles per day, but a sudden doubling, or more, of that could surely knacker a dog out?! I might be wrong to humanize the situation, but as a (grudging) runner, if I suddenly upped my distance from 3 to 8 miles, I'd be comatose, and sore afterwards! But not if I gradually built up to it. Not that I plan to run 8 miles anytime soon, mind you :-)

Tranceypoo

Thanks DBB, I didn't explain properly, we had already been doing about 5 or 6 miles daily over 2 walks (2 or 3 in the morning, 3 in the afternoon), then I found the 5 mile walk and started doing that in the afternoon rather than the 3 miles (I seem to be mildly obsessed with mileage don't I? I actually do get in the car and drive the route to count the miles....:o), so it hasn't increased a huge amount really.

littlebug

Would the heat be affecting her on the walk as opposed to the distance? A 3 or 4 mile walk in the middle of the day now would leave mine as knackered as an 8 mile run on a cool drizzly morning a couple of months ago.

fatmammycat

Gosh I don't think that's hard on a mature fit dog at all, especially one on a lead. I walk a collie/springer cross ( 10 years old) for a friend of mine when he's at work and we're usually out for 2 hours, off lead, which means I probably cover about 14 k in total, but the dog must cover twice that in between running thither and yon, tracking back and so forth. Sometimes I take him to meet a friend who has two large gun dogs and on those days he really ups his distance by a few more k just running after the younger dogs. If your dog is tired in the evening she's probably just tired, however if she was limping or reluctant to go, or obviously exhausted mid walk that's different. I'd say you just have a happy tired pooch. Go you. Would that all dogs could have such a terrific walker

Vince32

I don't think it's too much, especially if your taking your time and enjoying the scenery.

I walk about 3.2 KM's twice a day with my sibe, and she is fine with it, and once a week we go out to the mountains to walk 10-14KM, but we are in no hurry and literally stop to smell the roses.

Dogs need the chance to do what dogs do! run, play and sniff about and upping the mileage by 2-3 a day would initially tax the dog a little more than usual, but that's to be expected, I remember as a kid I used to play games all day long, run, kick ball, play tag and get home and fall asleep on the couch, all pretty normal stuff.

I would only be concerned if the dog developed a limp, or couldn't keep up with me, and then it's a simple matter of slowing the pace, after all a team can only go as fast as it's slowest member. So long story short, if the dog is otherwise happy and healthy you have nothing to worry about, and if it takes a nap after a walk that's a good thing !! because we grow in our sleep, I don't know the name of it, but there is a growth hormone released into our systems while we sleep to help develop our muscles and brains, it's all as mother nature intended.

Vince.

Tranceypoo

I always go out after 3pm in the afternoons, on the rare occassions it's been really warm it'll be after 4pm and I wouldn't go too far in the real heat (so not that often!), yeh she's not limping or reluctant to go or anything, she's always on alert by about 3pm cos she knows it's time for the afternoon constitutional, I agree that she's just tired from a good old bit of exercise, I'm fairly knackered myself but in a good way, just wanted some reassurance from fellow dog people!! Thanks!