i cant believe i'm asking advice when i've had dogs my whole life! LOL

Ok so lately i've been playing Fetch with Mika in the park. He plays the game very well in the park, i just wish he would play the game properly when we are at home too lol. But anyway, i am wondering if I am over exerting him (i don't know if thats the right word...basically what i am trying to say is he loves to play Fetch and keeps asking me to throw the ball and he runs and gets it all the time. But i wonder if my constantly throwing the ball is making him do too much and is putting any strain on his legs. He's 9 months old for all those that don't know.

So any advice would be most appreciated. I've never had a dog who loves to play with his toys in the park so while its nice to play a game with him in the park i don't want to hurt him at the same time.

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My two babies. Separated for a while but now both reunited on Rainbow Bridge, running in a field of daises. Gone but not forgotten. Love you always and forever



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If you were over doing it your dog will be telling you by now lolol, he would just lay down and say enough is enough, but the fact that he is wanting you to throw it for him sounds like he is enjoying it. You didnt mention for how long you do this with him though. I would say just do what you are doing, and if he lays down or is slowingdown then you stop.
I wish mine would go and fetch a ball and bring it back, I throw it and they look at it then look at me as if to say, Well arnt you going to get it now...... xxxx
If you are not sure, then start off with an hour and see how he goes then add more time as he is getting bigger.


Buy saying one hour, I DO MEAN TOTAL INCLUDING THE TRAVEL. Just in case some else takes it the wrong way like the other person. And when I say Lay Down and say enough is enough, I meant you would see your dog having a lay down or just sitting there, It dont sound like you are doing HARD play as you know you still have a puppy. xxx

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He only goes for a 30 min walk with me, so i would say Fetch lasts about.....10/15 minutes? I actually stop the game myself for a while because i worry its too much for him being such a small dog but he seems to just want me to throw it...but i can't help but worry i'm probably doing more harm than good.....

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My two babies. Separated for a while but now both reunited on Rainbow Bridge, running in a field of daises. Gone but not forgotten. Love you always and forever



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0281358/quotes?qt0401992

No, the dog will NOT say "enough is enough"! Some dogs love playing fetch so much that they'd go on forever. My dog's like that. Once he hurt himself while playing with the frisbee and couldn't use one leg . But he was well prepared to chase the frisbee with only three legs He's never, under any circumstances, said "thanks, but no thanks" to a game of fetch.

I love to have a dog that loves to play, but it also means that it is my responsibility to see to it that the dog doesn't overdo it. Even though it's fun, it's also a stressful game and you need to teach the dog the rules. I make sure that I'm the one that's in control of all the toys. I don't let my dog run around with balls, frisbees and other toys on his own; they are only for playing with me. That way I'm always the one starting the game and also the one deciding when to stop. I also sometimes make Lyle sit and stay before he's allowed to run after the ball and sometimes I hide the ball so he'll have to use his nose to find it. That's less stressful and it's good for dogs to use their excellent sense of smell.

I don't play fetch for very long, maybe 10 minutes at a time when I'm out for a walk. I also use it as a reward in obedience training, but then I only throw the ball once before going on with the training.

Lilo is the same

she wil play and play so we have to stop it. She could go all day and will never tire of playing it

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R.I.P Kaydee my beautiful baby girl. 15.04.2004 - 01.05.2011

Stella loves to fetch, she's 16 months now, and she'd go on for as long as I'd let her. She can be really embarassing though, cos when I want to give her a rest she jumps in the air squealing really loudly, asking me to throw for her so it's not much of a rest!

I usually finish off a session like that by throwing small biscuits into the grass for them to find. That way they are still busy but in a different way.

Their exercise has to be sensible for their age and size, and over-exercising can be worse for them than under-exercising them when they are developing.

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Stella, Louis and Asha

That's what i thought. I only throw the ball for 10-15 minutes but i still worry it may be too much for him as he's a toy poodle and has tiny legs.

I just emailed my sis in Australia and she told me I ought to be careful because he could develop arthiritis.

I guess i'll just give him two or three throws of the ball and stop the game there and then no matter how many times he wants me to throw it. That or i'll just take the ball out every few days.

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My two babies. Separated for a while but now both reunited on Rainbow Bridge, running in a field of daises. Gone but not forgotten. Love you always and forever



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You could try throwing him some small treats to find, just a few feet away. He's still getting stimulated that way, but without all the running!

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Stella, Louis and Asha

I would err on the side of caution - my lovely lab developed panosteitis as a pup and ended up with arthritis in his joints at a very young age due to too much repetitive exercise (chase and fetch games) - I know he's a larger dog and therefore it's more likely to happen, but it was so awful that I'm much more aware now. Walking is different, as the dog is choosing the pace a bit more, but chase games are faster and with him it was the impact of him pouncing on the toy to retrieve it that caused the stress on his joints

Sophie
x

Obviously the dog ISNT going to say enough is enough, PMSL. Never thought someone would actually beleive that. I think the person knows what I meant. A Saying.

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