When to start going the distance

Josh's mom · 01-19-2012, 10:54 PM

When is it safe to walk a significant distance with your dog? Josh will be 18mo on 2/10/12 we walk 1-2 miles a day now. I'd like to work up in distance and maybe start hiking. He's tall and lanky now (27.5" roughly 80lb), did you have to increase your dogs food to prevent weight loss?

Emoore · 01-19-2012, 11:19 PM

Yeah, go ahead and start increasing your walking distance and hiking. Yes, you'll probably need to increase food by 1/2 cup or so on the days you go far.

Check out Walnut Creek and Turkey Creek parks for offleash hiking in the Austin area. Turkey Creek is a 3 mile loop. Walnut Creek is a few hundred acres with trails cut all through it. I used to get lost there nearly every weekend. Literally lost. One day it took me 6 hours to find the car.

brembo · 01-19-2012, 11:22 PM

Keep em thin! If he's okay with that weight keep him there, no need to fatten at all. Any weight you can keep off is that much kinder to the joints.

As to distance-
Gonna get a lot of conflicting info there. Ramp it up and keep an eye on him after a long walk, make sure he's not sore. His growth rate bone wise has really slowed at 18 months, it's mainly filling out muscle now so increasing the length of walks should be okay.

**Cassidy's Mom** · 01-19-2012, 11:42 PM

Halo was going 3-1/2 to 4 miles several times a week on rolling hills at 7 months old. I think you can start dong more now!

I've never had to increase my dogs' food for increased activity, but I tend to adjust it frequently based on their condition anyway, so I wouldn't feed more simply because you're hiking a few more miles than usual this week, I'd do it when he starts feeling a little ribby.

doggiedad · 01-20-2012, 06:19 AM

by the time my dog was 18 months i think
we were walking 5 miles (a nice slow 5 miles,
with stops/water breaks). at 18 months
i was feeding my dog 1 cup in the am and
1 cup in the pm. my dog weighs 88 lbs.

**MaggieRoseLee** · 01-20-2012, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassidy's Mom

Halo was going 3-1/2 to 4 miles several times a week on rolling hills at 7 months old. I think you can start dong more now!

I've never had to increase my dogs' food for increased activity, but I tend to adjust it frequently based on their condition anyway, so I wouldn't feed more simply because you're hiking a few more miles than usual this week, I'd do it when he starts feeling a little ribby.

Hm............. Couldn't have written that better myself!

This is my puppy by 12 or 13 WEEKS! Key is off leash and going at the pups speed.

GSD GloryB (12 wks) & BrettaLee (5yrs) Wildhaus - Hiking PA the Hogback - YouTube

Goose · 01-20-2012, 02:51 PM

I think it is all about building up to a certain distance and pace. I have a 18 month GSD and we run 4-8 miles, twice or three times a week. On "rest" days we might not do anything or go on 2-3 mile walks. On weekends, we might do a 8-10 mile hike. We're very active.

Some might feel this is too much, but I know he enjoys it and he's very capable of doing it. It's about listening to his body, seeing if he's keeping pace and building up to it gradually. When we first started, he would lag and lay down when he was tired, even in the middle of the run. So I knew we had to walk or give him some time to relax. He never does that at this point. In addition, he doesn't get "growing pains." Some dogs have these up to 2 years or only up to 12 months, every dog is different. Once your past that stage, I feel that you can really start good physical training if you want to.

As far as food, I feed 5-6 cups a day of high cal kibble. 30% protein and 20% fat. Your dog may or may not need that, but my dog does. We are now moving toward RAW because it's just the same or cheaper for me because of the amount of kibble he goes through.

Good luck! Listen to your dogs body just like you would listen to your own!

Goose · 01-20-2012, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brembo

Keep em thin! If he's okay with that weight keep him there, no need to fatten at all. Any weight you can keep off is that much kinder to the joints.

As to distance-
Gonna get a lot of conflicting info there. Ramp it up and keep an eye on him after a long walk, make sure he's not sore. His growth rate bone wise has really slowed at 18 months, it's mainly filling out muscle now so increasing the length of walks should be okay.

TOTALLY agree. Keep him THIN. Especially at that age. Some ribs showing is normal at 18 months. Better thin than fat.

Emoore · 01-20-2012, 04:19 PM

*Shrug* on the days we're going to be covering 4-6 miles I give my dogs a little extra food. You can still see the pup's ribs. I know *I* need more food on a day that I'm hiking 5 or 6 miles than on a day when I sit on my butt.

Gracie's My Girl · 01-20-2012, 06:06 PM

A 2 mile walk was nothing for my puppy. Often, it just seemed like a light warm up. Gracie is nine months and she can do a five mile hike with swimming...and still have lots of energy left over.

