How much exercise?

Grumpy Jewel

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Hi, I'm new to dog ownership and am after some advice. My OH's dog is an 8 month old mastiff x rotweiler who is the softest, daftest thing I'n the world. However, he has recently started to drive us mad. Due to our work schedules both dogs get crated for a maximum of 4 hours until my mum comes over to dog sit for a couple of hours. They generally go out for a 1/2 hour 40 min walk then roam around the house until she leaves and there's 2/3 hours until one of us is home. I know it's not ideal but we have to work and it's 3 Days a working week max as I'm part time. Recently he has started to get bored (I'm guessing) whilst crated as I came back from being out 3 hours and the crate looked like it had snowed as he had chewed his way through a 3rd bed I'n 5 weeks!
It's difficult to give an over view of exactly what they do per day, but we aim for at least 2 hours out proper walking or playing on fields plus the pottering about the house during the day.
Am I guaging this right I'n terms of exercise? He has toys, a kong( which is great once covered but doesn't last long) and pigs ears ect to occupy him, but the beds always taste nicer.
Any ideas?
 

FinkleyAlex

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2 hours sounds like a decent amount of exercise - especially if its split into two walks a day. Is there any way you could not crate him so he has the full day (while you are out to roam around?), this is what we did for our mally as she never took to being crated (and we tried so hard!) but was very happy to potter around for a few hours while we were out of the house. I would also say its an age thing - our mally at that age up until the age of about 18 months/2 years would chew things - carpet, chairs, tables etc but grew out of it and doesn't chew anything now. May also be a case of hormones coming through as he gets older - if you plan on getting him neutered at the appropriate age then this may help.

edit: if you are really desperate for him to stop chewing, or if he starts chewing 'big things' then you can get a bitter apple spray from the vets - just spray it on and he'll discover how nasty it tastes and won't try to chew it again.
 

Grumpy Jewel

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Thankyou for that. I tried a while ago to use the kitchen as the dog room. We stair gated the entrance and put bed bits at one area and toys down the other (it's not a big kitchen I'n any way, but space to pad about and play I'n) but I came back to learn we need to look at potty training again! They never mess I'n their crates and obviously don't associate the kitchen with bed. An area to explore definatly though. He will be done most definatly, he's pretty much got 2 descended boy bits now so I'm keen for them to be removed asap. He was a nightmare small puppy, but has been much better behaved until now. Roll on 3 years please!
 

Pendlehog

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At 8 months I would be very wary of trying to "tire out" a large breed dog, he is still growing (probably fast!) and you need to avoid straining the joints at this point. Try stimulating him more mentally, have your mum hide his food around the house for him to find when she comes over, make his kongs harder to eat by freezing them, teach him fun things like the name of his toys etc to really get him thinking. These kinds of activities are great for mentally tiring a dog out.

I must admit though if all he is doing wrong at 8 months is chewing his bed I dont think you've got a problem. If he was mine I'd just be taking the bed away and giving him old towels until he's over the chewing stage (obviously keep using the kongs etc. to give him an outlet for any potential boredom). I couldnt have left my dog with a tempting fluffy bed at 8 months (fleeces were safeish!), but by 18 months he wasn't interested in chewing and he has never been destructive elsewhere in the house.
 

Grumpy Jewel

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I'd forgotten about freezing them, I did it when crate training. Other than the bed destructing phase he is s fab dog, he does a variety of puppy tricks (sit, down, stay is getting there). Crate training was painful and the OH was told on more than 1 occasion that it was me or the dog and I'm sure the dog heard when I'd really had enough as he decided he could actually sleep I'n a crate! I have put I'n a couple of manky towels and an old excercise sheet which will have to do, but secretly I feel mean.
 

Pendlehog

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I felt pretty mean too! (Dont tell the dog though :p) In the grand scheme of things he sounds like a pretty good boy, I suppose a few nice beds is a small price to pay!
 

twiglet84

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I think a couple of hours a day walking is a good amount of time. Do you have a garden you can let them have during the day with a kennel? My rottie lives out when im not in during the warmer/drier months and then i keep her in when its cold/wet etc to roam around the house. She was a serial chewer in her first year but then grew out of it. So dont despair it may be just the puppy phase.

I would be concerned about caging that size dog for 4 hours, i know you can get big crates but cant imagine you can get one big enough to be put in it for 4 hours that he can walk around it and be comfortable?

Also i know towels were recommend to save your bed but please make sure he doesnt swallow toweling as that can easily get impacted in the guts!

xxxxx
 
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