[Toby'shuman]

Okay, this might seem a dumb question, but I really could do with some advice on this.

Lately I have been unable to let my Dobe off the leash in order to have a run, (despite living in the middle of nowhere because of the hunters lurking about behind trees etc). I now have to walk him down the lane which is about 1.7kilometres long (just over a mile) then if I am not too tuckered by this I turn round and head back. Is this enough? My boy is still bouncing, unless I take him out whilst its still hot which is not good for him or me come to think on it. I cannot help but feel he needs more, but short of going up and down the same road 2 or 3 times I am stuck.

Just how much exercise should an 11 month old fit and healthy Dobe have in order to maintain his fitness and health and his mental well being.

By the way it takes me about an hour to do the walk both ways and one way it is downhill reverse is up and it is one steep road.

 

[PatchworkRobot]

Teaching new commands and training games will really help tucker them out. Hide and seek around the house (can look for you, can look for a toy, or for a treat) and other such games where he has to think will be super fun and tire him out.

 

[KCFilley]

Put an orange vest on him with lots of noisy bells all over it and maybe a beer harness. Maybe the hunters will move! In case you are afraid to try that, do you have a place like a school track or football field where you can take him to run. Tossing a ball in my front yard (350' or so) wears my guys out.

 

[sam&macksmom]

Can you drive to another location? I love taking my pinschers to other locations to explore. Just going to new places mentally tires them out from "sniffing" overload; new sights, sounds, smells

 

[Audrey1]

If I remember correctly, OP is in Spain and Dobermans have to be muzzled there when in public and also leashed.
Toby'shuman, pls correct if my recollection is incorrect.

 

[Toby'shuman]

If I remember correctly, OP is in Spain and Dobermans have to be muzzled there when in public and also leashed.
Toby'shuman, pls correct if my recollection is incorrect.

You are in fact correct.
For a while I tried getting up before it is light, but lo and behold we ran into a group of hunters who were up before the lark setting up so they could massacre small birds with their shotguns. They threatened to report me to the police if it happened again, so I had to shelve that idea especially with my sneaking my boy off the leash during our early morning walks.
I have broached the subject of a time when I can go out and the hunters won't come up, but they are intransient, they have hunted since time began, whenever they want, at a time they want and no foreigner is going to call a halt to it. I have tried to explain I do not want to stop them, just know what time I can go out even with my Terriers off their leads for a run. What really gets my goat is they can bring their Spaniels up, along with their ugly hunting dogs of indeterminate breeding to run around off leash and have a go if my dogs bark at them through the fence. I have even had them throwing stones at my Dobe and Boxer.
I used to go to the beach, very, very early in the morning during the winter, we have to drive up it so we can avoid folk and there we can have a run around. But it is over an hours drive away and again if anyone complains or the rangers see us. However, this is only a winter thing, end of Nov to Feb, we are planning on going there as soon as we can, but to be honest it gets a little expensive to do it more than once a week.
I am slowly going out of my mind trying to figure out how to exercise my boy and not upset folk.

 

[Audrey1]

Sounds like you are doing your best to make it fun and interesting, varying the place when possible and when not, getting him out 3x a day on that same walk.

I think 3-4 walks a day should be good - at a good clip since he is young. Do a lot of training and do some sits and focuses while on your walk to give him mental exercise while you catch your breath...? If you do your 3+ walks a day with him, consistently, it is probably more than what many do with their dogs on a long-term basis. I feel the long-term commitment is important...and sounds like you are doing that.

Of course, it would be ideal if you could find a fenced in area where he could just run off-leash while still being safe for both of you.

 

[Levis Friend]

Check out the hunting rules!

I'm not familiar with the hunting laws in Spain, but here in the US there are guidelines such as no hunting on Sundays, 1/2 hour before dawn or after sunset, within 400 feet of a house, etc. Also, as someone else posted, wear blaze orange.

Also, hunting is best around daybreak or dusk. Bet the woods are quiet in between.

I walk Levi often before work and it's quite a while before sunrise. He can see pretty well, and is perfectly happy to have a run in dark conditions!

Anyway, worth trying.

 

[Toby'shuman]

Hunters are not allowed to come within 50 metres of a house and not to fire within 300 metres, but unfortunately they often flout the rules simply because they know there are no police officers around to enforce it.
A friend of mine has suggested I photograph anyone causing me a problem, ie throwing stones at my dogs, standing too close to my house, after which I will have to go down to the courthouse and denuncia (report) them. I am seriously thinking of it.

I always wear a high-viz jacket, and I have my phone playing music at full belt so anyone about can see/hear me coming well in advance.

I am going to try and walk my boy as much as I can, take him to the beach when the season starts and of course keep my Terrier out of harms way if I can until a better solution comes along.

 

[Beaumont67]

If you are in the middle of no-where (re. 1.7Km lane) / take off the Spain law muzzle, if there is one on your boy &:
- play ball / you throw...and dobe runs at full bore & returns it / over & over / game can last, a very long time
Remember - 20 minutes of mental stimulation = 1 hour of dog exercise

 

[OliviaB]

I agree that it sounds like you're doing the best you can. Personally, Gunner is pretty low energy and a good walk or a session of throwing the tennis ball wears him out. The only time I was really have had trouble is when it rained for like a week solid. Some folks on here suggested some fun indoor games and that really helped tire him out. If you can keep their mind busy, it helps! If you can do the long walks with maybe some fun training sessions, you should be good.

 

[bean]

I am on my phone so can't really elaborate but you should do a search here on DT for flirt pole. That might be another way to tire him out.

Maybe someone else already mentioned it but" find it" is a good stimulating game, too. Find a ball or treat he likes, have him stay in the other room, hide the treat and have him hunt for it.

 

[Alicia]

what about using a bike down the lane? make him run a little, this will tire him up for sure.

 

[MeadowCat]

Like bean, I suggest a flirt pole. On days when I just cannot get Shanoa out for her normal exercise, the flirt pole is a lifesaver. I can get her completely worn out in less than 30 minutes, easily, often only 15 minutes. Plus, it doesn't require much space at all.