Puppy Walking

[Prag]

Hi everyone,

I was just hoping to get some of your opinions regarding how long one should walk a 5 month old puppy? My boy does not tire out yet I am worried if we go ofr too long I may be putting stress on his developing joints and do not want to cause my little man any issues in the future.

At the moment I am taking him for around 30mins in the evening and a short 10-15 min or less stroll in the morning.

Thanking you in advance

[Sandra777]

What sort of puppy?

[Prag]

What sort of puppy?

Sorry my bad I should have advised he is Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)

[W Sibs]

I take my 5 months (crazy Japanese Spitz) for 2x 15-20 minutes walk a day... one in the morning and one in the evening. On the weekend, we go for 1 hour walk and play time at the dog park (or I organise a play date for her).

We also play a lot of fetch at home, and we do zoomies together too at the backyard. Also we do about 15 minutes training everyday too.

[Sandra777]

Personally I wouldn't think that was excessive for a Shetland Sheepdog puppy, but what advice did the breeder give on exercising?

The puppy not getting tired is not really much of an indication, as you know

What sort of surfaces do you walk him on? A leisurely stroll around a grassy park is a bit different to a 30 minute march on concrete paths.

[Prag]

Personally I wouldn't think that was excessive for a Shetland Sheepdog puppy, but what advice did the breeder give on exercising?

The puppy not getting tired is not really much of an indication, as you know

What sort of surfaces do you walk him on? A leisurely stroll around a grassy park is a bit different to a 30 minute march on concrete paths.

Hi Sandra

Yeah when we are on grass I tend not to pay too much attention to the time, we normally do that twice a week and he has a play with the other dogs at the park so when we get home he goes to sleep...as he usually does a lot of running around and actually does get tired and that is usually when we leave.

The breeder said initialy just short walks for like 10 mins but now that he is older and not scared of the world around him but rather inquisitive I do not think a 10 min walk is long enough.

The reason I am asking is I wanted to take him today for a longer walk like 40mins which would be on concrete as I need to return some library books and would rather take him with me than leave him at home but I do not want to cause issues down the line for him.

Oh he also gets to play at home such as a bit of fetch and he does short training sessions a few times a day.

Thanks again for all the help

[aussielover]

We went for around 20-30 minutes with my 4 month old lab puppy at a recent guide dog training day. Older puppies >6 months went for an even longer walk.

The instructor said that up to 30 mins was ok for her, we do a lot of stoppping for roads and stairs though, so the actual distance isn't too far.

However, i usually do 3 x 10/15 min walks during the day on leash and also two short off leash sessions at a park.

[aussielover]

Double post sorry.

Though, I thought it was more for larger breed puppies that exercise restriction was particularly important for?

Also, a young working sheep dog such as a BC or Kelpie would have commenced training by 5 months of age and exercising quite a lot.

However they are exercising on softer ground and are able to stop when they are tired.

I would think 30 mins would be ok for your sheltie- maybe ask the breeder again. 10 mins is not enough unless you are doing games and other things in the yard imo.

Edited August 9, 2010 by aussielover

[Sky_Mel]

I have a GSD and I was very cautious with not over exercising her when she was a puppy. I would take her to closed off parks when it was quiet and would let her have a run around herself so she would stop when she had enough. If we weren't going to the park it was just a walk around the block. She had lots of play time at home Up until 12 months I was very careful.

She also was at the doggy beach alot in summer rather than parks and swam until her heart was content

[Genabee]

I'm a bad Mum. My five month old puppy doesn't necessarily get walked everyday (usually every second), but we usually do about 45 mins when we do go. That is a bit of grass, bit of gravel, bit of foot path. And no, it doesn't normally wear her out! She comes home more fired up than when we left! We also do obedience classes once a week - that one hour really really really wears her out - she will sleep all day and night after that! It is all the concentrating she has to do when there are so many distractions and more fun things to be doing other than paying attention to Mummy!

I find that doing training and trick work wears her out a more. Or giving her kibble to her in a container where she has to work to get it out - she runs around a fair bit trying to get it out. Are you actually trying to wear pup out or are you just enquiring as to how much exercise is enough?