I would not hesitate to bump up the mileage.

01-19-2012, 10:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
Josh's mom Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 212	When to start going the distance When is it safe to walk a significant distance with your dog? Josh will be 18mo on 2/10/12 we walk 1-2 miles a day now. I'd like to work up in distance and maybe start hiking. He's tall and lanky now (27.5" roughly 80lb), did you have to increase your dogs food to prevent weight loss? __________________ Judy Josh (GSD)- 8/10/10 Daisy (ragdoll cat) 10 yrs old Romeo (ragdoll cat) 9 yrs old Caspurr (ragdoll/snowshoe mix) 8 yrs old

01-19-2012, 11:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
Emoore Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North DFW, TX Posts: 9,215	Yeah, go ahead and start increasing your walking distance and hiking. Yes, you'll probably need to increase food by 1/2 cup or so on the days you go far. Check out Walnut Creek and Turkey Creek parks for offleash hiking in the Austin area. Turkey Creek is a 3 mile loop. Walnut Creek is a few hundred acres with trails cut all through it. I used to get lost there nearly every weekend. Literally lost. One day it took me 6 hours to find the car. __________________ Rocky vom Backyard- 10 years young Kopper vom Felssclucht Bach - 17 months At the Bridge: Cash van der Animal Shelter 2006-2010

01-19-2012, 11:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
brembo Master Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Here, of course Posts: 696	Keep em thin! If he's okay with that weight keep him there, no need to fatten at all. Any weight you can keep off is that much kinder to the joints. As to distance- Gonna get a lot of conflicting info there. Ramp it up and keep an eye on him after a long walk, make sure he's not sore. His growth rate bone wise has really slowed at 18 months, it's mainly filling out muscle now so increasing the length of walks should be okay. __________________ I seem to have misplaced my occipital lobe, and as such cannot search for it. Do you see my dilemma?

01-19-2012, 11:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
Cassidy's Mom No Stinkin' Leashes Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 24,959	Halo was going 3-1/2 to 4 miles several times a week on rolling hills at 7 months old. I think you can start dong more now! I've never had to increase my dogs' food for increased activity, but I tend to adjust it frequently based on their condition anyway, so I wouldn't feed more simply because you're hiking a few more miles than usual this week, I'd do it when he starts feeling a little ribby. __________________ -Debbie- Dena 9/12/04-10/4/08 Forever would have been too short Keefer 8/25/05 Halo 11/9/08 Cassidy 6/8/00-10/4/04

01-20-2012, 06:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
doggiedad Crowned Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Jenkintown,Pa. Posts: 9,846	by the time my dog was 18 months i think we were walking 5 miles (a nice slow 5 miles, with stops/water breaks). at 18 months i was feeding my dog 1 cup in the am and 1 cup in the pm. my dog weighs 88 lbs. __________________ "Life Without A Dog Is A Life Unfulfilled"

01-20-2012, 02:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
Goose Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 59	I think it is all about building up to a certain distance and pace. I have a 18 month GSD and we run 4-8 miles, twice or three times a week. On "rest" days we might not do anything or go on 2-3 mile walks. On weekends, we might do a 8-10 mile hike. We're very active. Some might feel this is too much, but I know he enjoys it and he's very capable of doing it. It's about listening to his body, seeing if he's keeping pace and building up to it gradually. When we first started, he would lag and lay down when he was tired, even in the middle of the run. So I knew we had to walk or give him some time to relax. He never does that at this point. In addition, he doesn't get "growing pains." Some dogs have these up to 2 years or only up to 12 months, every dog is different. Once your past that stage, I feel that you can really start good physical training if you want to. As far as food, I feed 5-6 cups a day of high cal kibble. 30% protein and 20% fat. Your dog may or may not need that, but my dog does. We are now moving toward RAW because it's just the same or cheaper for me because of the amount of kibble he goes through. Good luck! Listen to your dogs body just like you would listen to your own!

01-20-2012, 04:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
Emoore Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North DFW, TX Posts: 9,215	Shrug on the days we're going to be covering 4-6 miles I give my dogs a little extra food. You can still see the pup's ribs. I know I need more food on a day that I'm hiking 5 or 6 miles than on a day when I sit on my butt. __________________ Rocky vom Backyard- 10 years young Kopper vom Felssclucht Bach - 17 months At the Bridge: Cash van der Animal Shelter 2006-2010

01-20-2012, 06:06 PM	#10 (permalink)
Gracie's My Girl Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 330	A 2 mile walk was nothing for my puppy. Often, it just seemed like a light warm up. Gracie is nine months and she can do a five mile hike with swimming...and still have lots of energy left over. I would not hesitate to bump up the mileage. __________________ Gracie - GSD - May 3, 2011

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