Walking A Puppy Under 12 Months Old

[Gina M]

I have just got my new puppy a Patterdale Terrier aged 10 months. Previous owners told me they walked him for about 1 and half hours every day. The last time I had a puppy my Vet told me not to take him on long walks until he is at least 12 months old and he has stopped growing as I could cause problems with joints on the dog in the future especially hip joints on the dog. Any thoughts or experience on this please ? Thank you.

Gina

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

I’m sure that’s fartoo much poor thing. It’s 5 mins per month so we were told . That’s what we’ve done this time with a Brynn our JRT/parson Russel x (21 month)
Till theyre 6 months old I think . Just google it to be sure ?

Puppy exercise

How to keep your pup happy and healthy through exercise.

www.bluecross.org.uk

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Must say we did walk our previous dogs more than that. But it was before we knew it damaged their joints.

 

[Tombola]

Little and often .

 

[DBK]

I suspect with a small light dog it won't make much difference but in my experience dogs get used to having whatever length of walk you give them. But an hour and a half seems a bit much. After the foot and mouth outbreak when footpaths were closed our dog wouldn't walk more than 10 minutes for the rest of its life.

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[Gina M]

Thank you. I am worried at the way he "swings" his back legs. I hope I can reverse this. At the moment just playing with him and letting him run around the garden. Think I might get a stair gate as my office is at the bottom of the stairs and every time I open the kitchen door to go in there he runs up and down the stairs, also a worry.

Gina

 

[irnbru]

Can we see a photo of the wee puppy, no doubt its adorable.

 

[Badknee]

Mr Chrysalis has a new puppy too.

 

[DC4JC]

Need a bit of care when they are puppies as the joints are still developing and over exercise can cause issue with them and muscles.

 

[Gina M]

I suspect with a small light dog it won't make much difference but in my experience dogs get used to having whatever length of walk you give them. But an hour and a half seems a bit much. After the foot and mouth outbreak when footpaths were closed our dog wouldn't walk more than 10 minutes for the rest of its life.

My Labradoodle lived for 14 years, no long walks until he was fully grown then 5 miles every morning on lead and a free run on the field when we got home. He was a big boy but died from a muscle wasting disease that dogs can get from the age of 7. I blame myself even now. Did I walk him too much, then I think if I hadn't walked him I would have blamed myself for not walking him enough Grief is a form of madness I think.

Gina

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[Mr Chrysalis]

Our lab is 15 weeks between 3 and 4 months. We try to stick to around 5 min per month, but walk him about 3 times a day. Between walks he also enjoys a lot of play and has free access to part of the garden

 

[DBK]

My Labradoodle lived for 14 years, no long walks until he was fully grown then 5 miles every morning on lead and a free run on the field when we got home. He was a big boy but died from a muscle wasting disease that dogs can get from the age of 7. I blame myself even now. Did I walk him too much, then I think if I hadn't walked him I would have blamed myself for not walking him enough Grief is a form of madness I think.

Gina

You are over-thinking things. There are lions at Longleat, for example, which don't cover a fraction of the distance each day they would in the wild. Similarly, there are border collies working with sheep which will do miles each day and others which are house dogs which do very little. All are happy because they are living the life they are used to.

With a Patterdale, very energetic dogs, you could walk them vast distances each day and they will lap it up. But they will also not suffer doing a lot less if brought up to it.

 

[Gina M]

Can we see a photo of the wee puppy, no doubt its adorable.

He's a wee young bugger and I am in love already

Gina

 

[Langtoftlad]

IMHO most dogs don't need the exercise [obv some breeds excepted] but they do need the enrichment a 'walk' provides.... so an hour's route march, with no time to sniff isn't as beneficial as 20 minutes where every smell is explored.

 

[Gina M]

IMHO most dogs don't need the exercise [obv some breeds excepted] but they do need the enrichment a 'walk' provides.... so an hour's route march, with no time to sniff isn't as beneficial as 20 minutes where every smell is explored.

I know my Stanley used to love checking out his peemails

Gina

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[Gina M]

Well I am not sleeping very well tonight. New pup arrived on Friday night. He slept with me Friday and Saturday night but tonight he didn't want to sleep with me so I have left him downstairs with my 7 year old mixed breed terrier. I am leaving them to it, but am a bit scared for my new baby but also praying they sort each other out with the bed sharing as I am sick of stinking of dogs nice clean sheets tomorrow and dogs banned from my bed

Gina

 

[Aireworth]

The concept of restricted exercise in puppyhood used to be (15years ago) applied only to big dogs with known bone growth problems (Rottis, St Bernards, Newfoundlands, possibly Labs) Some sections of the dog breeding community seem to have extended this to much smaller dogs now - for no good reason IMO.
And Ginam, I can think of no muscle wasting disease that is brought on by over exercise. Do you know what it was? (PM me if you like)

 

[Wonders]

Short walks for a few months.
Damage to joints and arthritis in legs in their later life if you over do it.
Learned this by experience with springer spaniel.
Puppy's are brilliant.

 

[Soots]

The concept of restricted exercise in puppyhood used to be (15years ago) applied only to big dogs with known bone growth problems (Rottis, St Bernards, Newfoundlands, possibly Labs) Some sections of the dog breeding community seem to have extended this to much smaller dogs now - for no good reason IMO.
And Ginam, I can think of no muscle wasting disease that is brought on by over exercise. Do you know what it was? (PM me if you like)

I believe it's bones and joints being damaged, we were advised to walk our puppy (now 4½ year old Border terrier) 5 minutes a day for each month, twice a day. Hope this helps.

