Hi everyone! I brought home a gsp pup around Christmas. He is now 7 months old. He loves running with me while I bike, and we do so 5 days/wk. This works well now, but I’m not sure what to do during the winter. Can’t bike thru the snow and cannot let him off leash on the trail I use. (This winter he was still a small pup, and daily walks were sufficient) Does anyone have tips for exercise during the winter? I do have a large, one-room basement with a concrete floor where I keep some gym equipment. Dog gym?
I wouldn’t do too much bike riding at such a young age as id be worried about damaging bones/joints as the Growth plates are not yet closed. Also when they do a lot of physical exercise they tend to get more and more fit making it harder and harder to tire them out. A decent walk on the lead /long line and if you want to wear him out, you are better off finding ways to mentally stimulate him, scent work, obedience, ect: something where he actually has to think will do far more good.
Thanks. We take it pretty easy, and use a crushed gravel path. Does anyone else have fun exercise ideas for days when it’s too cold/snowy?
It can actually be an advantage to teach tracking in frosty/snowy conditions, as you can see your tracklayer's footsteps, (usually your own footsteps to begin with), and will know if and where your dog starts to go wrong. You can 'Lose' articles around your house or garden, and reward your dog for finding them. As long as it is not too vigorous, you could begin to teach a fun retrieve too. Trick training gives them lots to think about, and most dogs love learning these short exercises with fairly rapid rewards. Heelwork to Music has allowed us rethink the value of teaching tricks to dogs, some of which can be moulded into useful jobs. Do avoid any tight turns or hind leg work though. I'm not sure how accurate, but 'they' do say that 20 minutes of nose or brainwork is equal to an hour's traditional exercise.
