New Rottie Owner - Question about walks for 8 week old

[bavy]

Hello there......this is the first time of posting a message i got a new puppy rottie last week at the age of 8 weeks old.her name is ruby and she is a bundle of joy playing around and keeping me busy cleaning her mess up (but she is getting better).its the first time of owning a rottie,i have been looking on the site and reading all i can about the breed and how they can be loving and protective for the family.ruby is being brought up with 5 kids and of course me and the wife and is totaly made a fuss over when she wants it,what i want to know is how far do i walk her when she is aloud out for the first time????.and how long will it take to walk her for a few miles at a time???? without doing any harm to her......THANKS MARK

[tilly]

hello and welcome here, mark :)
you can take your puppy for short, 10 minute walks at a time.
ruby might be able to take a mile-long hike when she is around 6 months old, for now shorter is better.

[SABELLESMOM]

For now, I'd walk her in my own yard. A nine week old puppy doesn't require more than that. I didn't take mine out of the yard much before 3 months. Then I'd walk to the end of the block and back. Then build gradually to about a mile at about 6 months.

Her little bones and muscles are developing. They'll do fine just chasing about playing a few games with you. Put half a rubber tire into the ground and let her climb. That would help her develop without overly stressing her joints. Or use a long line (if unfenced) and toss a ball or treat for her to find.

[Breedingpair]

What happens to your puppy if you walk (not run) them more than the 2 previous posts suggested?

[JemarsSerena]

At almost 7 months Serena does 2.5 miles about once a week and 1-1.5 miles a day. We have built up slowly every week. The key is to not push your pup. Because of this breeds desire to work, your pup would probably walk until she dropped. Do not let her do this. We started with short 5 minute walks, worked up the next week and then the next and so on. I probably won't extentd it out much more than 3 miles till after she turns one in the spring. Just let me reiterate, work up to this do not take her for a 3 mile hike at 12-16wks.

[Breedingpair]

I am doing the required "work my puppy up to" hiking/walking distances, but your reply did not answer my question. What happens to a puppy if you over-exercise them?

[bavy]

thanks for letting me know........

[brunie's mom]

Originally Posted by Breedingpair

I am doing the required "work my puppy up to" hiking/walking distances, but your reply did not answer my question. What happens to a puppy if you over-exercise them?

If you exercise them too much..eg. walking too far or jogging you can do great damage to their growing bones, joints and ligaments as well as their hips. Rottweilers are very slow to mature...and it is not recommended to do too much till they are 18 months old or older. Pups from 8 weeks of age can do short walks in "safe areas" and play around in their backyard fetching, racing around,etc. as much as pup wants.

Free play is good...most pups know when to quit. The problems start when you take a pup out on a leash and start walking....the pup tires out and you may have to carry pup home or walk a minute or two and rest a few. Some pups will not know enough to stop...and will keep going...and that's when damage is done.

It would be like taking a 2 year old toddler child out for a 2 mile hike....would you??

Common sense must be used...pups need exercise and they need to play....but forced walks are something that can wait till they are older.

Gina

[SABELLESMOM]

Originally Posted by Breedingpair

What happens to your puppy if you walk (not run) them more than the 2 previous posts suggested?

Any injury or overworking of a developing joint increases the intra articular synovial fluid as a result of inflamation in the joint and will cause instability. Instability can lead to changes in bone formation.

[Breedingpair]

Wow! Thank you to both the 2 previous posts.....THAT answers my question. We haven't taken our 16 week old off our property yet....however we do have an acre (fenced), so we play and run to her heart's content.

[RaZZ]

Welcome, Good to have u on board and can I say, I love the name Ruby, thats exactly what i was going to call me puppy but i decided on "Rani". Please dont take ur pup on long walks yet, I agree with most the other guyz, walks in the back yard and 10 minute walks are more then enough. As long as you get her use to the many different things she will face outside, Cars, other dogs, people in wheelchairs, etc... You dont want to over walk her as this will cause problems later. Hope this will help. Good Luck. RaZZ

[brunie's mom]

Originally Posted by Breedingpair

Wow! Thank you to both the 2 previous posts.....THAT answers my question. We haven't taken our 16 week old off our property yet....however we do have an acre (fenced), so we play and run to her heart's content.

I hope you have taken her to town to be socialized? and you have started puppy obedience classes?
It's very important for people living in a rural area to make an effort to take their pups into town so that they can learn how to walk on concrete, ashfault,etc. and to meet and see different kinds of people.

When my pup was little I would take him into town and he would line up with me to use the ATM,etc. He loved all of the attention. He thought he had died and gone to heaven when he saw ice cream wrappers, empty chip bags,and other junk garbage laying in a parking lot. It was a good learning chance to teach him the "leave it" and "drop it" command.

Gina

[bavy]

thanks for letting me know appriciate all the help i can get as being a new rottie owner

[v13chriistensen]

I feel awful...I have a 41/2 month old female with lots of energy..I walk her 1hr a day...and she seems to love it ..We live in a village upstate and go all around and she loves to be out and about. should I cut back? She has been walking like this since she was 3mos old....