Am I Working This Dog Too Hard?

A Husky/Pyr cross has got to be a dog with a serious working temperament!! I would make sure to stop while she still wants to go, but otherwise? I bet she LOVES it!!!

My Chinese Crested is capable of working (giving attention, heeling, and performing commands) for 4-5 hours, straight, and that is growing all the time. She LOVES it, and wants more, when we stop. I have to crate her to make her rest and stop offering behaviors. This breed is NOT a serious working breed, so I see no problem.

She's a year old....I don't think its too much.  Doubtful she is a couch potatoe....and its good to keep her exercised so that she does have enjoyable down time.

If she was younger than 6 months old, I might think it could be toned down....but not a year and over.  Besides, if you enjoy it and she seems to enjoy it....its all good.

Might want to lose the flexi lead though...and get a good leather (or nylon) leash for walking.  Just my opinion though. I'll walk a young pup on a flexi, but once they hit 6 months or so...out it goes.  I just don't think they are safe.

Assuming that the dog is not stressed and showing avoidance or shutting down, I think it depends on your goals.  I compete with my dogs in multiple venues but really only train 20 minutes a day total (typically I work Nikon's obedience intermixed with fetch and tug so we get maybe 5 minutes of actual training for every half hour of play, and then later in the evening we work much more focused on whatever new skills we are leaning for about 10 minutes or so) and sometimes miss a day or two, and then for 6-8 hours with the club once on the weekend.  If weather permits tracking, I like to track 4 times a week which takes me about 20 minutes to prepare and takes the dog about 5 minutes to actually work the track.  However my training is very much about quality over quantity.  The level of drive and commitment I am looking for cannot be sustained for hours at a time every day.  When I am working more on pet training and manners type stuff, I find I spend more time doing it but it requires less out of the dog and myself.

2 hrs of walking exercise and 1 of obedience a day sounds like a pretty good deal for him. If we think that a Husky was actually bred for running miles and miles and then some for days then this sounds like is a piece of cake.

Just like every animal including humans, they build stamina and condition, if the dog was not used to that from the beginning then more time to get there would be required but i bet your dog is as fit as he can be

Congrats for satisfying your dog's needs. Maybe your husband should join

 What Nikon does AMAZES me. I've never seen a dog so intense and accurate, and I've been to shutzhund sessions and the like. It is beautifully intense

My dog trains and competes in AKC Rally and Obedience. Much, much less intense. She demos for pet obedience classes, and does CGC friendly dog. It does require some drive and focus, but not the same kind, at all. She's watching me, waiting for a cue, more than anything else (that and fighting with me about heel position, LOL, every time I move, she gets her "you can't trick me!" face on and pops into heel, hoping for a cookie). 

I don't think it's too much. 

M & J

Maya seems to enjoy working with me, she is always eager to go.

That's your best guide. :)  ^

 I don't think so. All of this work will really pay off as she gets older imo.

Man, I wish I could get away with that little with MY crew!

Wanna come work them??  In other words, nope, it's not too much.

 Thanks everybody, I'm glad to hear that I'm not out of whack.  Maya is definitely a companion dog, not a competitor, though I hope to have her qualified as a therapy dog next year.  My goal is for her to be an awesome, bombproof and off leash dog.  We've pretty much achieved the bombproof and awesome (meaning friendly and curious) and we are concentrating on the off leash skills this year.

Next time my husband roles his eyes and asks "What are you teaching her now?"  I'll just smile.

Tyler is a therapy boy, but all in all, my crew are just family.  But, they are high energy and bore easily and by gosh if I don't wear them out I get NO peace.  I opt for the old "tongue lolling on the floor" to insure some peace and quiet, and nothing chewed up!