Husband says we can't take puppy for walks...

[peppergrass]

So, my husband is very often misinformed about things, and he claims that we cannot take our 6 month old puppy for walks longer than like 10 minutes. He said that it's something the breeder said not to do because it will ruin her hips.

Anyway a lot of times he pieces together different parts of conversation and comes up with a random idea, so I'm not sure of the legitimacy of this statement, as everyone here talks about exercising your puppy and taking them for walks, etc.

I've recently gotten into running (sloooooooowly) and would love to burn off some of that puppy energy at the same time. Not opposed to walking in the morning, either - good for both of us.

If someone could please let me know, that would be fantastic! Some substantiation would be good, too, as my husband will probably be stubborn if he's wrong.

[nicodemus]

hi!! while it is true that you need to be carefull about just how much excersise you give a puppy, especially ones like a shepherd, who are notorious for joint problems from what i understand.10 mins a day just seems a lil unreasonable too me. i took my boy nicco on at least 20 mins of easy walkin a day after he turned 4 months. and if he was especially hyper at home, i would take him for two walks a day. nicco is about 7 months now, and i recently had a car accident where my car was totaled, i can DEFINITLY tell hes feeling the same as me, stir crazy... we were frequently going to the dog park to play tug and ball, we hike together, and with no car, all thats been avail is walks around the neighborhood, and hes getting bored. but i digress, i am not an expert by any means, BUT , 20 mins of walking, 2 times a day should be fine at 6 months. just dont go running her at all, especially on concrete. like anybody ( ppl included) its best to work your way up slowly with excersise.

( and if i am totally wrong, i would gladly take input from others as well! i am just as new at this as you, nicco being my fist dog!!)

[WendyDsMom]

A puppy has to be conditioned... you have to build up gradually and pay attention to body language so the pup doesn't overdue it.

They need to walk, for physical exercise, mental stimulation, socialization, and to learn leash etiquette. Short walks, gradually increasing as the pup grows. And daily, not just on the weekends.

You can build to running. But that has to be built up as well.

Our vet says a tired pup is a great pup, so walking at a heal is great for them. Watch for limping, or getting tired.

Walk away!

[kiya]

The surface your walking/jogging on plays an important role. I do not jog or run my pup or dog on hard pavement. Going out on dirt trails for jogging is much better. As far as walking 10 minutes is nothing, your pup must be bouncing off the walls with no exercise.

[peppergrass]

Thanks for your responses! I wasn't planning on taking her running with me any time soon, but I am glad that I can take her for walks! We do go outside and play when I get home from work, but she gets so wound up when my husband comes home that I know she needs to burn off more energy.

I'll let him know he's being too ridiculous! I wouldn't say I've ever proposed taking her on a super long hike with us, but I felt he was being too silly when he got upset that my parents took her down the street and back.

[Castlemaid]

A six month old should be able to walk for MILES!

[peppergrass]

Originally Posted by Castlemaid

A six month old should be able to walk for MILES!

He had it in his head that we couldn't take her for long walks until 18 months...

[bocron]

Maybe the breeder has a line prone to joint issues? Or maybe Pano? Not uncommon in the breed.
My pups get tons of exercise from the minute they get home with us. We have 12 acres and run a private dog park and offer dog daycare. All our dogs and puppies hang out with us at the daycare all day long and spend their days running with the daycare gang, up and down the banks, in and out of the creek, up and down the stairs of the clubhouse, etc. When they are tired they take a nap, when they are ready to play, they get back into it. I make sure they aren't bombarded by the big dogs, but the pups are usually smart enough to learn to hang by me to avoid the really rowdy play. They exercise as much as their body allows, and rest when they want. I can guarantee you they all get a good 3-5 hours of walking/trotting and flat out running every day(if you added it all up, not all at once). They also get a few hours of just hanging under a chair watching the big dogs play, and lots and lots of sleep when we get home in the evening. Every once in a while a pup will overdo it a bit and twist a foot or take a tumble down a hill, but heck I did that too when I was a kid and learning.
We have been raising, training and placing dogs for more years than I'd care to count and the one thing we believe in is letting a pup be a pup. As long as you are supervising where they are playing (not a concrete jungle) and who they play with (you and dogs that are good puppy mentors) and keep their weight on the lean side while they are developing then you should not be worried about trying to create the perfect pup, good genetics and common sense usually win out.

[peppergrass]

Originally Posted by bocron

Maybe the breeder has a line prone to joint issues? Or maybe Pano? Not uncommon in the breed.
My pups get tons of exercise from the minute they get home with us. We have 12 acres and run a private dog park and offer dog daycare. All our dogs hang out with us at the daycare all day long and spend their days running with the daycare gang, up and down the banks, in and out of the creek, up and down the stairs of the clubhouse, etc. When they are tired they take a nap, when they are ready to play, they get back into it. I make sure they aren't bombarded by the big dogs, but the pups are usually smart enough to learn to hang by me to avoid the really rowdy play. They exercise as much as their body allows, and rest when they want. I can guarantee you they all get a good 3-5 hours of walking/trotting and flat out running every day(if you added it all up, not all at once). They also get a few hours of just hanging under a chair watching the big dogs play, and lots and lots of sleep when we get home in the evening. Every once in a while a pup will overdo it a bit and twist a foot or take a tumble down a hill, but heck I did that too when I was a kid and learning.
We have been raising, training and placing dogs for more years than I'd care to count and the one thing we believe in is letting a pup be a pup. As long as you are supervising where they are playing (not a concrete jungle) and who they play with (you and dogs that are good puppy mentors) and keep their weight on the lean side while they are developing then you should not be worried about trying to create the perfect pup, good genetics and common sense usually win out.

No, they aren't prone to problems. She even uses a geneticist to help pick her breeding pairs, etc. She had a lot of health records onhand for her dogs when we were deciding whether or not we wanted a puppy from her.

That's why I think my husband probably got confused and heard something about taking it easy or building it up gradually, and then combined it with something else about how GSD are prone to hip dysplasia and formed his own little 'fact' that he stubbornly insists upon. He does this a lot. Especially with the things that I say. Men!

[peppergrass]

Thank gosh you guys responded. My waistline and my puppy thank you!!!!

I can't wait to take both my dogs for a walk tonight. Good bonding time for them.