palo1
Well-Known Member
So Red Irish Terrier is now a year old 
He is fabulous in every way and I am confident he is healthy and happy in all the normal ways!! He had SRMA (Meningitis) at 6 months and since then although I haven't changed anything really I also haven't massively increased his 'formal' exercise on a daily basis; he is probably too young to do really long walks/ride out with the horses. I am just wondering though if the exercise he is getting and his energy levels are what people would expect of a 1 y/0 entire dog of terriery type and about 17-20kg. The reason I ask is that he seems really pretty mellow and I suppose I had expected a young terrier to have manic levels of energy - perhaps similar to a spaniel...(I have experience of spaniels ) I don't have any previous experience of terrier temperament/energy/drive levels.
On a daily basis Red will have 2 x a half hour of free running/playing/mooching in the fields at home - this is the minimum he gets tbf and gets that on my very busiest days. He is also out and about with me regularly in between those times and most days we go for a 2 mile off lead stroll (very occasionally I will 'jog/run'!!). When he is at home he is able to play with his older housemate who is pretty lively - they zoom up and down the fields and play lovely fighty-bitey games in the house and on the yard. My 14 y/o son plays with Red a great deal too -playing chasing/throwing & chasing/ tugging/play fighting games. On some days I will take Red (but not Bess his older compansion) for a longer walk or in normal times may take him out in the car to go somewhere different for a walk -usually open/hill country. In normal times too Red will usually be at home quietly with my other dog in the morning - this is their big resting/relaxing time but we are all wfh at the mo so there is generally more activity in the mornings atm. It sounds quite a lot written down tbh!! When we are at home, Red is very relaxed - he will sometimes pick up a toy and play with it and will sometimes get very zoomy (possibly over-tired/excited about something). He leaps about with excitement at the prospect of any trip outdoors too as well as first thing in the morning or when I have been out and return. I think all of that is perfectly normal and I find him charming and easy. I suppose I just expected something much more demanding. Am I doing too much with him or is he quite mellow cos that is 'normal' ? His breeder assures me that all of her dogs are actually pretty mellow (one reason for choosing this particular line in fact) and his mum and dad are very easy going.
I know this might seem a pointless post in some ways but I think the spectre of SRMA has made me wonder if I am either doing enough/too much exercise/play or whether this kind of mellow 1 year old dog is really what should be expected. I was brought up with working springers that literally never stopped unless they were kennelled/crated for their own sanity and then have mostly had hounds who are really quite different sorts of beasts. I probably have too much time on my hands but since Red was unwell with SRMA I have watched him like a hawk for any signs of being unnaturally 'quiet'....Any thoughts on this would be welcome!! Photo of himself
He is fabulous in every way and I am confident he is healthy and happy in all the normal ways!! He had SRMA (Meningitis) at 6 months and since then although I haven't changed anything really I also haven't massively increased his 'formal' exercise on a daily basis; he is probably too young to do really long walks/ride out with the horses. I am just wondering though if the exercise he is getting and his energy levels are what people would expect of a 1 y/0 entire dog of terriery type and about 17-20kg. The reason I ask is that he seems really pretty mellow and I suppose I had expected a young terrier to have manic levels of energy - perhaps similar to a spaniel...(I have experience of spaniels ) I don't have any previous experience of terrier temperament/energy/drive levels. On a daily basis Red will have 2 x a half hour of free running/playing/mooching in the fields at home - this is the minimum he gets tbf and gets that on my very busiest days. He is also out and about with me regularly in between those times and most days we go for a 2 mile off lead stroll (very occasionally I will 'jog/run'!!). When he is at home he is able to play with his older housemate who is pretty lively - they zoom up and down the fields and play lovely fighty-bitey games in the house and on the yard. My 14 y/o son plays with Red a great deal too -playing chasing/throwing & chasing/ tugging/play fighting games. On some days I will take Red (but not Bess his older compansion) for a longer walk or in normal times may take him out in the car to go somewhere different for a walk -usually open/hill country. In normal times too Red will usually be at home quietly with my other dog in the morning - this is their big resting/relaxing time but we are all wfh at the mo so there is generally more activity in the mornings atm. It sounds quite a lot written down tbh!! When we are at home, Red is very relaxed - he will sometimes pick up a toy and play with it and will sometimes get very zoomy (possibly over-tired/excited about something). He leaps about with excitement at the prospect of any trip outdoors too as well as first thing in the morning or when I have been out and return. I think all of that is perfectly normal and I find him charming and easy. I suppose I just expected something much more demanding. Am I doing too much with him or is he quite mellow cos that is 'normal' ? His breeder assures me that all of her dogs are actually pretty mellow (one reason for choosing this particular line in fact) and his mum and dad are very easy going.
I know this might seem a pointless post in some ways but I think the spectre of SRMA has made me wonder if I am either doing enough/too much exercise/play or whether this kind of mellow 1 year old dog is really what should be expected. I was brought up with working springers that literally never stopped unless they were kennelled/crated for their own sanity and then have mostly had hounds who are really quite different sorts of beasts. I probably have too much time on my hands but since Red was unwell with SRMA I have watched him like a hawk for any signs of being unnaturally 'quiet'....Any thoughts on this would be welcome!! Photo of himself
