o_rooly Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 My apologies if this issue has been covered in another thread, I did quite a bit of digging and didn't see what I was looking for - this is an offshoot that struck me when reading the Walk Schedule thread in Training & Behavior.. I know that to minimize bloat risk, exercise should happen at least 1 hour before and 2 (?) hours after eating.. however, what's considered exercise in that regard? I tried to schedule breakfast waaay early in the morning so that I could give him at least an hour before taking him for his morning walk, but my internal clock is taking issue with that so then I wanted to schedule his walk first, then wait a good amount of time before feeding him, but then I ran into a timecrunch with leaving for work right after he eats vs. taking him back out to potty again before I leave (we do have a teeny backyard but can't do a dog-door situation for a variety of reasons). His morning walk is usually no more than 15 minutes, and is at a leisurely pace (since mom is usually sludging along half-asleep ). I leave for work at 7:20am, come home at 12:30pm to take him for another 15-20min walk, then go back to work and return home at a little after 6pm. Then comes his evening walk, which is at least a half hour - we've been working up in regard to this walk length, we walk at a good clip to the point where I've just broken a sweat and he is dragging a little just as we reach home. Then, I let him chill out for an hour before I feed him dinner.. then another wee walk just before bed (10-11pm). Timing this stuff is starting to give my OCD brain nightmares do I need to give the full 1-2 hour buffer period for the leisurely walks? I know that safe-not-sorry is the first priority, but wonder if I've blown this out of proportion.. I could EASILY see why you wouldn't feed a grey within these time periods if he is prone to bouncing all over till he winds himself, but Aston (thus far) is not prone to going on bouncing/running jags, unless it's the two bounds he takes down our staircase, but then it's back to napping. Thanks in advance for putting up with another "this wasn't in my textbook" question Quote every day a tiny adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LRay82 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Still a newbie myself - so I'm also curious what the guidelines are here. Thanks for starting the post! Looking forward to responses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scfilby Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Walks are OK. What you are avoiding is rambunctious playing, running, chasing, zoomies, stuffy killing, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinM Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 We walk immediately after breakfast and dinner for up to 40 minutes, however I never let them run or play hard unless it's 2 hours after eating. Walking oK Running- wait. Quote ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties. Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greytluck Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I walk mine (15-60 min), and then feed them right away. I think as long as they aren't running or jumping around you should be fine. I leave for work by 4:45am so I would have to get up insanely early if I wanted to wait a whole hour after we walked to feed them. Quote Hobbes-Ricard Hatch09/23/99-12/21/09 Always loved, never forgotten. Wally TNJ Boy Howdy, GLS Genuinerisk Corinna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Energy11 Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Walking is fine. It actually helps their digestion. It is running, "zoomies, etc., that are not good. A good idea, which I got from here, is to let them out BEFORE you feed, and that minimizes their need to go out after eating, but walking is fine. Good Luck, and don't worry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeh2o Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 We leisurely walk for about 1/2 hour in the morning and I do wait an hour just to make sure all is well. I don't want anything to happen after I go to work. No walks at night, they just meander out to the yard at their leisure before and after dinner. Quote Sunsands Doodles: Doodles aka Claire, Bella Run Softly: Softy aka Bowie (the Diamond Dog) Missing my beautiful boy Sunsands Carl 2.25.2003 - 4.1.2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
September Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I'll admit, I'm excessively paranoid about bloat. I try to keep them as quiet as possible after they eat. It's just something I'm afraid that if I let my guard down- something bad will happen. I did have to load Cookie into the car right after a meal a couple times so we could go to a meet n greet and I was worried about it the whole day but I'm doing better with relaxing things a little. I hated walking them after their evening meal but I think I got used to the routine and stopped worrying so much. Cookie's foster mom told me a story about someone's golden who got bloat and died very suddenly, and it has stayed etched in my mind, I'll admit. Quote http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc124/TgrrValily/CookieMac2009pt2/siggyyayayayayay.jpg Waiting at the bridge: Buddy James, Cookie Dough, Shelby, and Mac. My angels New dog mom to dachshunds Ginger and Ruger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnzaFerrari Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I try not to let Enza run after eating, but sometimes zoomie attacks occur because she's so excited when a neighbor comes by etc. I always figured walking was good for them as it is for humans after eating - gets everything moving through the system vs just sitting there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FordRacingRon Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I'm paranoid about bloat too but what I have gleaned over the last few years is that slow walking after meals is fine, don't let em get going. The probelm is the stomach swings back and forth when they walk, and really goes when they run, and the swinging effect is what can cause it to flip and then bloat. Although though I try to adhear to the hour before, 2 hours after rule. So for me, any slow walk up to dinner is fine if need be,,I just won't feed her if she is panting. After Dinner I won't walk her but if I need her to go because I am going out,,slowly for a pee. Funny thing is I think Leia has learned that after dinner walks,,,when they occasionally happen,,, mean slow because she will meander at a snail pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ronansmom Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 We walk before breakfast and dinner. Nice and easy. Pre-breakfast walk is a quick one, about 15 minutes. The pre-dinner is longer...about 1/2 hour. I'll feed Ronan and Chloe as soon as we get home, unless they're panting. I use elevated feeders for both dogs and a bundt pan for Ronan which is recommended to slow down his eating and cut down air consumption. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o_rooly Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 We walk before breakfast and dinner. Nice and easy. Pre-breakfast walk is a quick one, about 15 minutes. The pre-dinner is longer...about 1/2 hour. I'll feed Ronan and Chloe as soon as we get home, unless they're panting. I use elevated feeders for both dogs and a bundt pan for Ronan which is recommended to slow down his eating and cut down air consumption. WHOA. The bundt pan is an AWESOME idea. Here I am trying to find large toys and (too-big-to-swallow) rocks to put in Aston's bowl so he can't inhale his food... Thanks for the tips, everyone! I think I'll stick to E-Z walking before eating instead of timing for afterward (since Aston needs pee/poo breaks anyway when I get home from work), but still let him chill out a bit before feeding him.. Quote every day a tiny adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndChance Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I'm still new...what the heck are "zoomies" ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o_rooly Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 I'm still new...what the heck are "zoomies" ???? Zoomies: How greyhounds get their yayas out. A good example (found by random picking out of results under search for "Zoomies" in Cute & Funny subforum): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv9O6cN8Hmg silly Arrow Aston doesn't really do Zoomies so much as Crazies, where he throws his toys up in the air and then POUNCES them for a stretch of about oh, 2 minutes, MAYBE three times a week. Otherwise, it's naptime. Quote every day a tiny adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambuca Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 If you need to slow down a dogs eating, there are actually bowls made for that now. The brake-fast bowl is the 1 I know, and it works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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