Puppy exercising

[Balibee]

Hi

My cocker puppy is coming up 16 weeks old. A the moment she is just having play in the garden for exercise and a 5 minute walk with the harness and lead to get her used to leaving the house etc.

I know it will be a while before she can have 'proper' walks but I am hoping by may/june (she will be approx 8 months) she will be able to walk over the fields to the stables (takes about 10 -15 mins there and then same back)

Do you think this is ok for an 8 month old or do I need to leave it longer?

Thanks

 

[SusieT]

She'll be well able for that by then! That would be a short walk! Ask your vets for an indication of what age to start doing what, or if you haven't got a good vet, a breeder.

 

[Balibee]

Thanks SusieT

Our vets are great but from what they say she would be over a year before she could manage a half an hour walk. I know you have to look after their limbs but I thought she would be able able to cope with half an hour at 8 months?

I thought maybe I would get some opinions on here to see if this sounds right. It has been so long since we last had a pup I can't remember.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Oh aye, she'll be well fit for that...I know I am super cautious about joints but I think your vet is going a bit overboard
I usually have much bigger dogs up to an 45 mins-an hour a day at that stage, just free play or bimbling and leave repetitive jumping/up and down stairs/in and out of car/jogging/biking until 12 months.

 

[soloabe]

I go with 5 minutes for every month of life.

 

[quirky]

Blimey, I have a little IG and he walks to and from school with me, which is about 20 mins in total.
At the weekend, he goes out with the big dogs for a run round the field. Not for the same amount as time as the big ones but he still goes for a bit of a blast.

Am I being Gung Ho??

ETS: He is 5 months old.

 

[CorvusCorax]

That sounds fine Quirky. I'm more cautious with the weightbearing breeds, you'd be shocked how many cases I've heard of people literally 'breaking' their dogs because they thought 'oh well, he is ABLE to run and jump, so it must mean it is OK' - I'm able to eat chips all day but it doesn't mean it is good for me...

 

[littlemisslauren]

Good lord, B would have exploded with that amount of exercise!

She was on about an hour a day (in two walks) at 5 months, but she is a diddy terrier!

 

[haycroft]

I go with 5 minutes for every month of life.

yes agree
a rough guide depending on breed..5 min of free running per month of life plus training/garden play etc
just take it easy until a year old

never take home a tired pup..youve done too much

they can get tired just by mental simulation/trianing etc

 

[Balibee]

Thanks for your replies.

Sounds like she will be fine then I will keep doing what I am doing and just increase by 5 mins over the next few months.

 

[celfyddydau]

I ususally recommend the rule of 1min on lead per week of life per day. So for 10 weeks old 10 mins total.

Off lead they generally regualte themselves, the on lead is because of concussion and strain from the leash, also try to walk your dog on both sides so it doesn't become one sided.

 

[cellie]

I ususally recommend the rule of 1min on lead per week of life per day. So for 10 weeks old 10 mins total.

Off lead they generally regualte themselves, the on lead is because of concussion and strain from the leash, also try to walk your dog on both sides so it doesn't become one sided.

At puppy training they recommend one sided.Might challenge them next week as that makes sense
.Mine goes down yard twice a day and blasts about as and when he sees fit with his toys and often plays with other dogs ,then he has one proper walk 30 mins a day .I walk him around field for about 10 mins when we go to yard as well,hes 5/6 months and working breed.He goes on beach for short bursts as I think it puts strain on his joints.

 

[celfyddydau]

It's the same as with horses, they build up uneven muscles and get problems later in life. Also what if at some point you have to walk them on the other side, for instance you have a twisted ankle and are usins a stick?

 

[EAST KENT]

My maxim for puppy buyers is to compare one month in a puppy`s life to a year in a child`s.Thus a child of four or five cannot walk that far ,but an eight year old is almost up for anything.Same in the breeds of dogs I breed,but of course real giant breeds you`d need to be even more cautious.As an aside we also always give growing puppies 500mg of vitamin C a day,it has properties that strengthen collagen ,straighten bones and stuff.Very old fashioned but non the worse for that