Just a word to the wise - most vets are very closely connected to Hills, so they'll always highly recommend it as they'll make money out of it! I personally wouldn't take nutrition advice from my vet for this reason alone.

I think you're better off leaving him on the food he's on if it suits him. I would avoid a higher protein level for a pet dog as he won't be burning it off in the field as it were.

Nor would I. Or their advice on exercise. If your puppy has a congenital joint condition, the last thing you want to be doing is over exercising. I don't want to sound like a miserable nag, but I really think your vet is giving you poor advice here.

80 mins is 80 mins no matter how you break it down, and still to much for a puppy that young regardless of breed

But he is your pup and if you wish to ignore advice given, that is your prerogative.

A 4mth old pup should be having around 20 mins a day, mostly for socialisation.

It is important to remember , that you can tire him out, by other means than exersice... brain training will do the job jus tas well.

Agree completely with this.

I agree, with the exercising bit. Also kind of with the vets reccomending Hills as most vets near me have some deal with them so I guess that would be the same country wide. Though not all vets give bad advice RE feeding.

I agree with that, in the same way vets don't advertise the fact you can buy flea stuff etc on the net cheaper.

My two have Skinners and aren't working dogs. They have the Maintenance one which is 18% protein or the Salmon and Rice, which I believe is 22% protein, basically they get whichever one is in stock. Skinners is pretty good food, does not upset Inca's so called sensitive tum and good value. We pay under £14 for a 15kg sack of maintenance.

As for the exercise I would err on the side of caution. It sounds awful but I'd go with the Dogsey folk before the vets just because they have such a wide range of experience.

If you intend putting him on skinners when hes older, why not put him on a skinners maintence one (with lower protien ) now, then its easy to change if you need to up his protien. when hes older

Personally he could prob do with a little less exercise & more mental stuff to tire him out at his age. I dont know if its the same with ESS but with the collies they will take whatever you give them, so getting a hypey pup really fit at a young age is a rod for your own back, they need to learn to be calm & settle even if they arent knackered!

I think his legs are his legs btw, ive seen lots of Springers with legs like that, all really fit active dogs, all working/beating no probs.

Thing is if she didnt walk him I expect he would just run round the house like a nutter so whats the difference. I walked my springers the same and only got a tad stiff when she was 8.

He has 4 10 minute sessions of training a day, 2 play sessions (abit of a wrestle and chase and ball throwing), 2 or three games of "find it", Treats from a frozen kong once or twice a day. This is heaps of mental stimulation. Without the walks he would go nuts and that's not fair on either of us.

I think we have a great balance going on at the moment. My husband walks him for 20 minutes in the morning before work and I take him for 30/40 minutes in the afternoon to the park for a run around. On top of all of that he gets the above.

I think we've done a great job at keeping him calm and in control as he knows when we're not doing anything to just rest and relax until we do. The only time he is ever "bouncing off the walls" is when he hasn't had his usual walk (for whatever reason).

I'm happy with his routine and treatment, I just wondered what you thought about his diet and we've now decided to keep him on the food he is currently on and then review at 12 months, if we want to/need to.

Thanks for all your advice and suggestions though ;o)

Pidge, no one here is doubting the love, hard work ,training and care you put into woody and we all know how much you love him, like we do are own dogs.
And I know it proberly feels like everyone is nagging you, he is your dog and you will do what you feel is best for him..and thats fine.
Its just that exercising a young puppy that much.. and with his leg problems it could come back and haunt you and woody later on in life, and you may regret it.

As I said though he is your dog and you will do what you feel is best, I hope theres no hard feelings or anything like that.
Its just something I had to say when I read how long his walks are, and thought it would help.
Anyway all the best, woody is a fantastic pup!