puppy dog routine?

jsabina

Hi everybody,
sometimes I open a thread with questions.
Again I have a 4 months old cross breed setter.
His day is:
morning in the back yard
at lunch time I go home and I bring him out for a 15-20 minutes walk
at 6 I am home again and we go out for 30 minutes till 1 hour, it depends
then dinner etc and then out again around 21-22 when he is crazy active.

I don't have a lot of time for training between going out, making dinner, eating and maybe relaxing a moment.
He is in the destroying everything phase.. he always has toys and bones etc but he is crazy active always and I don't want him to be bored.

Do you think would be better to do training every day? Maybe with a shorter walk?
What do your dogs (young maybe) when they are at home?
It seems he needs activities things to do to not be bored..

andreac

The walks are too long for a 4 month old puppy, esp the long one. The rule is for every month of age, its 5 mins. So your dog should really only be getting 20mins per day, not every walk!!
Thats walk of nearly an hour is far too much on a baby.

Maybe just try two short walks and lots of fun and playtime in the garden instead. But definitely stop the long walks as you risk doing damage to growing bones and joints.

Have you tried filling Kongs for him to keep him busy for a while? Fill the Kong with treats and freeze it and it will last much longer.

Also you shouldnt exercise a dog after their dinner. They should be rested after their dinner as they risk getting a thing called Bloat which is very serious.

jsabina

Ok to be honest we are not walking for one hour.
I bring him in a park near my house where he can move free, sniff and run and walk if he wants..

andreac

jsabina wrote: »

Ok to be honest we are not walking for one hour.
I bring him in a park near my house where he can move free, sniff and run and walk if he wants..

Yes but its still too much for a baby. His bones and joints are still growing/forming and can be damaged if they are exercised too much so you need to reduce the walks for now.

Also, see the other information i added to the above post.

jsabina

ok thanks for the info.. I will do shorter walks, it's not a problem, I just thought he was bored :S

usually he gets dinner around 7 or 8..
the thing is that in the evening, between 21 and 22 he is crazy excited, wants to play, go out or starts running in the house destroying everything.
Also yesterday after the long walk..
for this reason usually I bring him out for a short walk just in front of my house.
Should I crate him maybe with a kong after dinner to keep him quiet?

andreac

Yes, crate and a kong is good idea. You could try doing bits of training with him, sit, stay, etc which is tiring on the mind too.
Have you tried bringing him to puppy classes? This is a great way to socialise and tire out a puppy as well.

jsabina

yep we have been to a 5 weeks puppy class already..
last saturday was the last day, so I am wondering how to keep training him.

Then later, in few months or less, we will start another training course, maybe obedience.
I like to go to training to let him socialize and learn to have a good relationship with him.

I'll try a shorter walk tonight and to play and to a bit of training with him.
Then crate, but I am sorry to crate him as he is so long alone during the day..

jsabina

Ok we are doing shorter walks.
When I am home at lunch I play with him and feed him.
I am home at 6 and walk where he meet some dogs, preparing dinner, then relaxing at pc / shower for me.
And he seems bored.
He doesn't care about his chews, he is not really able to play fetch yet.
We do a bit of training a bit of playing then I would like to relax but I feel sorry to see him bored..
He doesn't have full access to the house so we are in the living room.
He plays a bit with some toys. then lay down and whine.. then play.. run.. chew me.. jump on me..

I gave him the kong but I have the puppy small kong he finished it in 3 minutes.
He doesn't like it if freezed.

I am trying to understand what is better for him and for me..
Do you think is better to crate him? I would feel sorry as he is bored and he will go to sleep in few hours..