As a rule, a Gordon Setter needs to be exercised twice a day for several hours. This should ideally be done in the forest or where he can run without a leash. The Gordon Setter needs to be exercised physically and mentally enough. Sporting activities are a must with a Gordon Setter. Besides hunting, he also likes cycling and jogging.
Your pet needs daily exercise. In addition, your dog can romp around in the garden or go to a fenced exercise area.
Your dog needs to go outside at least twice a day.
Beyond that, you can decide according to your dog whether you go more often and how long your rounds will be.
Walking – When does the dog need to go out?
The question of how often a dog should go out depends crucially on its individual needs. Some dog breeds need a lot of exercise due to their special urge to move, while others are content with smaller rounds.
When a dog needs to go outside is also very individual. Decisive factors include cleanliness and walk training.
As a rule of thumb, however, dogs can last five to six hours before the next business is due.
This also tells you how often a dog should go out every day. According to this, you should plan at least four to five rounds per day.
Ideally, you should schedule your dog’s walks so that he does not have to go out at night. In this context, it is important that the most urgent walk is in the morning. The walk after getting up must be integrated into the daily schedule.
As a rule, a routine rhythm is established after a certain time, so that the morning round takes place at 6:00 a.m. every day, for example.
Dogs make themselves known when they have to go out
Normally, every dog makes itself known as soon as it has to go out. However, this only applies to dogs that have already completed their cleanliness training. It is not yet to be expected from puppies. As soon as the intervals between rounds become too long, dogs start whining, possibly barking, are restless and otherwise draw attention to themselves.
Some dogs may scratch at the door, others may put the leash at their master’s feet. Pay attention to how your dog makes itself known and don’t let it get that far in the first place.
Your dog will be in better health if you react before your dog even contacts you.
If you are going to be away for a long time and your dog has to wait for you at home, find out here how long your dog can be left alone.
Whether young or old – all dogs need to go out.
Puppies and seniors need more exercise
A puppy stays with the breeder until at least 8 weeks. At least with a good breeder. After that, you can take your dog with you.
Once you have arrived at your new home, the first few weeks are especially important. During this time, you must pay special attention to the walks. Everything needs to be explored, from traffic to the forest.
Experience shows that puppies need more walks than adult dogs. Until they are truly house-trained, it is recommended that you take your fur friend out at least every two hours.
This way puppies learn that they have to do their business outdoors and not indoors.
The amount of time between each round can be extended individually over time. In addition to puppies, seniors also need to go outside more often.
Your dog is getting old and counts as a senior dog if your dog is over 12 years old.
With age, dogs get difficulties to control their urge for a longer period of time. It’s a good idea to cater to your dog’s individual needs.
You could take your dog out more often, but for shorter periods.
If the dog doesn’t go outside – What can happen?
If your dog doesn’t get out enough, it will sooner or later do its business indoors.
However, what is much more decisive and to the dog’s disadvantage – lack of exercise leads to considerable limitations. Dogs that do not get out or only get out too rarely are often overweight, which has an impact on their health.
In addition, in such cases dogs tend to engage in destructive behaviour, for example by destroying things or starting to go berserk.
If your dog gets too little exercise, it can lead to obesity or depression.
Among other things, shoes or furniture may be chewed up. Furthermore, the lack of exercise leads to aggression towards people and other animals in the long run.
Some dogs start to withdraw because they are not stimulated enough physically and mentally. In this case, the behaviour resembles a typical depression.
Other dogs, on the other hand, become hyperactive. Finally, the muscles of the affected dog can stiffen, which leads to considerable pain. Further illnesses of the four-legged friend are also possible due to lack of exercise and too few walks.
For example, bladder or kidney diseases can occur due to continuous stopping.
To prevent this from happening to your four-legged friend, make sure he gets enough exercise!
If you don’t have enough time, you can look for someone who will walk your dog for a small fee.
Typical breed characteristics of the Gordon Setter
- Character: Intelligent, eager to learn, relaxed, courageous, friendly.
- Size: 58 to 69 cm
- Weight: 25 – 31 kg
- Colours: black, red markings are present
- Life expectancy: 10 – 12 years
Despite its nature as a hunting dog, it can be used wonderfully and without problems as a family dog.
Typical diseases of this breed are eye diseases and nervous diseases such as ataxia.
The Gordon Setter reaches a maximum height of 69 cm and weighs up to 31 kilograms.
Its coat colours are black with red markings and its average life expectancy is 10 to 12 years.
If you want to know how much money you can spend on a dog per month, you can find out this and much more in our great article: How much does a dog cost per month?
Training and care
The Gordon Setter is a very good family dog because of his good-natured and loving nature. Therefore, he should have enjoyed a good upbringing from puppyhood and spent a lot of time with people in infancy.
The Gordon Setter is an absolute family dog and is very good with children.
His upbringing always includes consistent action, but also very positive motivation with lots of praise and petting.
For dog owners with little experience it is advisable to have the Gordon Setter trained in a good dog school so that there are no difficulties later.
When training the Gordon Setter, it is important that he is given enough activity and exercise when he is young.
Due to the very long coat of the Gordon Setter, a long lasting coat care is very important. The dog’s coat should be brushed well every day, otherwise it can become matted.
The Gordon Setter’s ears should be checked for dirt and the teeth will be happy to have a regular chew.
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Who is the Gordon Setter suitable for?
The Gordon Setter is an ideal hunting dog, but with good training can also easily be raised as a very loyal and reliable family dog.
This dog breed especially needs a lot of exercise. Ideally, its owner lives in the countryside where the Gordon Setter can be very much in the open air.
Sporting activities are a must with a Gordon Setter. Besides hunting, he also enjoys cycling and jogging.
The owner of a Gordon Setter should be aware from the beginning that this dog breed is a life task and will take up a lot of time.
Even small children will enjoy this dog breed, as he is always looking for cuddles and cuddles.
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