Excercise - the honest truth

[Kathleen]

Since we've had Sega for over two months now, I find myself feeling really guilty if I don't give him a good long session of playtime/exercise everyday. We go to the doggie park twice a week for at least an hour and a half, I take him powerwalking at least 2-3 times a week on top of that, plus we have a 1/4 acre fenced in back yard that he gets to do the "boxer burns" in when we play catch.

My real question is, how often does everyone truthfully exercise their babies? Some days with a hectic schedule, all I can afford to do is play catch with him for 20-30 minutes in the backyard and I feel awful about doing that since I would rather spend more time with him. The heat down here makes exercise time really limited and I just feel like he gets soooo bored without a good excercise session everyday (at least an hour). What does everyone do when it gets really cold up north with snow?? How do you handle the guilt :p if all you can do is take your baby for a regular walk?

 

[lildoormouse_1]

Sounds to me that your doing just fine.. Boxers adapt to your lifesyle very well....Sometimes I can't get out to take pretty for her usual long walks and plays, sometimes beacuse of the heat or just my hectic schedule for that day.....Sometimes she's just prefer coming with me in the car...(never left in the heat) There happy just to be with you....Pretty has so many toys(has her own toy box) to keep her busy and I just play with her in the house....Don't feel guilty that you can't get out.....And as far as the cold..When it gets down to the -40's c Pretty is in and out faster than I am.......

Abbi

 

[None-removed]

I am lucky enough to have a pet friendly office, so my kid gets to come to work and get exercised by other dogs.

We have a routine, we get up at 4:45, he goes out and 5-6 is "our" time and we play fetch and roughhouse a bit, then he plays with his pals, or sleeps in my office on and off through the day. When we get home, he gets a long walk and another 20-30 minutes of tug and fetch, then right before bed, he gets a chance to do the boxer tears around the yard to get ready for bed.

Not all days work out quite to schedule, but usually its pretty close - so he gets 2 hours of exercise with me, and whatever he feels like doing with his pals.

In the summer, I limit his time outdoors, and in the winter he's on par with Pretty.. He is out for a power pee and back in before I can shut the door

 

[CC]

It sounds so strange to say it, but my Xena is SUPER lazy!!! She couldn't care less if we go out for a walk every day, if we don't she is quite content to sprawl out and sleep. I have to literally drag her off the bed every morning and push her little butt down the stairs step by step to get her going. She loves it once we get out there though, and runs like a little greyhound.

Never heard of a lazy Boxer before...anyone else?

 

[Spike595]

Kathleen....I now what you are saying when you talk about the heat. Since we live in Florida too.......it is usually too hot to take Spanky for walks...Im five months pregnant and he is way over-heated before I am We have a doggie door and a fenced in back yard so he can go out and play whenever he wants too. Usually in the morning and at night he spends a lot of time outside...and comes in and rests when he needs to. We play inside too.......I can't wait until it gets cooler......since we got him in Feb....and couldnt really take him for walks till April/May...I'd like to see how he loves going for long walks

 

[lildoormouse_1]

CC,

I can relate, Pretty hates getting up in the morning, Which is a good thing cause so do I..**

Abbi

 

[Debbie Magon]

Our dogs have a playground that would be larger than most peoples whole section, but dont very often use it!

They prefer to be out of their doggie compound and up by the back door just sprawled out on the porch, so no one can get in or out of the house!

Almost everynight, we take them all running in the orchards next door. These are about 30 acres and the dogs go crazy from start to finish.!

The boxers here have devised an excellent way of self exercising.
They simply chase the postie up and down the fence line out front!:eek: Rabbits in the pampass grass out back and the poor cat in the hazelnut trees

:D

 

[ninersneal]

We are fortunate enough to live in an area where the weather stays fairly constant, not too much in the extreme either way. Perfect boxer weather! We just bought a leash that attaches to the bicycle so if Roxanne needs a energy release and we don't have much time for a long walk or run, we take her for a quick jog around the neighborhood. She is very good on it and we are careful not to over work her but she comes back happy and tired.

 

[alisonCO]

My two absolutely REQUIRE about 1 hour everyday (30 minutes in the morning and 30 after dinner.) This usually involves a walk/run, swimming or the dog park. They do wrestle some during the day, but are fairly happy just laying around. They are so used to their routine. The minute we finish dinner, Tucker starts whining until we leave. I guess I can't complain because they get my lazy butt out the door everyday, rain or shine

 

[tiasmama]

Tia needs at least an hour every night. I get home from work and immediately jump back in th car and take her to the dog park. Sometimes I am so tired that I don't want to go but I just think about how she waits for me all day long and is it really asking that much to take her to the park. Either way when I get there I love it anyway- we are regulars so everyone know and loves Tia, we have a great time- it is actually my destresser after a bad day a work.

Honestly, in the winter she is much more low key than she is in the summer- we will play indoors but she really doesn't want to go out that much- YEAH! Because it snows ALOT here in Maine, and by the time I get home from work it is dark out, so no doggie park then.:(