how much to excercise a puppy - Page 1

How much is reasonable to walk a 4, 5 month old puppy? Distance wise...beach, park,neighborhood, free play off leash with other puppies? thanks in advance

as a good rule of thumb, if the pup lays down to rest, especially if it lays down repeatedly then that is when you need to stop. Make sure that the pup is not enticed by other dogs or people to get up again and continue play, that can easily overdo it. I prefer to take pups that age a short distance, then sit down somewhere and let them play and romp until they get tired. That way its only a short distance back to the house or the car.

I agree with D.H. Until you have had the hips X-rayed and cleared it's best to allow your puppy / dog to exersize itself with natural play. It's OK to take them out with the older dogs and let it run free after them (ball play works very well) but if it lies down - leave it to rest.

I usually do most of my work with puppies closeup, on leash and find this is very stimulating to them and the use up a lot of energy thinking about all the play games we are working on... I also go out in the yard with them on long line and play chase games again very close distance and for only a couple minutes... We have much acreage but one fenced area is a bit over an acre and we barely cover 1/8 of that!! I am very leery about young pups playing with older dogs, no matter how trustworthy they are... it is just too easy for a small puppy to get hurt by a big dog. I do let them hang out with the big dogs when they are a bit older but always on leash until they have a very solid recall and I can call them away from the others... My pups had plenty of time to puppy play in their litter, it is now time to play with me!! I am much more fun anyway... I own all the toys!!

giebel - Listen to DKAIH and the others !!! I am very leery about young pups playing with older dogs, no matter how trustworthy they are... it is just too easy for a small puppy to get hurt by a big dog. I do let them hang out with the big dogs when they are a bit older but always on leash until they have a very solid recall and I can call them away from the others... My pups had plenty of time to puppy play in their litter, it is now time to play with me!! I am much more fun anyway... I own all the toys!! My friend insisted that her NEUF puppy was very good with smaller puppies - and why wouldn't I take mine off leash -- He weighed about 20 pounds - the NEUF around 70 !! No Way -- it's too easy to have an accident -- and it's always the smaller one that gets hurt !! My German friend has a note on the webpages that says "No running alongside bicycle until 10 months of age !" -I love it -- Actually, I would think it should be more like 14 months of age. But "all things in moderation" is the watchword for puppy exercise -- Now we have to worry about pavement being too cold for young pups, in the summer -- TOO HOT! -- Jumping down from high places - chairs/back of station wagon -- TERRIBLE strain on the elbows, etc. Please use caution - always.