Is training really as good as exercise

Hi - I just wanted people's opinion on the idea that 10 or 15 minutes of training is as tiring for the dog as a 45 minute walk. I am not sure whether this is true or not, but I'm hoping it is.

I am trying to cut down the amount of walking/running exercise my boy gets simply because I'm 54 and work part-time and just don't have the energy.

When my husband is not working he walks him for 40-45 minutes off-lead in the morning and evening. On my days I think I probably do the same, I walk a longish way to a field that isn't populated by dogs and let him have a good run around and 10-15 mins with his boomer ball and late afternoon he gets an on lead walk around the village which isn't such good fun for him, he doesn't use up as much energy and he will play up in the evening.

I've told my husband that we need to cut down the evening walk to a 15 min walk at the most and the we can have more of a life. I thought I could start with just 15 min walk followed by 10 min training? I don't think he seems nearly as tired after 10 min training as a long walk and just wondered where the idea came from that 10-15mins training as the equivalent of a 45 min walk.

Sandy

It depends on the training, I find that working their brains tires them, clicker training helps with that or mind games. I sometimes put jumps up and get them to jump on command, dancing is another way, under and over a leg or arm, through my legs, twirling etc.

For some dogs yes for others no, after Betty has a few minutes training with my husband I have to take her for a walk to get rid of the pent up energy or she runs loops around the flat to get rid of her energy.

Mollie always loved training and also needed to get rid of pent up energy.

But previous dogs Katie and Benny were exhausted by learning new things.

Mine go out on a walk and a run round, then I stop and do 10 min of training, then another run round and walk home.
If you just take them out and train they still have the bounce, but if you let them get rid of their bounciness first, then they are ready to concentrate on what you are asking them, then they get another run round as a reward for behaving for those few precious minutes

I have to be a little careful with training because he is very easily bored and then he gets frustrated then he's darn useless at anything. I try to keep it to a minimum and give lots of rewards and use daft voices.

I just took you advice tawneywolf and took him to the local recreation ground (dogs are allowed in there but not off lead) so I let him have 10 minutes with his boomer ball, that got him puffing so I then got him to do a down and stay - which he likes doing when he's hot! then I got him to run around the roundabout (bit naughty because he was off lead for about 30 seconds) he loves running around things, that seems to be his favourite training trick .

He is not good with other dogs so I have to be careful in situations and today (above) is unusual, what I loved though is about 5 boys came in on their bikes, so I packed everything together to leave and they were making a fuss of him and laughing with him with the boomer ball- it was so lovely to watch because he loves young boys, I think he can sense they have a lot of energy and get up to no good given half the chance, just like him!

Keshi's still very young and gets the fidgets and I have found taking her for a quick run on the field on the way to training class on a Sunday does settle her, I take a tuggy into class with us, she is good for at least the first half of the class, then starts play bowing and being a pain, so give her the tuggy to kill and that stops her disrupting the other dogs who are loads better behaved than she is!!! Luckily the trainer thinks she is funny and doesn't mind her when she gets ants in her pants

Depends on the training, just following commands isn't very trying but if its shaping with a clicker then yes it does really tax their brains.

Things like 101 things to do with a box or chair where you make sure you arm yourself with clicker and treats....and only then put a box on the floor. Start clicking and treating for any interaction with the box and then start shaping interesting behaviours that he presents.

I think things like seek and find are good, or fetch the toy (name which one) keeps the old brain box working.

Ours do stuff like that but they still want their walks, something they are used too though, I don't mind Im 60 and it saves the joints ceasing up, plus we foster children so it gets them up and out with us

Keshi's still on restricted exercise as she is under 12 months, so it is difficult to make sure she feels she has been out, but at the same time not overdo it, that little training session in the middle helps a lot I feel, as she is too clever for her own good
The box idea sounds good, and I'll introduce that I think

!0-15 minutes of correctly used clicker training is as tiring for a dog as walking them 45 minutes, but it has to be to an end. Karen Pryor's site has lots of free advice & help. You do need patience to use clicker training & you must also learn to not try to give verbal/physical commands at the same time.

Your dog will still need physical exercise, just not as much