I have a pup that is just starting to have hair loss problems around it eyes. My other female spread from eyes, to her legs, and so on. So I traded for this one in the hopes it would be better. Well, its back. Sort of. I contacted the breeder and he says shes back to normal and basically said what I knew, no mites that cause mange etc.

His answer to the problem? Stress. That was it.

So I am trying not to stress this dog out as much as possible.

So, how much is enough? I heard from someone else that I need to put him on a schedule as their dog had problems with hair loss and once that schedule was implemented it went away.

So how much work do you put in on your pups? Do you play 30min, 3hrs, 6hrs a day or ???? (not including feeding, etc. Just playing/exercising, etc)

I also want to know what you do and what sort of schedule you put your pups and dogs through... From morning to evening.

Just to give me some ideas.

Thanks....

Most dogs need an AVERGE of 45 mintues a day of walking. A good, hard walk.

Some need more, some may need less (like a Chihuahua or something).

I usually walk my 7 month old boy about 30 minutes a day in addition to him playing in the yard. I'll be walking him more and harder as he gets older.

By the way, if your dogs are high energy and you don't have one to two hours to walk them...try buying a doggie backpack and make them carry some light weights (at first) or water bottles. Then 30 minutes of you walking them will make it feel like an hour or more.

I just want to say that you have to BE CAREFUL, if you are going to exercise a pup! It would depend on how old he is, and I would not have my seven month old pup carry any weight because a pup is growing and their bones and hips are not fully developed.

It all depends on how old your pup is -
My gs pup is now 7 months old - he gets a 15 - 20 min run out in an open field in the morning with my 2 years old gs, he then gets fed watered and crated for a couple of hours while im at work.
I come back to let him out at lunch for 30 mins including feeding/playing. Then hes crated again until i finish work.
Then back out for another run for 15-20 mins. Or if its a training night we go training instead to our schutzhund club.
late evening feeding time after that he has his free time - he can play or lye with a chew.
After that bed time.

The same every weekday - weekends i get to spend more time with him so i take him somwhere he can swim.

A day in the life for my pup - hes happy and healthy so i guess im doing things right.

One thing i would suggest is that you dont have your pup carry any weights - this would be a big no no he will get plent of energy running free.

My weight-carrying comment was specifically for a full grown adult dog. Sorry I didn't specify.

He'll be 3 months on Nov. 10th. But he has alot of energy and so on. I just want to keep stress down so I'll work him out by running in a field and having him explore around the woods or something... I was thinking about using my bicycle and riding slow and have him trot on the grass/bushes next to this abandodned road.

Jst to get him out and burn soem energy...

So for a dog of this age what do you think is appropriate.

And again, give more schedules of what you do like the one guy did. Like he goes to work, comes back for lunch and so on...

Thanks

We do different things on different days so it is always something new. I do a routine with eating and taking him out.
We do lots of short sessions of retrieving or 15 minute walks in the morning before work and after work.
I wouldnt recommend the running or anything intense.
My 5 month old Mal loves swimming at the park on the weekends.

Aaron,
I had a female that I bought to outcross on my yard a few years back, and unknown to me her other litter mates all had demodectic mange (which is hereditary) except for her and one other. As it turns out I bred her obviously and and she passed it on to two pups, and it was bad. We ended up having to cull them. It is possible to out grow demodex but they WILL pass it on to pups if bred, and the chances are not in the pups favor that they will out grow it just because it's parent did. Demodectic mange cannot be cured, only medicine to relieve symptoms (some). There is a mange I forget the name of it that a dog can catch, but it can be cured with a healthy bath of used motor oil, but demodex is there to stay, it's sorta in the genes. If you got the new pup and it is out the same litter that is an indicator, not a strong one, but nevertheless an indicator. If the dog doesn't outgrow it by 10mo. old they will probably live with all the symptoms their whole life (however long that will be). I would take the dog to the vet to get checked for demodex, and if it is positive, I would return the dog and request my money back, you will end up dealing with alot of medical issues in the long run. If you would Aaron, send me a private message about who the breeder is and info on the parents and grandparents.
PS: ANY KIND OF STRESS ONLY MAKES DEMODEX WORSE If you have ever seen a bitch in heat with demodex, they look disgusting, and look on the verge of death.

I agree and disagree with what Chris said about Demodectic Mange.

Demodectic Mange is caused by the Demodex Mite, which is present on almost all dogs. It is a basic parasite that typically lives in relative harmony with its host.

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_demodectic_mange.html

The mange itself is not actually genetic, the propensity to be affected by Demodectic Mange is somewhat genetic as detailed in the above link.