 

[Shrimp]

Pippa, avatar, is a Parsons Russell. We tried to keep the length of walks down but he 5mins per month of age seems a bit short, we never did any really long walks for a long time and she seems fine.
The swing of his back legs is probably down to too much muscle build up from the walking, give him a quieter life for a few months, slower and shorter walks on lead.
Patterdales are a bit hyper so try to calm him down specially when out & about.
Keep an eye on the pup, if anything is amiss it probably won’t show up until he’s older!

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[Fraggle 22]

With all my pups I used to let them decide as they are off lead at every safe opportunity except the Rotties. But my first one snapped her cruciate ligaments in both stifles. No over walking but over exuberance. Named Blossom she was high up on the list of my best dogs. I think the sort of exercise that can damage joints is when people think it is OK to go jogging with a pup on a lead. Very few breeds are able to keep up that pace. A good wander with lots of sniffing and exploring. I totally agree with you about sleeping with your dogs. Up with us for tea in bed every morning but downstairs guarding the house at night. They just take up too much room, lick their bits at inappropriate times with a bit of ear shaking just in case you were asleep. I'm sure you are doing everything perfectly with your new baby and your Jack will love him too
I didn't let the kids share my bed either I'm grumpy if I don't get my sleep.

 

[Parrot Face]

I considered restricted exercise when my Welsh Terrier was a pup but from what i read it mainly applied to large dogs and breeds with history's of joint problems. I asked the breeder. an ex Crufts judge, about this issue and she told me not to worry as he'll tell me when he's tired. Thats exactly what he did. Terriers are working dogs and can be problematic if they don't burn some energy off.

 

[MichaelT]

Our 4 month old miniature schnauzer did 5km Park run on Saturday, walked most then ran last bit, he loves it and I have to hold him back from running all of it. If he was tired I would have carried him but he was still very active even afterwards.

Normal day he gets 3 20-30 minute walks.

 

[TerryL]

Our Westie gets three 10-20min "walks" a day - after a meal he sits waiting for me to finish and take him out - but rather than full blown exercise being a terrier all he wants to do is stop and sniff/pee at every known stopping place (lotta dogs around us). When we try to take him for longer walks, for instance exploring a local area, after half an hour he's had enough. Quite different when we're on a beach off lead, however, he'll run for miles chasing a ball.

 

[Gina M]

The concept of restricted exercise in puppyhood used to be (15years ago) applied only to big dogs with known bone growth problems (Rottis, St Bernards, Newfoundlands, possibly Labs) Some sections of the dog breeding community seem to have extended this to much smaller dogs now - for no good reason IMO.
And Ginam, I can think of no muscle wasting disease that is brought on by over exercise. Do you know what it was? (PM me if you like)

Thank you. Stanley died on August 22nd last year. The vet diagnosed Degenerative Myelopathy, and told me it was a muscle wasting disease. He died within 7 weeks of that examination. I lifted him out to the garden on the Friday evening and he collapsed fully. Spoke to the vet and was told "he will have good days and bad days, not to worry, I will give another 3 months of Metacam" He died on the Sunday night, just collapsed on the floor after I lifted him to take him for a wee. It was very calm and peaceful. He slipped into a coma then stopped breathing around 3 hours later. Wish the vet had been more informative. I had no idea he would die so quickly.

Gina

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[Tea Bag]

and dogs banned from my bed

Hi Ginam
1. Walkies. 6 dogs,4 of them puppies. THEY decided where when and how far they went. First rescue was Sassy dog ( See Avatar ) from the Emerald..Two and a half years old ? Vet said at least four. This rescue. ( NO MORE DOGS ) supposed to be 8-9 yrs old...Our vet said. " She has VERY good teeth for a.......SIX yr old DOH..
As said above,all decided how far and how often. Sharing beds. We found that getting Two single duvets and ditching the double one,we both kept covered up all night,with the double,when one of the Useless articles shared the bed,if it/they got in the middle,it pulled the cover off both sides towards the middle and left " Bits ?" sticking out in the cold.
Best dog we owned ?.................. ALL of them. ENJOY.
Tea Bag.
PS. Looking into and reading your puppies face.................... YOU DON'T STAND A CHANCE........you are HIS.

 

[Aireworth]

Hi Gina
Degenerative myleopathy or (CDRM as we used to call it) is a disease of the nerves of the spine. It has a genetic predisposition, and it used to be considered only to be a disease of GSDs but its been diagnosed in many other breeds now. It causes ataxia (unsteadiness) starting with the hind legs and slowly moving forward. I've seen dogs with it that have lived for several years after diagnosis. Its considered to be pain free and there's little that will help in the way of treatment.
It isn't associated with sudden death or even rapid deterioration. Obviously I didn't see the dog, but I'd suspect something else caused your poor dog's demise.
More on DM here

 

[BusyBuilder]

Try telling an English Pointer that

 

[busby]

I have just got my new puppy a Patterdale Terrier aged 10 months. Previous owners told me they walked him for about 1 and half hours every day. The last time I had a puppy my Vet told me not to take him on long walks until he is at least 12 months old and he has stopped growing as I could cause problems with joints on the dog in the future especially hip joints on the dog. Any thoughts or experience on this please ? Thank you.

Gina

Had dogs all my life until I retired and never heard that.Not saying it's wrong but all my dogs and I had six at one time were taken out for an hour twice a day from having them..Did them no harm as one lived until she was17 and all the others had long (13 +) healthy lives...BUSBY.

 

[John Barrett]

Hi Gina
Degenerative myleopathy or (CDRM as we used to call it) is a disease of the nerves of the spine.
SNIP

It is soooo nice to read a post from someone who actually knows what they are talking about...

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