Paisleymomma27 Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 Hello! Ive really appreciated the feedback for our new Grey in this forum so Im back for more advice. Weve had Paisley about 2 weeks now and things are going pretty smoothly. Shes getting about 1-2 walks a day for about 20-30 min each. Sometimes a bit longer if its the only walk of the day. Ive read weekly sprints are good as well. Any input or suggestions on exercise routines that have worked for you? Obviously frequent walks are a must with any dogs but wondering about the frequency/necessity of sprints for a retired racer. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenEveBaz Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 My opinion is that it depends on the dog. I think many retired greys are content with walks, and that regular runs are not a necessity. My Milo often runs around like a maniac in the large back yard, but he is a lurcher and has more energy and endurance than most pure greyhounds. But he is 8 now, and is beginning to slow down a little. I've read where some people think that casual runs are bad for retired greyhounds because most of us humans do not keep our dogs in running condition. My Jeter is an example. Twice in the last few years he has injured himself just running in the yard. But they seem to enjoy it so much when they do run that it is hard to think of keeping them from it. I think some people have had success running their dog leashed to their bicycle in a quiet place. Or having two people stand as far apart as the space allows, and call the dog back and forth. I've seen lots of YouTube videos of dogs on treadmills, but every time I contemplate Milo or Jeter on such a thing, I Quote Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastpointydoge Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 (edited) Depends on the dog! I make it a goal for my Rogue to have 1-2 weekly sprints. I do not have a yard and live in a small apartment where zoomies cannot happen so this means going to a fenced in area like a dog park or an off leash hiking trail. Both situations are not ideal for every grey. For example I tend to use the dog park in bad weather because that's when it's likely to be empty. And I worked very long and hard to get my grey's recall solid enough for off leash time (plus he does not have high prey drive). Finding someone with a fenced yard is also an option as well as a fenced in athletic field. Your grey might not be interested in running at all! I just know that mine really loves it. I would start small if you've only had her for two weeks. You wouldn't want to let her loose in a large area and not be able to catch her again. Rogue also enjoys longer walks/hikes. We took several months to slowly build up to it, and now can regularly hike 5 miles. He melts in the heat so we avoid hiking in the summer. He LOVES the cold so we go out a ton in the fall/winter. I'd say it's just trying different forms of exercise and seeing what your pup enjoys best! Edit: just thought to add that flirt poles can be a fun activity! And to take into account the age of a dog. A 2 year old will have different needs than a 10 year old. Edited December 31, 2018 by fastpointydoge Quote Sarah with P Kay Ruger "Rogue" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisleymomma27 Posted December 31, 2018 Author Share Posted December 31, 2018 Thank you both for that info!! Our kennel warned against ever letting her off leash but theres a local horse arena thats enclosed that we could take her to. We have an apartment so it is a tighter space, about 1500 sq feet so not terrible. She seems quite content after a decently long walk and sleeps about 60%-75% of the day. Will try some zoomies in the horse arena and see if she has an interest or not. Thank you! Happy almost New Year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastpointydoge Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 Indoor horse arenas are lovely for a nice run since they usually have really nice footing. Smart choice. Just make sure there isn't any fencing or gate opening she could slip through. Happy New Year to you and yours! Quote Sarah with P Kay Ruger "Rogue" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenEveBaz Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 An arena would be a terrific place to try the flirt pole (aka lure pole) mentioned above. Look up videos on line to see dogs going berserk with them. I used to make the poles out of bamboo and clothesline; now I go all sophisticated with a horse's lunge whip. Quote Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewGrey2017 Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Mine HAS to sprint. If I take him in the yard, he takes off at full speed the minute I take the leash off. If he doesn't run for a few days because of weather, he often goes upstairs and runs the length of the house (sounds like a stampede). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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