Mental stimulation instead of exercise?

[Spudlet]

I had an interesting chat this evening - I know what I think, but would love to hear your views!

Basically I left Henry at home today in the expectation that a friend would be walking him. However, based on the facts that the poobags and biscuits I left out were not used, the mild devastation in my kitchen and the level if hyperactivity Hen greeted me with, I have surmised that for whatever reason this did not happen,meaning Henry had been shut in all day

Consequently I felt very guilty and took him out for as good an evening hobble as possible.

On the way back, a lady putting her bin out said hello, then started asking me about Hen and telling me all about her 12 month old Cocker. She said how hyper her dog was and asked if Henry was, I said he is this evening because he hasn't been for a walk! She then said that a canine physio had told her that 'everyone thinks spaniels need lots of exercise, but actually if they have mental stimulation,they'll be ok with a ten minute walk'.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

 

[Gooby]

Mental stimulation tires mine out more than walks in general. After a 2 hour walk they will come in more hyper than when they left but half an hour of proper training and they're out for the rest of the day. I would never cut out their physical exercise in exchange for mental stimulation tho.

 

[soloabe]

I guess i feel a bit on both sides i think that just a walk with no mental stimulation is not good enough and neither is just mental stimulation.

My spaniel gets an hours walk in the morning and then 30 mins of running through some training exercises at lunch time and then 30 min walk at about 2pm and then a quick walk around the block at night.

Throughout the day he has stimulating toys, like treat balls and this crazy toy where he has to touch bits for a treat to pop out and he has a ball thrower in the garden we can put on if we are to busy to play ball in the afternoon.

I think that gives mine a good balance of both.
Dogs which just get exercise and no stimulation may be physically tired out but their mind is still on the go and you can still end up with a destructive dog.

 

[CAYLA]

No Comment........cos im speechless

Mental stimulation is of course a fab way of chanelling energy and encouraging an active mind esp for dogs who for some reason cannot exercise, but it certainly does not substitute exercise

 

[camilla4]

[ QUOTE ]
No Comment........cos im speechless

Mental stimulation is of course a fab way of chanelling energy and encouraging an active mind esp for dogs who for some reason cannot exercise, but it certainly does not substitute exercise

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree wholeheartedly with this Cayla - both are essential and you can't substitute one for the other!

 

[soloabe]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
No Comment........cos im speechless

Mental stimulation is of course a fab way of chanelling energy and encouraging an active mind esp for dogs who for some reason cannot exercise, but it certainly does not substitute exercise

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree wholeheartedly with this Cayla - both are essential and you can't substitute one for the other!

[/ QUOTE ]

What i was trying to say but mine was much more long winded

 

[Spudlet]

I think the lady was trying to be kind cos I said how awful I felt that Henry had been in all day

But she clearly really believed it

The whole time we were talking, her dog was barking his head off behind the gate

Henry definitely enjoys walks with a bit of a challenge - I chuck sticks or stones into the undergrowth for him to hunt. He never comes close to finding them, but he has lots of fun trying!

We have just had a game of hunt the sqeaky rubber chicken, which he loves but I would not have been happy for us to have that with no walk. As it is we were out for the best part of an hour, albeit almost totally on the lead. Will have to get up early tomorrow so he can have an extra long walk before work

 

[CorvusCorax]

Agree with the others, you need both for a happy mutt