How far should i walk my puppy

[rubytuesday007]

Hi, Ruby is 16 weeks old, we just started puppy school and when we were all talking I was told that 45 minutes is too far to be walking her and I should only be taking her for about 20-30 minutes? is this right? and how do I know when to increase this? we have quite a big garden at home and she loves having mad moments out there should I be limiting that too?

[twiceover2]

Most people will tell you to only walk for 5 mins per month of age, so at 16 weeks 20 mins would be about right.  However, my vet said this is old-fashioned advice and puppies can walk until they let you know they are tired. 

You can certainly let her play in the garden as much as she wants.

[Jane S]

Most people will tell you to only walk for 5 mins per month of age, so at 16 weeks 20 mins would be about right.  However, my vet said this is old-fashioned advice and puppies can walk until they let you know they are tired. 

Trouble is it isn't about overtiring puppies but about not putting undue stress on growing bones and joints (which could cause problems like arthritis in later life).

We've had lots of discussions about puppy exercise on this board so it might be an idea to do a forum search and read some past threads to get a good range of opinions on the subject (we don't all agree but the general consensus is that it is not a good idea to do too much formal exercise with growing puppies - this doesn't include play sessions in the garden). Here's quite a long thread from last year to get you started: http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=74623.0

[rubytuesday007]

thank you, that's been really helpful.. think i'll drop down to the 30 minutes walk just to be sure she's not going to over do it.

[pennylopey]

We probably walk Alfie slightly longer than his 5 mins per month (20 mins), but we're right next to a park and other than about 2 mins each way it's all on grass/soft ground, which I can't see is any different to him playing in the garden except that it's more fun for him!

I've only taken him on a few 'road' walks and we have limited that to about 20 minutes but then he doesn't seem to enjoy these very much!

[rubytuesday007]

to be honest ruby's walks are generally based around the school run so she's probably only 5 mins on hard ground then its all free play on the field, and in the woods although she's on a lead around the lake as i don't trust her not to jump in after the ducks lol..

[twiceover2]

Most people will tell you to only walk for 5 mins per month of age, so at 16 weeks 20 mins would be about right.  However, my vet said this is old-fashioned advice and puppies can walk until they let you know they are tired. 

Trouble is it isn't about overtiring puppies but about not putting undue stress on growing bones and joints (which could cause problems like arthritis in later life).

We've had lots of discussions about puppy exercise on this board so it might be an idea to do a forum search and read some past threads to get a good range of opinions on the subject (we don't all agree but the general consensus is that it is not a good idea to do too much formal exercise with growing puppies - this doesn't include play sessions in the garden). Here's quite a long thread from last year to get you started: http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=74623.0

The latest research suggests that the causes of problems with bones and joints are largely genetic rather than environmental and that exercise helps to protect against these developing in a genetically predisposed dog by building up muscular support for bones and joints and by keepng the puppy healthy and lean so that undue stress is not put on the skeleton by the puppy being overweight.

I think that as long as you are not pounding the pavements for hours or jogging with your puppy, don't worry.

[seaangler]

I call it there spirth growth...2 to 9months that they do most of there quick growing...

I see so Meany people over the park letting there pups just run and run...A mother on sunday out with her children and there little puppy said why are you carrying your puppy!!!!I said she has had ten minits of running around and a bit of training with this breed you have to be careful they go down on there front legs..and i like to build up gem ma exercises a few extra minits longer=er each day ...And the same would also for your little Labrador pup...O she said i did not no that...its a bit late you have been running your puppy for ages(as i have seen so far) ...The children just love there new puppy...O well i said that is up to you..but i would slow the running and jumping down a cons ridable lot and let your pup rest a while as i am doing with gem ma.....


As are gemma is at the all leggy stage at the moment..Are cocker (Peggy was the same) all legs when young...

As Jane S say's.....Putting undue stress on growing bones and joints (which could cause problems like arthritis in later life)


I also have a eleven year Golden retriever that has hardly any ball and socket....(from my vets orders)I at to walked her on a lead at all times(she never ran and plaid ball and i also carreed this dog up and down stairs from 2 till 9 months so her spirth growth help her ball and socket form....All that hard work paid of i had the best of her years  out of her when she was younger...shes a lot slower and does struggle to get up at times...Her food diet helps keep her weight down to the 31kgs .....

I did not know this dog had H/D until three weeks later that we had her...Then it was to late to take her back...Are love for her was to strong .....She has been  loveing and carring dog....

[Jane S]

The latest research suggests that the causes of problems with bones and joints are largely genetic rather than environmental and that exercise helps to protect against these developing in a genetically predisposed dog by building up muscular support for bones and joints and by keepng the puppy healthy and lean so that undue stress is not put on the skeleton by the puppy being overweight.

Please can you provide some info (a link maybe?) on this latest research as it sounds quite interesting - seems strange it hasn't been publicised very widely to date I still believe it's sensible to be cautious about exercising young puppies & it would have to be very conclusive research to persuade me otherwise but am open to being persuaded

[twiceover2]

I am not an expert on this, just going by what my vet told me, but here are some info sources:

Advice from John Houlton, Dipl. ECVS, Chairman of the World Veterinary Orthopaedic Congress 2010:

"As far as I know there is no published evidence on the relationship of exercise and developmental musculo-skeletal disease in dogs.

