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Training and Time investments - from pet to K9

1K views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  jourdan 
#1 ·
Very curious to know what sort of time investment people put into their dogs. High energy, medium energy, low energy, never expendable energy, and all inbetween. How much training time each week? How much actual working time, if the dog has a task (sniffer, herder)? Any off days are allowed to simply play fetch or walk around?

As of now, I simply have a pet dog, he comes and goes out and about with me, half hour-2 hour walks twice a day, short 5 minute OB sessions, a 15 minute fetch or tug session, all is sufficient to wear him out that he doesn't wreck the house while I work. He suits my corporate drone life style.

More curious for the fact that I may consider some serious scent work (narcotics, explosives), SchH/IPO, herding, or protection work in the future; with a different dog, likely different life style.
 
#2 ·
My dog is my companion first and my sport dog second. We spend 2 days a week training with our Schutzhund group, we are starting an agility class once a week, we do some type of obedience (not usually formal, more play driven) every day. I do track 3-4 times a week depending on the ground cover, we walk/run everyday, and play some type of game almost everyday. More brain work to wear her out, as physically I don't know IF I can wear her out!
 
#3 ·
I'm not sure where I'd put Gaia's drives...it's safe to say they are moderate. She settles very well in the house and is okay if she doesn't get exercise every day. I have no idea if she is show lines/working lines as I got her from a BYB, my trainer thinks she's more working lines than anything.

We walk 10k a day, 5 in the morning and 5 at night so about 2hrs a day (I did this before I got her so she just became part of my routine). I try to throw in at least 3 5-10minute OB sessions seperate from what we do on our walks and she usually cons me with a few inside tug/fetch sessions while I'm winding down for the night.

We train IPO on Sundays with tracking starting at 8:30 in the spring/summer/fall which means I leave my house at 7:30am and get home around 5pm. Sunday's are officially dog days. In the summer we will move back outside and probably add in another training night through the week.

She has become my hobby which is fine as my boyfriend is part of a band and jams almost nightly so it's nice to have something to do when I get out of the house. We're at the point where I can take her every where with me and not worry so the countless hours and almost 0 me time during these 8 months has definately been worth it.
 
#4 ·
My Sting is from showlines and moderate to low energy depending on how hot or cold it is outside . He is a pet. His daily routine is 1 1/2 miles brisk morning walk, afternoon short obedience session including heeling walk around neighborhood - then his reward, a 10 - 15 minutes of fetch/tug which he loves. Evening before supper, 1/2 hour free time in the fenced in back yard. In answer to your question, though, Sting suits my lifestyle fine, I work from home, and he naps while I work. But if I had wanted to compete, do Schutzhund, tracking, and so on with my dog, I would have looked for a GSD from working lines.
 
#5 ·
Delgado is a medium to high energy/drive dog. He's crated while I'm at work, gets his dinner while I make mine then after I eat if I'm home for the evening it's inside and outside play (tug and fetch are his favourite and he'd go for hours if I let him). If I'm sitting on the couch we're either playing fetch or he's curled up beside me with his head in my lap

I love meeting their needs and just hanging out with them, there's nothing like cuddling on the couch with two tired and happy dogs.

If I'm away for the evening he gets as much attention as possible before and after, but he can settle with only a 15-30 minute play session if needed.

Right now we're not doing any formal training, we'll be starting his intermediate obedience soon and hopefully tracking. Agility when he's old enough and maybe RallyO :)
 
#6 ·
I spend about 3-4 hours a week total in training with my boy. He's higher drive/energy but when the weather gets cold we don't do as much. Plus the days are short and its hard to train in the dark. We trial in AKC obedience, rally, and starting to do agility. I'm working towards his CDX right now and the end goal is a UDX. I'd do Schutzhund, but that's an extreme time commitment, for me its nice to have the ability to miss a training session if something else pops up.
 
#7 ·
Avery is a medium energy dog and knows to turn it down when we are inside our house. We walk for about an hour+ each day during the spring and fall months, 30-45 minutes in the summer (it would be longer but he gets too hot thanks to all his fur and A/C is not built in here in Germany like it is in the states) and winter. Since this is our first winter we've played a lot of fetch and tug to help kill some energy.

Training wise we train obedience one hour Tuesday - Saturday and we also take a one hour "special" training to help with his aggression on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Obedience is the most important thing to me being over here since dogs are allowed almost everywhere and I want him to be able to go to these places with me and that is not possible until we over come his issues and he behaves himself 110% of the time. I'm hoping that this summer his obedience will be superb and we can train agility for fun.

We also put in an hour of physio each week to help with his HD. It's the most relaxing time of the week for him I think, nice massage & a "swim" in the water tank. He falls asleep every time during massage portion its quite adorable.

He is first and foremost my pet because of his HD. When we move back to the states I plan on getting a dog with good working lines and doing SchH with him / her.
 
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