http://www.exercisemydog.com A healthy dog is a happy dog and has a happy owner. Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:06:37 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 http://www.exercisemydog.com/exercise-and-the-bichon-frise/ http://www.exercisemydog.com/exercise-and-the-bichon-frise/#comments Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:06:37 +0000 Tranndee http://www.exercisemydog.com/?p=585

The Bichon Frise dates back as far as the 13th century. The breed is a descendent of the Barbet Water Spaniel and the Poodle. It was traded all over the world by Spanish sailors. The dog eventually became a favorite of the 16th century French royal courts. In the 19th century it was a popular organ grinder’s dog and also a circus performer, Today the Bichon Frise is primarily a companion and show dog.

Breed type	Companion Dog
Physical characteristics	small, sturdy, little dog muzzle is shorter than the skull, is not pointed with a slightly pronounced stop ears are dropped covered in long hair tail is carried over the back the outer coat is 3 to 4 inches (7-10cm.) long and is coarser and curlier than the soft dense undercoat, Coat colors include solid white, cream, gray or apricot
Personality	loves human company known for having bursts of energy independent spirit, intelligent, affectionate, bold and lively has a self-assured, happy temperament that is easy to live with fine in the company of other dogs & pets and are excellent with children
Best exercises	Walks (15 – 20 minutes) Chasing – Try games like Fetch or Keep-away Indoor games (light wrestling, chase, musical chairs)
Suggested exercise plan	Even though these are small “house” type dogs, this breed is known for being lively and having bursts of energy. Short lively exercise is best most days for this dog. A brief walk, 15 – 20 minutes, is good. Because these dogs are generally good natured, an active game (chasing games, gentle wrestling) for 15 minutes will be fun for him or her too.
Things to know	They can be very sensitive to flea bites so watch were you spend outdoor time.

]]> http://www.exercisemydog.com/exercise-and-the-bichon-frise/feed/ 0 http://www.exercisemydog.com/exercise-and-the-cocker-spaniel/ http://www.exercisemydog.com/exercise-and-the-cocker-spaniel/#comments Fri, 02 May 2008 20:29:38 +0000 Tracey Patterson http://www.exercisemydog.com/?p=51

The spaniel breeds dates back at least 500 years in the UK, originally bred to flush out woodcocks for hunters to shoot. The American Cocker Spaniel was bred in the late 1800s from the English Cocker Spaniel and was brought to Canada and the United States. This is the smallest hunting dog breed.

Breed type	Sport / Gun / Hunting dog
Physical characteristics	compact sized dog with strong, straight legs long ears, almost reaching the nos profuse, thick, silky medium to long coat
Personality	moderate-energy dogs friendly to people, good with children, can get along with other dogs sweet, cheerful and eager to please playful, but sensitive–they don’t take well to teasing or harsh training
Best exercises	Because these dogs are bred to accompany hunters, they do have a lot of stamina, but are only moderately energetic. They usually aren’t bouncing off the walls if they don’t have regular exercise, but you still need to let them burn off some energy. Walks – long, steady walks are great. Running – with conditioning, Cocker Spaniels are good running dogs for short times (20 – 30 minutes a couple days a week). Start slowly and consider keeping her coat shorter. Hiking – long, low-key hikes are great, just watch that his coat doesn’t get tangled in branches and bramble. Agility – Cocker Spaniels have enough energy for this sport and many do compete. If you think it’s right for your dog, you can train for fun or for competition. See more here. Dog Parks – because Cocker Spaniels are generally friendly with other dogs, if you feel yours if well socialized, let her romp with friends for a bit.
Suggested exercise plan	1 session / day for 20 – 30 minutes each

]]> http://www.exercisemydog.com/exercise-and-the-cocker-spaniel/feed/ 0 http://www.exercisemydog.com/exercise-and-the-bullmastiff/ http://www.exercisemydog.com/exercise-and-the-bullmastiff/#comments Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:04:24 +0000 Tranndee http://www.exercisemydog.com/exercise-and-the-bullmastiff/

This breed is a cross between a mastiff and bulldog, developed in the late 1800’s. This breed was created to be fast enough and strong enough to catch animal poachers, but not overly-aggressive so that he would not hurt the poacher.

Breed type	Guard / guardian dog
Physical characteristics	large dog with a powerful build short, smooth coat
Personality	a quiet, docile breed patient and gentle with family, friends and children can be protective and territorial if she feels a threat; won’t attack, but she might knock the “threat” over.
Best exercises	Despite his size, the Bullmastiff is a rather low energy dog. But don’t let his low energy fool you into thinking he doesn’t need exercise. Because of his size and low energy, he can also be more prone to obesity and other related health problems. A little activity keeps the weight off. Walks – regular walks are fine. Long daily walk even better. However, because of their strength, your Bullmastiff should be trained well to walk well on a leash. Hiking – a good activity if long, low-key walks
Suggested exercise plan	2x / day for 20-30 minutes each, or 1x / day for 30-45 minutes
Things to know	Bullmastiffs can not tolerate extremes of temperature because of its short, thin fur. Don’t walk if it is colder than sweater weather or if it’s a hot summer day.

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