How much is too much excercise for an 8 year old dog?

cocker5

Ok, so this may be a totally stupid question but here goes anyway.


I have an 8 year old cocker, male, I run / walk him around 30km (max 40km ) per week, it’s as much for my fitness as his etc. During the summer he also going swimming in the sea, which he adores

Lately he has started to slow down a bit as in when he’s athome relaxing he’s slower to get out of his bed / he sleeps a lot etc. he has recently been tothe vet so health wise he’s grand!


Now the sleeping doesn’t bother me, as he’s in the kitchen all day while im at work and im sure it’s just a routine etc.


I feed him Burns half a cup in the morning and the same in the evening (plus a couple of treats too), I also now give him a tablespoon of salmon oil everyday mixed in his food, to try and help his joints and his general well-beingetc. He also gets sardines one day per week and a raw egg whisked in anotherday.


So I suppose my question is, is 30km approx. too much for an 8 year old cocker?


Now I know 8 isn’t old (im hoping he’s another 20 years plus left in him ) but I don’t want to age him before his time by over exercising him etc.

A few of the nights I decided to “rest” him but as soon as he saw my runners on he went mental at the idea of me heading off running without him etc., and kind of ignored me for a few hours after I came back from my run, plus I missed his company on the run too (yes I am a saddo )


Is there anything else I can give him / feed him to try and keep him fit and healthy?


Thanks Guys

SillyMangoX

Being honest, I think the best thing for you to do would be to head to the vets with him, get a full 'oap' work up done including bloods and listening for murmurs to make sure he is still in good nick, and if all is well then just say it to the vet how much exercise he gets and if it's okay!

cocker5

SillyMangoX wrote: »

Being honest, I think the best thing for you to do would be to head to the vets with him, get a full 'oap' work up done including bloods and listening for murmurs to make sure he is still in good nick, and if all is well then just say it to the vet how much exercise he gets and if it's okay!

Thanks I will book him in for the full once over including bloods etc!

THanks

gimmick

I cannot believe you have a dog for 8 years and do not know how much to exercise it yet. Maybe you should read some books on how to rare a dog properly.

Mod note: this post has been addressed by the mods already. See below.
Thanks,
DBB

cocker5

gimmick wrote: »

I cannot believe you have a dog for 8 years and do not know how much to exercise it yet. Maybe you should read some books on how to rare a dog properly.

great advice... welll done

"rare" excellent english - again well done

:pac:

toadfly

Id second the bloods suggestion. We don't know what age Ozzie is, we have him three years and vet guessed 4-5 at the time so I wanted to make sure all was ok. Got bloods done about 6months ago and everything came back perfect. I think its good to do for all dogs getting on a bit.

Good luck OP.

Seaneh

gimmick wrote: »

I cannot believe you have a dog for 8 years and do not know how much to exercise it yet. Maybe you should read some books on how to rare a dog properly.

What a stupid, unhelpful post.

dave1982

gimmick wrote: »

I cannot believe you have a dog for 8 years and do not know how much to exercise it yet. Maybe you should read some books on how to rare a dog properly.

I think he's asking should he reduce the exercise that he has been used to, wants to now is he pushing him too much now that he is 8.

Seems like a good question to me OP don't want his dog getting a heart attack or something.


There is a food for senior dogs again your vet would be able to advice you.

cocker5

TillyGirl wrote: »

Id second the bloods suggestion. We don't know what age Ozzie is, we have him three years and vet guessed 4-5 at the time so I wanted to make sure all was ok. Got bloods done about 6months ago and everything came back perfect. I think its good to do for all dogs getting on a bit.

Good luck OP.

Thanks Tilly girl.... he did have a full set of blood 2 years ago but im sure alot can change in 2 years… I would just hate to be over exercising him or causing him to age before his time. If you know what I mean!


Thanks again.

DBB

Gimmick, there's no need for that, it's a perfectly legitimate question.
Cocker5, as per the charter, do not respond to posts that annoy you. Report it.
Seaneh, same applies to you.
Any more unhelpful, off topic posts will result in warnings etc.

To all: The forum charter asks that posters remain civil to one another. Please remember that.
Do not reply to this post on thread.
Thanks,
DBB

Seaneh

cocker5 wrote: »

Ok, so this may be a totally stupid question but here goes anyway.


I have an 8 year old cocker, male, I run / walk him around 30km (max 40km ) per week, it’s as much for my fitness as his etc. During the summer he also going swimming in the sea, which he adores

Lately he has started to slow down a bit as in when he’s athome relaxing he’s slower to get out of his bed / he sleeps a lot etc. he has recently been tothe vet so health wise he’s grand!


Now the sleeping doesn’t bother me, as he’s in the kitchen all day while im at work and im sure it’s just a routine etc.


I feed him Burns half a cup in the morning and the same in the evening (plus a couple of treats too), I also now give him a tablespoon of salmon oil everyday mixed in his food, to try and help his joints and his general well-beingetc. He also gets sardines one day per week and a raw egg whisked in anotherday.


So I suppose my question is, is 30km approx. too much for an 8 year old cocker?


Now I know 8 isn’t old (im hoping he’s another 20 years plus left in him ) but I don’t want to age him before his time by over exercising him etc.

A few of the nights I decided to “rest” him but as soon as he saw my runners on he went mental at the idea of me heading off running without him etc., and kind of ignored me for a few hours after I came back from my run, plus I missed his company on the run too (yes I am a saddo )


Is there anything else I can give him / feed him to try and keep him fit and healthy?


Thanks Guys

Hey op, just wanted to say your dog sounds perfectly normal for his age. I'd consider 8/9 years old to be about the age when a cocker will start become more interested in sitting in front of the fire/on your couch than running around a lot. Think of it as a man getting to that age around 35-40 when the couch becomes more attractive than playing 5-a-side every night. He's still perfectly able to play a few hours of astro, but the legs feel it more in the morning than when he was 21 :P.
Hope that little analogy makes sense!

