Walking good or bad

[Tan160581]

I know I asked this before but this was before I started to walk Lola

As I don't have a garden and she got bundles of energy and wants to use it up I put her on extension lead as she loves to tear in the bushes and smell everything I take her in the woods with my mum and her dogs

Also is it ok for her to be on a extension I won't be encouraging any bad habits.just that she enjoys it so much ?

But my question really is last week only did 20 mins of walking but she always seemed annoyed as to short and when I tried to get her indoors would not come in

But yesterday me snd my mum went on a 1.5 hour walk it wasn't a fast one just a normal pace dogs sniffing and playing etc but she loved it I said to my mum she mustn't have this much excercise as bad for legs hips and we carry her way back but when we lifted her she was getting most annoyed struggling to get down and walk

So I want to know if I take her on these walks even through she likes them am I being irresponsable and she end up with bad joints at a young age or do I go with what Lola wants
I read conflicting stories on Internet some sites say only walk 20 mins first year as bones not strong enough where other sites say walking gets the muscles stronger so very confused

[Victory]

Walk her! I've walked Dreamdancer since he was 8 weeks old, just as long a walk as Firesong and she has a lot of energy. When he got tired and laid down, (which all chows will do) I'd pick him up and carry him for a bit. When he got antsy and wanted down, down he went. By the time he was six months old he could and will walk just as far as Firesone who was four when I got him. You don't want to do a 15 mile marathon or hard hiking with a young puppy, this can indeed lead to joint problems through injury. But a 1.5 mile normal walk at a human's pace is just fine. Many joint issues even for humans are caused by weak muscles around the joint. Human doctors and Vets do NOT recommend rest as a way to strengthen the joints, but mild exercise. A puppy is like a growing child in some ways, to you keep a toddler from walking? No you let the kid walk until they are tired, why, it builds strong muscles, which in turn builds strong tendons, legimates and in the end strong joints.

She will tell you when she's had enough, she will lay down and refuse to budge. You haven't posted a recent picture of her, but I'll bet that she is a lot like my Firesong, long legged, athletic, with massive amounts of energy. You have to exercise her enough if you want her to learn to be a proper chow lady, some of her misbehaviors, and semi-aggressive behaviors, (towards your cats) are because she has so much energy, and she's bored. A bored dog will become destructive, disobiedient, and unpleasent to be around. Proper and enough exercise is the first thing necessary to training, a puppy that is full of excess energy won't learn.

[wokman]

My first two Chows walked, ran, jumped as much as they wanted. I did not know that there were age related limits to their activity. Neither of them had any problems related to mobility later on in life.
I do not care for the extension leads; the type that have a spool like a fishing real. Unlike a fishing real they depend on a spring to wind the cord back in. If there is trouble ahead out of your sight, you have less of chance to keep your dog away from whatever may be out in front. Then you find yourself grabbing the cord to pull in your dog and unless you are wearing gloves end up with rope burn later.
You have said you are taking her into the woods, do you have the appropriate flea and tick repellants on her. You still have to inspect them for insects even if you us repellants, as I have found out after the fact.
I agree with Victory many of the behavior problems you have been having with her are related to her not releasing enough of her pent up energy. You and all of us that have been reading along are now learning Lola is a high energy dog not an Oriental floor car-pet.

[Ursa's daddy]

Victory is correct that a chow will lay down when tired. Ursa tires rather easily, and I have it about figured out. We can go out and around the compost pile, then up the street and around the pond. Then I need to be headed back to the house. It is always possible that she is ready for another pass around the front yard, but there is a good chance that she will want to lay down. The first time is a signal that she has decided the walk is about over. From that point on, it takes longer and longer to coax her into walking, and the distances covered get shorter and the down periods get longer.

[Me & Tess]

Just a quick reply, always take water with you when you walk your wee Chow - always. I took water in the summer when Tess & I took walks. Even though there were several creeks & little ponds around I still wanted to be prepared. Chows overheat easily. I think you are doing a good job & you ask good questions. I can tell you really love Lola. Give your babe a big hug......

[Victory]

Just a quick reply, always take water with you when you walk your wee Chow - always. I took water in the summer when Tess & I took walks. Even though there were several creeks & little ponds around I still wanted to be prepared. Chows overheat easily. I think you are doing a good job & you ask good questions. I can tell you really love Lola. Give your babe a big hug......

Exactly. If I take Firesong and Dreamdancer or any of my chows for longer walks, I always have a collaspable water dish and water for them, (I cheat sometimes and let THEM carry it in their doggy backpacks). Even if not subjected to a lot of heat and/or humidity, a chow can get thirsty and I don't want them drinking from water in the street which could be contaminated, especially with anti-freeze, which is deadly.