Puppy walks... How long?

[jazzie23]

I read a recent post on leash walking a puppy, and quite a few of you guys mention to NOT TO walk puppies for long distances. Well, I walk Jazmin (11.5 week old female) twice a day (morning and night). We do close to a half a mile each time, about a 30 min walk (at a very slow pace). She seems to enjoy it and does not look tired. In fact, she knows we play right afterwards and she's very hyper at the end of the walk. Am I over walking my puppy

[SigTau66]

It's not always a case of too much walking because you'll tire your dog out. Sometimes you may not even realize she's tired because she'll keep going to please you. The thing that you have to worry about is impact on the joints, especially hip joints.

If the dog is already pre-disposed to having HD, then too much walking at an early age may magnify the problem in older age. If the dog is not pre-disposed to having HD, too much impact on the joints at an early stage could cause the dog to develop HD later on in life.

Now, I'm not enough of an expert to tell you one way or the other if you're walking too much, I'll let the experts tell you that, but that is what you should be concerned about when walking a young puppy.

[RottiNkids]

If the dog is not pre-disposed to having HD, too much impact on the joints at an early stage could cause the dog to develop HD later on in life.



Far be it from me to claim I am an "expert" but methinks walking/excercise cannot (alone) cause a dysplasia. If am not mistaken it is a product of genetics that can be exascerbated by. . . but, again, not because of over exertion. Others will chime in I am sure.

[jazzie23]

So am I over walking her? Is the amount of time and distance on our walks too much for my pup

[brunie's mom]

I think 30 minutes at a slow pace where she get's to smell and sniff and dilly dally is fine. If you walk 30 minutes in the hot weather and walk hard...that is not fine.

I think at a young age...like 4 months or younger instead of walks, I like to just let them play and run and chase and tug at their own pace in the yard. It's hard for me to remember last summer...but I think I would take Baxter out for about 3- 10to 15 minute walks per day and lots of playing and chasing a ball in between.
You want them to get exercise, just not to over do it.
With the hot summer weather you really have to watch that it's not too hot for your pup...once the weather is cooler and your pup is older...you can go out for longer.

Gina

[jazzie23]

The walks are very early in the morning (5AM) and late night (between 10PM - 12AM). I don't have a yard, so on cooler days I take her to a forest preserve and we play fetch and tug war on a training lead, on the hot days we play at home. I do have an unfenced yard in the back (I live in a townhome/quad), but I don't take her back there too often because she gets distracted by all the goose poop there.

[jazzie23]

Thank you Gina !

Paulina

[jazzie23]

Gina,
How much playtime is a good amount of playtime for a puppy that's almost 12 weeks?

We will play for about a 1/2 hour and Jazmine is pooped, she'll walk away and go to sleep.

[Platzz]

I don't think 30min is too much. I do think two time a day IS. At that age I walked that much every other day. REST is very important to puppys growth......more so that most people realize.

[brunie's mom]

Originally Posted by jazzie23

Gina,
How much playtime is a good amount of playtime for a puppy that's almost 12 weeks?

We will play for about a 1/2 hour and Jazmine is pooped, she'll walk away and go to sleep.

Yep... sounds about right. The pup should know when they have had enough playing. Most pups just lay down when they have had enough.
Pups...can be running and playing one minute, and then a minute later be sleeping. They are self regulating.

Gina