Walking pup

[Flowerofthefen]

Is it still best to walk pup 5 mins for each month , so 4 months old can walk 20 mins once or twice a day? My pup could do with double that !! But obviously want to protect joints etc. What's the current thinking? Thanks

 

[bonny]

Is it still best to walk pup 5 mins for each month , so 4 months old can walk 20 mins once or twice a day? My pup could do with double that !! But obviously want to protect joints etc. What's the current thinking? Thanks

I think unless you have a large breed it’s fine to do more than that. I have a farm bred collie and he would have gone nuts restricted to the 5 minute rule.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Can doesn't mean should, we don't expect a human baby to run a marathon.
For me, walks at this age are not for 'exercise', they should be for seeing the world and learning to behave, be a good dog, walk nicely on leash.
Puppies IMO are better tired by thinking/training/occupation, not running themselves ragged or pounding the pavements.
Being conservative in youth can often mean a much fitter/sounder older dog and I'd rather have that than potentially damage joints and I would rather have that, in fact I do have that, two of them ?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I think unless you have a large breed it’s fine to do more than that. I have a farm bred collie and he would have gone nuts restricted to the 5 minute rule.

She's a tiny jrt. Her second jab is tomorrow so she will be ok to go out for a walk over Xmas. She really is a live wire. She will be on a lead until recall is fully established!! She starts puppy classes in Jan.

 

[bonny]

She's a tiny jrt. Her second jab is tomorrow so she will be ok to go out for a walk over Xmas. She really is a live wire. She will be on a lead until recall is fully established!! She starts puppy classes in Jan.

My other advice, which won’t be supported on here I suspect, is to let her off the lead when she’s still a puppy. At that age they want to be with you and as long as you have somewhere quiet to go it makes recall much easier than when they are older and more independent.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Can doesn't mean should, we don't expect a human baby to run a marathon.
For me, walks at this age are not for 'exercise', they should be for seeing the world and learning to behave, be a good dog, walk nicely on leash.
Puppies IMO are better tired by thinking/training/occupation, not running themselves ragged or pounding the pavements.
Being conservative in youth can often mean a much fitter/sounder older dog and I'd rather have that than potentially damage joints and I would rather have that, in fact I do have that, two of them ?

I have a feeling she will be into sniffing the hedges etc, it will all be exciting!! I'm hoping to mentally ware her out!! I've ordered a clicker as she is really food orientated so hoping by the time we go to puppy classes we have at keast a little bit of training behind us!!

 

[MissTyc]

My other advice, which won’t be supported on here I suspect, is to let her off the lead when she’s still a puppy. At that age they want to be with you and as long as you have somewhere quiet to go it makes recall much easier than when they are older and more independent.

I agree with this also. I have puppies off lead, then they go on the long line when they develop some confidence to leave my side. By then, the training has started also. I do long line on, off, trailing, on again, whatever is needed, usually for about 2 years. All my dogs have wanted to spend time with me, bar one frustrating rescue!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

My other advice, which won’t be supported on here I suspect, is to let her off the lead when she’s still a puppy. At that age they want to be with you and as long as you have somewhere quiet to go it makes recall much easier than when they are older and more independent.

That's what I would do.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

That's what I would do.

When we first had her, nearly 3 weeks ago, she was really clingy. We took her out for toilets off lead. We don't have an enclosed garden, we live on a farm. She then got a bit more confident and was quite quick to make a get away!! We were worried we would loose her so we popped her on a lead for safety. I'm hoping once I get the clicker we might have a little more control. We have another dog so I don't think she will stray far from her.

 

[Moobli]

The 5 min rule imo is for “forced exercise” (ie on a lead) on hard ground (ie roads /pavements etc). Your puppy can have as much running about off lead on soft ground as she likes (common sense should be applied so obviously don’t let her wear herself out).

 

[Moobli]

Very interesting article on the subject

 

[Moobli]

My other advice, which won’t be supported on here I suspect, is to let her off the lead when she’s still a puppy. At that age they want to be with you and as long as you have somewhere quiet to go it makes recall much easier than when they are older and more independent.

I do exactly the same in safe environments.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I might hire an enclosed dog field to start and just see how she is.

 

[splashgirl45]

I have 2 terriers who needed proper walks so I bought a pet stroller for my lurcher puppy so he could be with us all and see the world safely. Once his jabs were done I still used the stroller and let him out to run with the terriers for 10 mins in a safe place and did that a couple of times in each hours walk. He stayed with the others and I kept calling him to me for a treat and then let him carry on. he is 8 months now and has good recall, in fact better than the terriers?? however, he is a lurcher so I am expecting him to do the sighthound normal of ignoring me if he sees a muntjac or hare, hopefull6 I will spot them first and have him on lead. Wish me luck!!!

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Very interesting article on the subject
View attachment 103907

That’s quite a refreshing read. We did approximately 20 minutes with the pups for quite a while, lots of dropping the longline and teaching recall. Over protecting them seems counterintuitive, building fitness and muscle to support joints seems logical.

Zak had hd so we kept him slim and fit, he swam in decent weather. I’ve done the same with the current two, because it makes sense that they’re fit. Don’t have much choice with the Flash (Goose). He is ultra fit.