How far can a cavapoo walk

moneysaver12

Hi we got our dog who is a cavapoo 3 weeks ago. She is one years old. I have been taking her for long walks twice a day. Now worried that I'm walking her too far. She seems to like the walks. How many miles is reasonable for this type of dog.

Red-Squirrel_2

Impossible to say I'm afraid. Poodles can walk for miles and are very active dogs descending from working lines, especially the bigger ones, but cavs are brachycephalic toy breeds that may have breathing issues, and trouble regulating temperature so would need to have their exercise monitored so they don't overdo it and come to harm.

As a cross, your dog could be anywhere in between the two! You'll have to take it slow, build up gradually and judge your dog's tolerance and energy levels. If in doubt speak to your vet.

krlyr

A healthy dog can go for miles. Just like with people, build it up slowly to increase fitness levels, and don't overdo it - you wouldn't just go out and run 10k with no form of training or building up to it, so same with the dog.

If you don't know how long she's previously been walked, just start slow and build up. A vet check to rule out any medical issues may be a good idea, being an adult rescue, but otherwise use common sense.

For dogs, "forced" lead walks and off-lead running around (e.g. in a country park) are both very different too. It's recommended to restrict the former in puppies and growing adolecents, at 1 your girl is probably nearly fully grown but I'd just be a little cautious over the next few months and maybe favour softer surfaces like grass or dirt tracks over pavements/roads. But road walks work different muscles and this has a benefit in itself too.

Basically, a healthy variety of exercise should result in a fit, healthy dog - just don't overdo too much of the one thing. But you're probably much better off doing long steady walks than a short stroll to the park followed by flinging a tennis ball dozens of time - lots of sudden sprints and sharp turns after barely any warmup really won't do the body/joints much good.


Also, just as a point, sounds like you enjoy the long walks but just bear in mind that you will build the dog's stamina - the more you walk, the more the dog will be able to walk without tiring. Mental stimulation is just as important as physical stimulation, and I would make an effort to make walks mentally fun too. This can mean stopping in the middle of a walk to do some training (e.g. down-stays in the park), having the dog hunt out a toy or some treats in long grass, finding other ways to interact with the environment and get the cogs turning in your dog's brain.

moneysaver12

Hi thank you for your help.

When we first got her I started off with 2 times 2 miles walks a day. Now we average about nine miles a day spread across two walks. The walks are off lead through a field then through woods. Paths are a mixture of mud, gravel and stone. She seems to like the walks. She likes to explore. When she gets home she has a drink and a rest.
She doesn't seem to rest for long. She likes to play with her toys and follow me around or sit on my knee.