puppy exercise - how much is too much - Page 1

I've heard so many conflicting answers on this one. I need to ask the experts........

How much exercise is too much for a puppy?

8 weeks?

3 to 6 months?

6 to 9 months?

9 months to a year?

I'll be getting a 9 week old puppy very soon and don't want to do the wrong thing.

You are going to get very different responses on this one.  One comment I received was 5 minutes for every month of age.  Sort of ok but depends on the dog and the situation.

The big thing is dont encourage your dog to do sharp turns, run up and down stairs or similar behaviour.  Walking/running in straight lines is fine and many also say that lead walking is extremely good as it builds muscle which in turn supports the bones as they grow.

I personally carry my dogs out from day one and they dont get walked out till the innoculations are complete.  They learn so much and it is so beneficial to their development to go out from the very 1st day you get them.  All mine travel in the car whenever they can so that they become accustomed to going on any journey.  I also take the puppies to the school gates whether its on its own feet or being carried and the noise and attention it gets is fab for getting them used to crowds of people.

Each dog will need/want a slightly different amount of exercise and your programme of exercise will need to be adjusted to suit your puppy.

Darn i thought i was the only one carrying three and four month old puppies around..I been feeling like a fool.Now i don't.

I'm also getting my puppy very soon, precisely, a week from today.  I have a questions regarding stairs. Should I block the stairs, so that the puppy wouldn't go up and down following me inside a two story house? Also, is there a minimum age before a collar is placed around a puppy's neck? My puppy will be around 7 weeks old when I get her.

Opinions will vary and it depends on the puppy.  At age 9 weeks, the pup should only be walking or bunny hopping around his own outdoor area, not going off your property where there are other dogs. He isn't fully vaccinated yet.  If your home has stairs and you want your pup to follow you everywhere, the first thing is to teach him how to safely get up and down steps. Don't let him fall! An 8 week old pup can learn to negotiate steps but you have to teach and supervise to ensure his safety. IOW, be right there ready to catch him. I live in a tri-level house, so that is something I teach every puppy.

After your pup is fully vaccinated (usually 4 months), he can go places with you on walks, to parks, maybe to a puppy class.

Don't encourage him to do anything he wouldn't do naturally. Older pups will run and jump over small obstacles. Don't run or jog with your pup on pavement or hard packed dirt until he is full grown (12 - 18 months). I would not try to jump a pup over even low competition type jumps until he is at least a year, but some people do. The reason I wouldn't do it is that the pup's joints, bones and ligaments are not fully developed and there is a danger of doing permanent damage. 

Unless you get a particularly foolhardy daredevil puppy, pups usually pace themselves.

Hi there....   I'm not one of those experts you asked for. In fact, I am new to this breed... and my little guy is only 6 months old, his name is Falco.   I had raised Dobermans for 30 years and never had a problem. My last dog was a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, an extremely physically sound dog right out of the box. My Chessie was a tank that nothing could stop.   However, here is a small bit of input from a guy who made a bad mistake before he knew any better. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT take your pup to a dog park for play.  Let him grow in to those legs slowly or at least without strong pounding and twisting. Again, do not take him to a dog park.   I waited until he had completed all of his shots and felt it was time for him to see that part of the world. Big mistake. I let him have a absolute freedom, running and jumping with all the other dogs..... he was a hit with everyone. The folks and all of the dogs instantly fell in love with him. He was so very happy. He was like a child at Disneyland for the first time.   Then, after about 40 minutes (that's right, 40 stinking minutes), he began to run with a strange gait. It was like a limp, but I couldn't tell what paw he was favoring. Two large dogs had knocked him down, in a friendly playful way, so I thought that might have caused the issue, but it wasn't that big of crash, so I didn't know.    After a week of relative rest, I took him back to the park. About 10 minutes into it, he started running funny again. I now knew that there was something wrong with my dog.   To make a long 3 weeks of worrisome and sleepless nights into a much shorter story, it seems that he either hurt himself playing, or has Pano (pains from growing too fast ).    It's been about 30 days since our last visit to the park.  We have changed his diet, he's taking supplements, eating big meaty bones and raw chicken a couple times a week and he's doing outstanding.    I restricted his exercise for about 10 minutes, a couples times a day for the first few days after I realized he had a problem. We gradually worked up to about 10 minutes of play/exercise 4 times a day. He's no longer showing any signs of a problem but we will continue on this schedule for another 60 days.   I did not know the hazards and cautions about this kind of thing, but I do know some of the results, now.    Herein lies one of the problems... he will try to please you, he will play until you make him stop, he doesn't understand the pain and will play right through it, heck--he might play until he drops dead if you let him. He reminds me of myself in years past. LOL   To some folks these are just dogs, to some they are just tools, to some they are companions. But to me, he's my guardian angel, my partner, my fishing buddy and most of all, he's the one dog that has clearly stuck his flag onto my heart. He has helped me recover from heart surgery and a stroke. He's given me one more reason to get out of bed...ok, he insists on it. LOL I am with him 24/7 and I hope he will be by my side for the rest of my days on this planet.   I do ramble on, but maybe it's because I have been touched by the mystical spirit of this wonderful creature, that I have been blessed with, as I begin down the road of my last journey.   I am pleased to see that you have taken the trouble to ask and to try to be ready to take good care of your

I like my puppies to experience a lot of different surfaces and little hills and some steps, before they ever go to their new owners.  Stairs are scary for most pups, so you want to be helping them learn the ups and downs (haha).  Just a little at first and always right there with them.

NO jumping off the deck, couch, out of the car, etc.....

I like to start pups on the treadmill at about 4-5 months...just a few minutes (6-8) at first few weeks.  Then more as they grow.  The treadmill offers a nice even tracking for the dog, and teaches great focus.

I agree!  NO dog park!!  You never know who will be coming through the gate and if their dog has aggression issues.  The last thing you want for your puppy is to be aggress upon.  Pretty bad for confidence!

Let your pup grow up (at least 12 months) before doing jumps at agility class or jogging with you for a long period of time.  Supplementing with VIT C and VIT E as the pup grows helps the joints carilage and ligaments be strong.

have fun!

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Just so you know, there's a difference between parks and dog parks. I was talking about a park without other dogs, just a big open grassy area where you can let your pup exercise on a long lead.  I too would not advise taking a puppy to a dog park. There are too many people who bring dog aggressive dogs to dog parks to "socialize" them. It doesn't work. Don't expose your pup to this.

I love reading all those opinions. :) you guys carry around 4 months old shepherd? lol hihihi.

You right opinions will very.

I myself never carry around my dogs they have for paws so they can walk on their own, stairs sure why not, slip floors sure but I do try to avoid those as much as I can (only when pup likes to run around as he/she will slip a lot), but nothing over the top. I let the puppy be a puppy, hope around jump around if you want as long as he/she is not pushing her luck. Use your common sense, don't push the dog into something that might be harmful to him, but don't pamper your dog either.

I have my dogs on busy streets side walks by the age of 12 weeks, walking on open staircase, escalators etc, no excuses. No dog park ever!!! Always controlled environments.  Come out with new surfaces and environments on daily basis, and you will have nice rounded dog with no environmental issues, in my opinion that is the most important thing. I do let my dog be petted by people especially kids but only till about 15 weeks after that age, I cut it to minimum, mostly only kids. I don't let strange dogs approach my pups, they might harm it for life, so keep it to minimum or avoid as much as you can. Be the only one that gives food or treats to your dog and he will love you for it. :) good luck  BTW you don't have to take any of my advices this is what works for me which dose not mean it has to work for you, I believe in letting the dog be dog and never treat one like a baby. :)