So I've had my new working line (one parent came from mason malinois originally) malinois puppy for 11 days now and he's started to settle in but I'm not sure if he's getting enough exercise or not. He doesn't really like to fetch much right now I practice by throwing toys in a corner so he has to bring it back but after like 5 throws he'll just sit there and chew on it or ignore it instead of bringing it back. We go on about 2 walks a day which can range from 1/8 of a mile to about 3/4 of a mile per walk. But he still screams a lot when put in his kennel and as soon as his 2-3 hour nap is over he is ready to go again. I've noticed after taking a longer walk today he was limping for a couple of minutes (but it might have been because I tripped over him). He also gets 5-10 minutes of play every day with our older dog while inside the house and gets probably 5-7 minutes of training with his food per day. We just got an exercise pen yesterday but he sits there and whines and barks at us while inside of it. Am I giving him too little exercise? Too much? Is he just being an angry tired toddler? If it's enough exercise any advice on getting him to be quite in the kennel? Also will his toy drive increase as he grows more? I know its a lot of questions I just want to make sure I'm not screwing him up. And he is going to be in agility and dock diving once he is older I just don't want to make him jump a lot as a baby.
You don't say, how old is your puppy? Exercise is normally recommended to be 5 minutes per month of the puppy's age. This can be once or twice a day. Time spent running free in the garden doesn't count. You are correct in not allowing him to jump yet. If he is still only a baby, expecting him to do more than five retrieves at a time could lead to him becoming bored, better to just do one or two, and finish by letting him win a good game of tug. I would slow down the amount that you are expecting him to be able to do, after only 11 days he has hardly had time to settle in yet. Basic puppy obedience training is always the best place to start, whatever the discipline you are going to compete in later. Find yourself a KC Good Citizen Course, or take advice from a qualified trainer.
He's about 9 weeks old and I'm going to up the amount of training We do because I don't want to hurt his growth plates but even if I take him on a shorter walk or if I play fetch for a couple minutes he still whines (more like screaming) in his kennel for a long time after I put him in there I guess he might just be protesting the kennel but if I exercise him a bunch he shuts up while in there.
He has lost his mother and his litter mates, and he has been moved to a strange environment. He is a baby, not even old enough to have had all his vaccinations yet. Your puppy, your call, but I think you are expecting too much from this baby.
I wouldn’t do too much walking or throwing things both can cause joint injuries in young dogs.Free run around in garden, mental activities will tire him quicker than physical. Give him a stuffed kong or bone in his pen to keep him occupied. For socialising, drive/carry him to places where he can see people get used to noises ect: like parks, schools at lunchtime sit on a bench and let him soak it all in.
As far as his crate goes. Maybe toss him some high quality treats in there and start shutring the door for short periods (15-30 seconds) and let him back out. Continue to practice and up the time after he stops whinning. Just an idea. Dave
Tbh I only ever used a crate as a night crate for the little puppa I had before Tikva - she had a bed in the salon for puppa for the few days I had her and slept in her crate ate night. Tikva knows that her crate is for night only. If I need a nanny nap in the day [far too often these days] she will join me even though her crate is in my bedroom and she really should not be on my bed. But her was only and ever for the night and she sleeps in it at night. Nanny naps are on my bed and after she has jumped all over me blah blah blah, she will cuddle up to me. But the only time she is in her crate, where she is now as it is late, is at night, is when she knows it it bedtimes. Does her twirlies, waits for her small special bikkie, goes in her crate and will be curled up azonk on the sleeping mat at the end by the time I lock up and go to bed. And she will not stir until she is ready.
I never had problems with my puppy whining but I never kennel trained my dog either as she was never home alone but at 9 weeks I would just let you pup play and do a little target training with her. Here's a good reference I used with my puppy