Anyway, he's still got plenty of miles left in him and even though he'll be slower to get up and going with ya he'll still love the run and be well able for it for while yet.
Once his joints and heart are fine there should be no reason to get him off his bum and out for a jog, he'll just collapse and sleep more when he gets home!

paultf

cocker5, I think this is a good question to ask.

Don't some food manufacturers say a dog is considered senior at 8 years old? I am on Burns too - which is suppose to be suitable for a senior. With your diet and exercise I would guess your dog is fit and lean.

At 8 most dogs would start to slow down a bit.

My eldest cocker is 10 and he slowed down this time last year. First sign was when he started to hide when his harness was produced. Got him checked by the vet and he has a leaking valve. Now I walk him seperately for 30 minutes max. cause that is all he can manage.

You have been to the vet so that is good. Was his heart checked?

My fella was slow getting up too so I put him on joint care tablets which helped.

If your dog is not keen to exercise as much as before, maybe reduce it or add some variety. Maybe one day jogging at a slower pace. Or another day off lead for a lesser amount. Sometimes I find that a shorter walk somewhere new (off-lead if possible) is more interesting & exciting for the dog.

As other posters say it might no harm to get him further checked.

angeldaisy

Hi OP, I've an 11yr old collie cross and he loves exercise - doesn't get anywhere near as much as yours though:D

I find that some days, now he's getting older,he just can't be bothered to go for a walk - so we don't, then other days he would tear off himself for a long walk - chasing smells (we live surrounded by fields:)) and then go for a walk with us as well.

I think that nobody other than yourself can ever know your own dog and you'll know when it gets too much for yours.

That said a full work up by the vet would be beneficial, especially for joints, but if he's always done that level of exercise you should have less of a problem - hopefully:D

paultf

I forgot to say.

I asked a similar question to yours last year. I thought my dog needed extra supplements of some sort.

I can't remember who it was but I was advised to get him checked out.

Luckily I did. So you original post/question is valid.

cocker5

Thanks Paultf and angeldasiy for your replies I appreciate it….


“leaking valve” – :eek: that’s kinda freaked me out a bit to be honest… hope your dog is ok X.


While my guy was at the vet 4 weeks ago (he had a vomiting bug - has his shots inJuly of ever year), she did listen to his heart etc. and checked him out andsaid he was in excellent health.

I did mention to her at the time that Im paranoid of something happening to him (I had a terrible year last year I lost my mum at 58 to cancer after 4 months so im like cancer hyper at the mo).

Bu tI didn’t ask her to do bloods etc., I’m going to make an appointment this week and get him his “OAP MOT” and if anything it will put my mind at ease! And will also ask her about exercise levels.


Im sure im just being over the top but I would never forgive myself if there was something wrong with him that I didn’t spot… or do something about.


With regard to Burns, I asked her last time I was in and she said the burns is goodf or Senior dogs too, and with the salmon for his joints etc. he is getting good nutrition.


I just don’t want to wear him out –IYKWIM.


Now don’t get me wrong he’s in great form, I just want to look after as best I can now that he is entering his “senior years” I want (and need ) him around for along time to come.

cocker5

paultf wrote: »

I forgot to say.

I asked a similar question to yours last year. I thought my dog needed extra supplements of some sort.

I can't remember who it was but I was advised to get him checked out.

Luckily I did. So you original post/question is valid.

Thanks, I will def get him checked out better to be safe than sorry!

Tranceypoo

OP, my oldest dog is around 7/8 and since last summer I've noticed him slowing down gradually, now I give him 2 shorter walks per day could you do a 3k run alone then come back for him and do a 2k fast walk? I have 2 so can still take the younger one out for a long walk (which is also just as much for me as the dogs!) and he still wags his tail to go out in the afternoon but he just can't go as far as me and Lil go (sometimes 4/5 miles in one walk) so I sit and give him a cuddle and settle him on the sofa with a small treat and go off with Lil, he seems to understand now that the afternoon isn't his time, morning and evening is for him.

After all that waffling, my point is, could you stagger his walks or just change your routine slightly and do a bit of a solo run first as my above suggestion?

I'm sure he's fine by the way, Archie has a heart murmur which I have to take into account as well so I'm extra careful (over protective!) but getting older just slows them down, just like us!

cocker5

Tranceypoo wrote: »

OP, my oldest dog is around 7/8 and since last summer I've noticed him slowing down gradually, now I give him 2 shorter walks per day could you do a 3k run alone then come back for him and do a 2k fast walk? I have 2 so can still take the younger one out for a long walk (which is also just as much for me as the dogs!) and he still wags his tail to go out in the afternoon but he just can't go as far as me and Lil go (sometimes 4/5 miles in one walk) so I sit and give him a cuddle and settle him on the sofa with a small treat and go off with Lil, he seems to understand now that the afternoon isn't his time, morning and evening is for him.

After all that waffling, my point is, could you stagger his walks or just change your routine slightly and do a bit of a solo run first as my above suggestion?

I'm sure he's fine by the way, Archie has a heart murmur which I have to take into account as well so I'm extra careful (over protective!) but getting older just slows them down, just like us!

staggering his walks / running may be the answer (as well as a full MOT for him)... thanks!

TooManyDogs

Do you warm up and cool down your dog? There's more and more importance being put on warming not only yourself but your dog up before doing any kind of sports with your dog, and I reckon 30km a week is definitely sports (hats off to you, I'd eat the 30km before running it!)

Here's an article explaining how to warm up and cool down dogs
http://vetsportsmedicine.com/resources/prevent-inj.pdf

That and some kind of joint supplement could help ease him out