Well basically what you get is bored dogs who after some time of being contantly bored stiff, end up neurotic and some breeds are worse than others, for instance imagine a neurotic staffy, dobe, rott and then you get problems and some dogs are often highly strung anyway, add this to the mix and you have a 4 legged walking disaster really don't you?

I agree with you on this Becky, often when dogs are walked the same route day in day out they become bored and it just isnt enough, while some dogs are happy to do this for a life time, I tend to do diff walks with the rotts, that way the see diff people, dogs, swans, deer, they get to see sheep, cattle and horses at the farm, so all in all they have a varied life,

And these are the people educating out children Education starts at home in this house,,,lol

I have to say Losos, It is diff from dog to dog, I dont think any two dogs are the same, some need more mental stimulation {eg in my opinion collies and gundogs fall into this group} some need more physical stimulation, {rotties, gsd's and so on } though collies and gundogs may need as much physical but more mental if you know what I mean, but all dogs need the right mix of both its just a case of finding it, I think if your dog seems alert, happy, not overly stressed, not showing any sign of real behaviour problems then your getting it right, {again not all behaviour problems are linked to exercise but IMO many can be worked on far better if you first get the diet, exercise needs of a dog right} So I guess the answer to the question is, each dog has its own needs,

YES, well put kel,

You are right, Bara needs a lot of 'mental stimulation' whereas Rianna is happy just wandering around sniffing and barking at people walking up the road (Which I taught her to do) however, I think I can safely say neither has ever showed any neurotic signs and both are well balanced and happy dogs.

I'm the same as Hali - if my OH has taken Hamish on a shorter walk I can tell as he just doesn't settle the same so I take him again! That said - training class on Wednesday is for an hour and he is often really knacked after that as he is using his brain. Also, if I take him to work (I work part time with people with learning disabilities) he is often really tired when he gets home.

Wouldn't like to see him with no exercise! Couldn't do it to the wee monster!

Deedee

Its funny i've found this thread because i've just got back from a very hectic walk with my lot.
Bess was spayed and had an umbilical hernia removed at the same time. She has been on the lead and kept calm for a couple of weeks. Its the first time i've let her off the lead tonight. She was totally uncontrollable and very very excitable. The others were as good as gold
I knew she would be. I don't want her running about like an idiot yet because i still think its important to allow her heal properly inside.
I know she'll settle down and i know she just couldn't help herself. She's like a time bomb and it erupted tonight
So yes. Lack of exercise certainly effects a dog.
By not taking your dog out is inprisonment.

Missy didn't have blankets in her kennel at the dogs' home, because she'd destroy them. We always likened it to being "stir crazy"
When we got her home we walked her four times a day and we have never had one incident of destruction. She prefers to sleep under the blankets! We also go to agility classes and training classes and play different games at home to keep her brain exercised. A bored jack russell is a destructive jack russell!

So yes, I agree, exercise - and type of - is extremely important.

I have just had another problem dog start at training,, Domino,, a BC, Now your input here would be good,

I will clarify the facts later but from what I gather at the moment,
she is a bitch, 3 years old, with no real sign of problems before they moved house in Jan this year

{though my gut says things may have been building up or they may have had some issues before the move but just didnt know it I could be wrong though}

since moving the dog has become aggressive towards visitors in the house {to the point her owner had to put her in another room a week ago because she was biteing trouser legs and constantly showing teeth }

this week while in the park playing with her ball, {she was with the owners OH at the time } she ran up and ripped the back of a girls jeans {apparently her owners OH had thrown the ball, and the girl had been walking along texting and not looking up and walked more or less head on into the dog as she was collecting the ball,

I got a ball at the club, had a play, brought another dog into the game, at no point did she seem to be protective of the ball, happily giving it to anyone to throw, allowing other dogs to join in and giving way if they got it first, I even let my hair down and walked towards it in the manner of a teenager texting away,, you know the hair slung forward, head bent looking down, I aint got a face type teenager. Nothing, she did kinda slow up and look but not a bad reaction,

I talked to her owner about her exercise which is no where near enough, shes super high energy

the dog is fed bakers complete {could this be making the dog more hyper due to the colourings in it?}

Has the house move triggered this off?

can anyone see a patern in this that im perhaps missing?

why suddenly change at the age she is,, she has been with the owner since a puppy I think ,,

as said I will talk to her more later and check the details

your input here welcomed

Have to agree with the rest of you, EXERSICE!!! can be the root of a lot of dogs problems... and I also agree it does not have to be 2 /3 walks a day... stimulation at home , in the garden/ obiedence work, can mentally tire a dog out too.

My two get 1 big walk a day, it is enough they dont need anymore, the res of the day they sleep, or sometimes I will do a little mental work with Millie, (Bandit does not need it ) plus he lost this brain many yrs a go, so would be knocking , and no one in

Millie although she does not have the of lead lead exercise I would like her to have, (she does get some) but to be honest even if she stays on her flexi, she never stops.

And if we meet dogs at the end of our walk , she is far better behaved than if we met them at the beginning.

You only have to watch CM and the common factor behind all those dogs he sees is lack of exercise....once he puts the owners on a regime , the dogs are 100% better.

IMO, shona, I cann't believe just moving house is responsible for that, as I've moved house and my two (as I had then) didn't bat an eyelid, I'm wondering if this was starting before and with the move the dog has been 'pushed to the back' so to speak, after all moving is a stressful time plus time consuming. With they way it behaved with you, I get the impression that mental stimulation is not at the fore front at the moment, and the dog it bored. I know that mine (if left to get bored) became unruly, not that that is a problem here, as they all have plenty to do, but it's a shame and as someone once said to me, 'A BC will be one thought ahead of you, they are already working out what the next move is, before you've praised them for the one they have done'...........Oh! how true.

I was thinking about this thread this morning when i met a lady on the school run who was all fuss fuss over Princess baby talk and all that She has a six year old bichon who she has NEVER walked - in fact she was bragging how great her dog was that she didnt need to walked like mine deeper into the conversation tho' she was saying how destructive bichons are and yappy and impossible to toilet train and nippy and i could go on and on and on...... I felt sorry for the poor "prisoner" as i went on my merry way with my "demanding" dog (that has none of the traits she attritubes to a whole breed ) One of the biggest misnomer that is out there about toy dogs is their lack of exercise requirements, if for whatever reason we miss a walk both my two are out of sorts - god knows what way they would be if they were never walked.