At 12 weeks now, how long of a walk is TOO LONG for joint heath and development?

[lone Ranger]

My Breeder says to protect hips and joints, like mayb 600-700 Metres out and then back is a maximum to protect hips and so on at this young age.. He is pretty big for 12 weeks, and it is important to remember the young age.. That is like maybe half mile out and half mile back as a maximum.

What is the general thought on this, more / less, Puppy knows best, quit when tired, or don't worry about it? Or what..............................

Thank you in advance for your help,
lone Ranger in Oz

[dpc134]

Originally Posted by lone Ranger

My Breeder says to protect hips and joints, like mayb 600-700 Metres out and then back is a maximum to protect hips and so on at this young age.. He is pretty big for 12 weeks, and it is important to remember the young age.. That is like maybe half mile out and half mile back as a maximum.

What is the general thought on this, more / less, Puppy knows best, quit when tired, or don't worry about it? Or what..............................

Thank you in advance for your help,
lone Ranger in Oz

Puppy knows best! All dogs are different. Some will want to exercise more or less depending on their structure and growth. Best advice: don't force the puppy to exercise. They will let you know when they are tired and if they want to exercise more.
My breeder told me to exercise the puppy as much as possible until she shows signs of being tired.

[N Smith]

Lots of freeplay and free walks.

So I use my yard, ball diamonds, fenced parks, parking lots etc. Bring toys and just play with your puppy, let them lay down when they are tired and you can just walk around the area and let them move when they want and rest when they want.

For walks, I choose trails (not concrete) and put the puppy on a long line. I walk at a steady pace, but not brisk, and let the puppy run up and down the trail or around me. I stop every 15 minutes or so and find something fun to do like play in the snow/water (weather dependant), or just let them sniff and run around, or rest if they choose.

Each puppy is different and you have to read your pup. When my female was young, starting at 8 weeks, we did 4-5 hours of walking, playing and training. She is high drive but as extreme energy and endurance, so that was what she needed. Whereas the average pup I think would need about half that.

[mandiah89]

Originally Posted by dpc134

Puppy knows best! All dogs are different. Some will want to exercise more or less depending on their structure and growth. Best advice: don't force the puppy to exercise. They will let you know when they are tired and if they want to exercise more.
My breeder told me to exercise the puppy as much as possible until she shows signs of being tired.

I agree, let him exercise until he is tired

[MissMetric]

Talos will go and go and go until I start being able to tell that he's a bit ornery and put him down for a nap.

But there are signs to tell when your puppy is tired, and like everyone has said, I think it's best to let them regulate. I took him on his first walk yesterday (he's 10 weeks old and just got his last set of shots) and when he laid down on the trail and wasn't trying to get into everything, I knew it was time to go. ^^

[martemchik]

It's more the surface than the walk...if you can keep your dog on dirt or grass, there is less pressure on joints than on asphalt or concrete.

The other thing is, if your dog is going to have HD...he already has it. The stuff you do will just speed it up or slow it down from affecting his life. So the breeder shouldn't be worried about what you're doing with him and more worried about breeding good hips.

Some breeders tell their customers not to allow a dog to climb stairs because they're worried about hips...if you're that worried about the hips you're producing...you need to work on improving the genetics and not limiting the puppy's mobility.

[CurvyOne]

My 11 week old will go on two hour intense hikes before showing ANY signs of being tired. he's never laid down during a walk or hike. I don't want to take him further because i was told to be careful. But he's got soooooo much energy.

[onedogman]

At 12 Weeks I was taking my pup for 5 mile ambles ( 10 Mi there & back) down backwoods trails. I think like someone said, the surface of the walk is a big factor. Thje pup will let you know when it's tired.