Exercise for young dog - Page 1

How much exercise, IYO, is acceptable for a 7-8 month dog that would be off leash on dirt roads forest type trails?

As long as he is walking, not running it should be okay, especially on dirt. We know that poor types of exercise (continual running, jumping from much-elevated surfaces, etc.) even in limited amounts can be detrimental, but who can quantify a proper amount/limitation about easy exercise for a puppy that age? Not me. Maybe the young dog is the best judge. When he pants heavily it may be time for a mandatory break and some rest. We humans tend to be capable of much more endurance than most dogs, as far as continual walking provided we are in good physical condition. This is coming from Bob who could be easily outperformed by a dog that is missing two (2) legs and crippled in the others. Bob-O

I let my young dogs get all the exercise they want...but when they start to pant or are always looking for the "shade" then it's time to take them back inside...But as far as jumping...I show young dogs the lower things that they can climb up onto...and this gives them the confidence to do other things as well...and when they become big enough and strong enough to handle taller things to get up onto they will let me know...

Bob-O, have to disagree on the running. To a point. Running off leash is fine as long as the dog does it on his terms while you are out walking the dog. He can be zigzagging all around you and have fun bouncing all over the place and run like the wind as long as its a natural movement and he is not overdoing it. He needs to run to strenghten and stretch muscles and ligaments. In moderation. He needs some good exercise, some weight bearing exercise so to speak to help calcify the growing bones. In moderation. The trick is finding what is still fine, when it is enough and when its starting to get too much. Look for signs when he is getting tired and call it quits before he does too much for his young bones and joints. Better to go on several shorter outings than one long one. 30-45 mintues each time is fine. At that age I would not go past one hour per outing. Beware when you are out walking with another dog of your own or meet another dog and your pup is playing and rough housing with his doggy pals. The other dogs can keep the pup going for much longer than would be good for him. All too often we see the pup wanting to flop down for a rest, the other dog comes over to initiate play again and pup gets up and keeps going. Not good. Also watch for that need to rest when you are out walking by yourself. If the pup indicates that he needs a break then rest for a bit before going home. Running next to you on a bicycle or while you are jogging for example is a nono at that age. Whether that be off leash or on leash. The constant repetitive motion at the speed you set is the worst form of exercise at athat age. Even if you are going at a slower pace. Absolutely no mountaing biking in the woods, in rough terrain, going up and downhill at any speed. I hear from a lot of people who take their dogs out on ATVs. I would advise against that at that age. There is a reason why the AD is set at 16 months of age. Up to about at least a year the dog should not be pushed that hard. Runnig loose while you are walking is fine, swimming is also a good exercise. Here too, make sure you are not overdoing it. Do not let a dog of any age get chilled by the water. And dry the dog off properly after the swim and keep it away from drafty, windy, cold areas while still wet or moist. Jumping is not a good idea either. If you take your dog to the woods and there are a lot of dead logs on the ground make sure puppy does not bounce around those too much. Also a mis-step there can be cause for pretty serious injury - broken teeth from a slipping foot and the nose going down onto a log and breaking a tooth, loosing the footing and/or twisting something which can cause damage to tendons, cartilage, growth plates and even cause fractures. Something to keep in mind in case your dog goes off after a bunny and into unsuitable underbrush. Sensible walks off leash about 45 minutes each should be fine. One more thing... I am not a big fan of retrieving games with dogs that age. Limit play with a ball you throw and want the dog to retrieve. There is a lot of stress on the joints when puppy sprints after that ball as fast as it can then comes to a hard stop, does some quick turns while picking it up or twists the body when the ball changes direction when the pup is close, etc. A few times ok, but not too much. If you like to play with the ball and the pup has a lot of drive, throw the ball, but keep a hold onto the pup and when the ball has landed let the pup go. Works the nose well if you throw it into some high grass where the pup can no longer see it and has to search for it. Yes to showing a pup how to be comfortable around obstacles, but again in moderation.

Thanks D.H.. I evidently did not state myself clearly on the running issue and furnish a lot more detail. I agree with you that regular play running is fine, especially if the puppy is running besides the master and running in circles around him. That type of exercise is easy to keep under control and fine for the puppy. The type of running that I avoid with a young puppy is full-speed running for a long distance that so many of them very happy to do, such as running along a fence, hard turns, etc., and you went into much more detail on those items. Excellent detail. Bob-O

Thanks guys! Yes I was talking about 30-60 minute hikes in the woods with pup off leash to do as it pleases, running,walking,sniffing etc., no bike. I can walk faster on the level but going uphill slows me down :>) and I need an occasional break too. So sounds like it will be fine.

If folks have more detailed information, I'd like to revive this thread. I have an 8 month old GSD. She is a pretty high drive puppy and enjoys lots of exercise. In fact, she loves it. Of course, I don't want to injure her or risk CHD in the future by over-exercising her. So. . . . At what age do folks believe it is ok to: 1. Run/jog (leashed) with the puppy for around 20 minutes? 2. Play fetch? 3. Play frisbee? 4. Run longer distances (4-5 miles)? I assume that, at some age, it is ok to do all of these activities with the dog. I am trying to get a sense of what ages are acceptable for what activities. Thank you for any replies (and if folks have some medical/research basis for their opinion, that would be even more helpful).