My advice to owners has always been that puppies should have normal exercise - including free running - but not an over-concentration on any one activity and always with the option to self regulate - i.e. they can always flop down and rest rather than being dragged across the Downs on a route march at the weekend.

What we do know for sure is that conditions like hip dysplasia involve the muscles, bones and joints and that puppies that have minimal exercise may be overweight and have poor muscular fitness meaning that they can put more strain on their joints and have poor muscular support for them.

My conclusion is that a lean fit puppy is in better shape to resist the clinical effects of HD and thus reasonable exercise is good.

Finally HD and elbow dysplasia are genetically driven diseases - if a dog has the genes to get the problem its going to get the problem all the other effects are marginal - they make a bit of difference but not as much as the genes."

Also:

Canine Hip Dysplasia Part II
Causative Factors of Canine Hip Dysplasia
Owners must separate fact from myth when examining theories on genetic, nutritional and environmental factors that influence CHD. By John C. Cargill, MA MBA, MS and Susan Thorpe-Vargas, MS

 "While environmental effects, to include nutrition and exercise, may play a part in mitigating or delaying the onset of clinical signs and clinical symptoms hip dysplasia remains a genetically transmitted disease. Only by rigorous genetic selection will the incidence rate be reduced. In the meantime, it makes sense to have lean puppies that are exercised regularly and to avoid breeding any animals from litters that showed signs of hip dysplasia. It is probable that even normal exercise levels may increase the phenotypic expression of CHD of a genetically predisposed dog."

You can read this at http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/chd2.html

I took an interest in this after being chastised by a breeder for walking my 8 month old puppy at all.  She said he shouldn't even be out of the garden until at least 12 months, so I asked my vet for advice.  I think really it is just common sense  -don't pound the pavements for hours but don't let your puppy get fat and unhealthy either.

[seaangler]

Quote...I took an interest in this after being chastised by a breeder for walking my 8 month old puppy at all.  She said he shouldn't even be out of the garden until at least 12 months, so I asked my vet for advice.  (((I think really it is just common sense  -don't pound the pavements for hours but don't let your puppy get fat and unhealthy either.)))

As in the brackets..This was what are vet said to us...But he did say to carry Cindy up any staires we came across....A G/R weighing some thirty Kgs i ask you...I was K/D

[PennyB]

Most people will tell you to only walk for 5 mins per month of age, so at 16 weeks 20 mins would be about right.  However, my vet said this is old-fashioned advice and puppies can walk until they let you know they are tired. 

Trouble is it isn't about overtiring puppies but about not putting undue stress on growing bones and joints (which could cause problems like arthritis in later life)

I agree - just in the same way you wouldn't allow a young child to do what are the equivalent of route marches.

I was lucky when mine were pups, as our local park is great for dog walking and half the time we'd not walk far and just end up with the pups playing while all the owners talked - same happens now with my foster pups, they walk a short way on park but have a great time just playing around (and socialising).

[seaangler]

PennyB

Yes you are right ..

Al Theo i am out some two hours with my dogs (and the pup gemma) I will sit down and let the dogs wonder around me on there own...And like you say i always bump into another person out with there dogs also and Chat....The dogs will just sit around....and wait..

Saying that being a member of Nobs...I have seen Meany others members with there gun dogs running there pups some thing raged(at around six months old!!!) and the farmers i talk to all say the same...

[Jane S]

I am not an expert on this, just going by what my vet told me, but here are some info sources:

Advice from John Houlton, Dipl. ECVS, Chairman of the World Veterinary Orthopaedic Congress 2010:

"As far as I know there is no published evidence on the relationship of exercise and developmental musculo-skeletal disease in dogs......................................

Ah thanks - I've seen those sources before (the Woodhavens site is in my favourites as it has lots of info on canine reproduction etc) and thought there might be some new published research out there which I'd missed. With HD, research is continuing all the time but I think we were talking more generally here rather than about HD specifically. I do agree with you that it's not a good idea to let any puppy get fat but I'm going to stick with my usual regime of allowing our pups to free run and play in our large garden as much as they like but only shortish lead walks until they're older. It would be good to think all owners had common sense when it comes to puppies and exercise but sadly they don't so it does no harm to discuss this from time to time & as with any subject to do with dogs, opinions will vary (even amongst vets)

[Max X 2]

What we do know for sure is that conditions like hip dysplasia involve the muscles, bones and joints and that puppies that have minimal exercise may be overweight and have poor muscular fitness meaning that they can put more strain on their joints and have poor muscular support for them.

My conclusion is that a lean fit puppy is in better shape to resist the clinical effects of HD and thus reasonable exercise is good.

Finally HD and elbow dysplasia are genetically driven diseases - if a dog has the genes to get the problem its going to get the problem all the other effects are marginal - they make a bit of difference but not as much as the genes."

As some of you know Harry has hip dysplasia & from personal experience I would highly recommend slow lead walks for young dogs as this has without doubt built up his muscles considerably compared to a normal pace on lead walk mixed with some off lead, he put on ½ kg but it's all muscle.
The physio told my friend that he would always walk pups on lead until they're fully grown.

I met a couple recently with a very young lab & we got onto talking about exercise & it was refreshing to hear that they either carry the pup or drive to the park so he can walk round there but also get some off lead for socialising.

I think it's just common sense & I don't think you can stop a pup having fun running around your garden - I wouldn't want to stop it, although you do hear people walking miles with their young dogs as they think that's the only way to tire them out.  My 2 get more tired doing clicker training for example.