How much is too much exercise for a puppy

Re: How much is too much exercise for a puppy

shelly jefferies — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 20:08:28 GMT

At puppy party we advise to use common sense for each individual dog, adv 30-60minutes twice daily. Reason advise more in some cases is think it is better to do controlled road or grass walking than is to do uncontrolled garden play. By this I mean....I have seen lots of owners with GSD/Lab etc that have not done lots of road walking as puppies as concerned re hips and elbows so thought better to let play in garden chasing after balls and toys etc. I personally have found this worse as puppies are not using natural gait then and tend to be jumping, twisting and landing awkwardly and this can cause more joint problems than anything else.

Is a difficult subject though.......most important thing to get through to owners is mental stimulation and tiring as well as getting too physically fit.

Re: How much is too much exercise for a puppy

funkyfish — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 19:09:40 GMT

Hi, I meant in one go, they could do several shorter walks a day. But I wouldn't walk my pup for 15 miles a day like I do with my adults. eg at the weekend the big dogs did an hour and a half hill walk on the moor, the pups did 40mins, then we went home and in the afternoon we did a 15 walk on the beach for socialising and training.

I mentally tire him out ++++++++. He will be my 1st mini agility dog so we do grid work, cliker/target training, contacts, crate games and practicing lots of basic manors every day. He goes for a short social walk (around town to meet and greet strangers etc or where there are lots of fun looking dogs in a park etc) and a longer physical walk. In between we do body awareness via wobble board, recall practice and Susan Garrett's Crate Games to help teach self control and working under distractions.

Mentally tiring them out as pups is equally importent as physically tiring them out, so you dont have to walk the legs off them to stop them wrecking your house, if you give too much exercise you have a super fit but board pup who will run rings round you!

Re: How much is too much exercise for a puppy

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 22:26:18 GMT

I disagree.

[quote user="funkyfish"]Wouldn't walk a Lab for 1 hr until 12-18mths and a giant breed till 18-24mths.[/quote]

You're going to have some pretty frustrated, and fat dogs. Of course I wouldn't suggest running a dog up and down a fell for hours - but trotting/walking along for an hour will not do any harm at all. Not as much harm as a dog doing the wall of death and destroying the sofa in someone's house because it is getting 2 sessions of 15 minutes of walking a day, with 23 1/2 hours of boredom.

[quote user="funkyfish"]Smaller breeds can do more earlier, my 8mth JRTx is doing 40-50 mins am and 20mins pm max (not every day!)[/quote]

With respect, I don't feel this is enough for an 8 month old dog. Obviously I don't know your personal circumstances, and how much attention and playtime your dog gets within the house and garden, but dogs of this age usually require more than one hour of playtime every day. As some owners only allow their dog to play when outside (especially large breed ones, understandably) you would need to be careful recommending so little exercise for them.

Re: How much is too much exercise for a puppy

funkyfish — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:48:48 GMT

GDBA recommend 5mins per month of life up to 40min, so 3 months old pup = 15min of actual exercise in one go- that is pavement pounding etc.

They can play with other dogs for 15-20mins on grass but not walk 10min to park, play for 20 min then walk back.

Smaller breeds can do more earlier, my 8mth JRTx is doing 40-50 mins am and 20mins pm max (not every day!). Wouldn't walk a Lab for 1 hr until 12-18mths and a giant breed till 18-24mths.

No regular going up and down stairs- if live in flat with long flights of stairs then carry up as can develop elbow probs.

Its balancing out them tightening up ligaments etc and gradually building muscle but no getting so much muscle it distorts the joints. We had one GSD owner who did not walk his dog for more than 15mind untill it was 1yr and its joints were too lax and it had no muscle development either.

Re: How much is too much exercise for a puppy

Honeybadger — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:20:20 GMT

I would advise little and often. 2-3 half hour walks a day is better than 1 big one.

Re: How much is too much exercise for a puppy

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:03:22 GMT

It is just common sense.You wouldn't expect a child to run 5km - you shouldn't expect a puppy to do so either.

Everything in moderation.

Re: How much is too much exercise for a puppy

Selena Carnell — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:56:27 GMT

really breed dependant, the larger the dog the more careful you have to be from what i know.