Puppies less than 8 weeks should be moved outside of their housing area for exercise each day, this might be to another area of the house or yard. Dogs of all ages must be provided with a minimum amount of daily exercise, socialisation, handing and enrichment. Further details are provided in the following tables. Exercise and Enrichment for Dogs Category Exercise Requirements Environmental Enrichment Puppies Normal movement within whelping box and Provide a variety of different surfaces 0 to 4 weeks pen within enclosure that expose puppies to mother’s different textures (e.g. hard floor, soft bedding, newspaper, artificial grass, turf) Puppies Normal movement and play within the Provide a variety of different surfaces and 4-8 weeks pen textures within the enclosure mother’s Can include playing with toys and Provide a variety of toys within the interaction with humans enclosure to develop motor skills and play behaviour Must rotate toys on a weekly basis Puppies Provide a minimum of 20 minutes run/play Provide a variety of different surfaces 8-16 weeks time daily within a secure area outside of within the enclosure that expose puppies primary housing enclosure to different textures Exercise may include: Provide a variety of toys within the enclosure to develop motor skills and play introduction of daily walks on lead behaviour basic obedience training Rotate toys on a weekly basis training working dogs for farm work training hunting or retrieving dogs for such May wish to provide noise simulation activities CD’s Dogs Minimum 30 minutes exercise twice daily Provide toys such as rope and squeaky 16 plus weeks with at least 2 hours between each toys, rubber toys and rotate weekly. exercise session May also provide food dispensing toys that Exercise may include: encourage foraging treat balls, stuffed – kongs, frozen food, bones on lead walking or off leash run/play time within a secure area May utilise competition training, crate training and training hunting / retrieving competition training activities as alternative forms enrichment. training working dogs for farm work When using these, they must occur at training and participation in retrieval least 3 x weekly and must be interchanged activities with other forms of enrichment Senior dogs Same as adult dog unless modified under Same as adult dog unless modified under 7 years plus health management plan health management plan
Puppies less than 8 weeks should be moved outside of their housing area for exercise each day, this might be to another area of the house or yard. Dogs of all ages must be provided with a minimum amount of daily exercise, socialisation, handing and enrichment. Further details are provided in the following tables. Exercise and Enrichment for Dogs Category Exercise Requirements Environmental Enrichment Puppies 0 to 4 weeks Normal movement within whelping box and mother’s pen Provide a variety of different surfaces within enclosure that expose puppies to different textures (e.g. hard floor, soft bedding, newspaper, artificial grass, turf) Puppies 4-8 weeks Normal movement and play within the mother’s pen Can include playing with toys and interaction with humans Provide a variety of different surfaces and textures within the enclosure Provide a variety of toys within the enclosure to develop motor skills and play behaviour Must rotate toys on a weekly basis Puppies 8-16 weeks Provide a minimum of 20 minutes run/play time daily within a secure area outside of primary housing enclosure Exercise may include: introduction of daily walks on lead basic obedience training training working dogs for farm work training hunting or retrieving dogs for such activities Provide a variety of different surfaces within the enclosure that expose puppies to different textures Provide a variety of toys within the enclosure to develop motor skills and play behaviour Rotate toys on a weekly basis May wish to provide noise simulation CD’s Dogs 16 plus weeks Minimum 30 minutes exercise twice daily with at least 2 hours between each exercise session Exercise may include: on lead walking or off leash run/play time within a secure area competition training training working dogs for farm work training and participation in retrieval activities Provide toys such as rope and squeaky toys, rubber toys and rotate weekly. May also provide food dispensing toys that encourage foraging – treat balls, stuffed kongs, frozen food, bones May utilise competition training, crate training and training hunting / retrieving activities as alternative forms enrichment. When using these, they must occur at least 3 x weekly and must be interchanged with other forms of enrichment Senior dogs 7 years plus Same as adult dog unless modified under health management plan Same as adult dog unless modified under health management plan
Guide-for-Victorian-dog-and-cat-community-foster-care-networks-and-rescue.docx