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Michael Romanos · 11-22-2005, 03:33 PM

Hi Jane
There are lots of things you can do to "stabilise" the needs of Duchess.

She must be unfit at present. As she gets fitter, she will be able to keep up with any fast walking dog no matter how big.

To get her fitter and better exercised in your circumstances, you need to give her some basic training to be able to come back to you off-lead when called. Then you can take her to parks etc where you can "sneak" her off lead so she can run around and chase about (and save your legs). Fetching is a fun game for Corgis in wide open spaces and most will respond to a tennis ball if not a stick. The training for this begins at home perhaps in your lounge.

You can get trusted dog walkers to take Duchess out and around. "Professional" dog minders/walkers are an option but those other owners of the bigger dogs you spoke about, might be happy to help out and walk Duchess with their dogs for you. You might like to join a local dog club. There may not be a Corgi club close to your town but there are other clubs who might cater for all breeds or breed groupings or are dog training clubs - that's a good club to get involved with. Dogs and humans are never too old to learn new tricks. These clubs may have a dog walking and exercise section as part of their activities.

Swimming is a great exercise for dogs. I've only had one Corgi who didn't like swimming - and that's Taylor, my current two year old. To get him in the swim I have to carry him out into a river and dump him in - and of course he then swims strongly to dry land. Corgis are quite powerful at swimming as long as they are not drasically overweight.

I found Taylor needs to build up his leg muscles for jumping in agility competition and so I now take him two or three times a week on a hill climb in a reserve where he's off lead and scampering up and down a track which also has lots of steps. All great stuff for increasing fitness and leg strength. Near the top of the hill we always sit down on a wooden four seater seat, take a break and admire the view before carrying on

Corgis love to be massaged and that is one way of loosening and toning their muscles and helping them become more flexible.

Another way of getting a dog exercised where I live is to take him/her to a dog day care centre where the dogs can all run free over a big tract of land, playing among themselves, and where also the centre manager will take them for an exercise jaunt during the day.

11-22-2005, 03:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
Michael Romanos Global Moderator Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Silverstream (near Wellington, the capital of NZ) Posts: 4,902 Images: 2	Hi Jane There are lots of things you can do to "stabilise" the needs of Duchess. She must be unfit at present. As she gets fitter, she will be able to keep up with any fast walking dog no matter how big. To get her fitter and better exercised in your circumstances, you need to give her some basic training to be able to come back to you off-lead when called. Then you can take her to parks etc where you can "sneak" her off lead so she can run around and chase about (and save your legs). Fetching is a fun game for Corgis in wide open spaces and most will respond to a tennis ball if not a stick. The training for this begins at home perhaps in your lounge. You can get trusted dog walkers to take Duchess out and around. "Professional" dog minders/walkers are an option but those other owners of the bigger dogs you spoke about, might be happy to help out and walk Duchess with their dogs for you. You might like to join a local dog club. There may not be a Corgi club close to your town but there are other clubs who might cater for all breeds or breed groupings or are dog training clubs - that's a good club to get involved with. Dogs and humans are never too old to learn new tricks. These clubs may have a dog walking and exercise section as part of their activities. Swimming is a great exercise for dogs. I've only had one Corgi who didn't like swimming - and that's Taylor, my current two year old. To get him in the swim I have to carry him out into a river and dump him in - and of course he then swims strongly to dry land. Corgis are quite powerful at swimming as long as they are not drasically overweight. I found Taylor needs to build up his leg muscles for jumping in agility competition and so I now take him two or three times a week on a hill climb in a reserve where he's off lead and scampering up and down a track which also has lots of steps. All great stuff for increasing fitness and leg strength. Near the top of the hill we always sit down on a wooden four seater seat, take a break and admire the view before carrying on Corgis love to be massaged and that is one way of loosening and toning their muscles and helping them become more flexible. Another way of getting a dog exercised where I live is to take him/her to a dog day care centre where the dogs can all run free over a big tract of land, playing among themselves, and where also the centre manager will take them for an exercise jaunt during the day.