how much is too much?

[PawPrint]

Hi everyone,

I have read that is not good for puppies/young dogs to do too much exercise while they are still growing and their joints are still developing - particularly with large breeds.


how much exercise should Tamaskans have while they are growing up??
Should we use a stair gate to prevent the young puppy from climbing the stairs??
What is the best age to start agility training?

Thanks

[TerriHolt]

the walking rule is usually 5 mins per month so 3 month would be 15 mins etc. i exceeded that by an all day mark but he wasn't walking all day. he would walk the 5 min rule and then i would carry him or we would sit on a kerb for how ever long he would sit there for... as for agility, i think it's been said that you should start to build agility up no earlier than 9 month... i'm sure there will be some corrections hear
it's best to avoid excessive running up and down stairs and to stop jumping on and off furniture but sometimes dogs have other ideas.

[blackrose]

Granted, I've never had a dog that weighed over 80 pounds (most were in the 45-65 range), but we never really monitored their exercise. Blackie and Rose (Lab and Lab mix) growing up self exercised. They had free run of 100+ acres and they most certainly put that to good use. Swimming, hunting, playing, digging...they were on the go almost all day long when the weather was nice.

Sadie, a Lab guide dog pup we raised, went with us everywhere. And while when she was a young baby she wasn't walking much, when she got older she would walk where we walked during the day. I don't think she ever had any joint issues because of it.

Chloe, my Collie mix, was getting walked around our 10 acre property (maybe 10 minutes?) every two hours or so when she was growing up or she'd get naughty.

I think the key is forced exercise/hard impact exercise vs. letting the dog set its own pace/low impact exercise. I wouldn't jog or bike with a young pup, but I just got back from a two mile walk with our little 7 month old Lab/Border Collie mix and she still wanted to GO. lol Granted, she weighs all of about 30 pounds and I doubt she'll be growing anymore than the size she is, so I'm not worried about growth problems anyway.

As for agility, don't start until at least a year of age when the skeletal structure is completely done growing. It also wouldn't hurt to have your dog examined by a vet to make sure it is physically sound before beginning training.

[TerriHolt]

it also was mentioned about a pup been allowed to rest when it needed to... like playing and exercise at home and been able to rest vs going for walkies and pushing pup to get home... thats why we did a lot of stopping on walks

i saw a man the other week with a husky pup that barely looked 4 month old. i thought "awwww" (as you do), then he got his kid on the bike and got on him self and rode off with the pup running at the side... now i know that was too much

sam did kinda set his own pace when he got too big/heavy to carry.

[PawPrint]

Thanks for the replies that helps a lot.

[EskyTheHusky]

With regards to agility, or any high impact sport, most clubs won't let you start doing the work until dogs are over 1 year.
That's not to say you can't start foundation excercises, building up focus with your dog.
Some places will run puppy agility courses, which involve no jumping but be careful where you choose to go, all clubs are not the same.

In our beginners class we covered general good manners along with some fun obedience and agility.
We had some small obstacles such as a tiny teeter totter, a small pause table (only about 3 inches off the ground). All to help build confidence

[PawPrint]

Yes. I definitely don't want to overdo it with the agility. I will wait til at least a year old. I think the agility club where I used to train with Mitsey has a puppy class I will have a look at what sort of things they do.

[TeresaC]

Training should start right away. Things like the name game, sit, come when called can begin right away. Find a puppy class and you will be well on your way. As for excercise, moderation is best for this large slow developing breed. If you can find a group that is willing to work with you, I see no reason to not start fun classes like agility once you have basic commands down. You just won't want to over do it. You can work on having the puppy walk over jumps that are 2 inches high, playing in the tunnel, etc. all help build confidence and self control. If your instructor is not willing to work with you in this manner, wait until your pup is older or find a different class.

[JulieSmith]

I think most things that don't involve jumping would be fine to start with, we had an old tunnel from the kids that Saga used to love going through until she got too big.

I really need to have a chat with Saga about jumping, she does love to leap over fallen logs when out walking especially if there is a squirrel on the other side

[Tiantai]

On average, and this goes for ALL breeds, you should walk a pup for at least 5 minutes every week (not month) and this is totaling both the trip out and back and no more than 7 should you end up walking farther than you thought you would. Better off take you dog out for a swim if you get the opportunity to do so. Swimming is more healthier than running.

[AZDehlin]

I go by 5 minutes for every months old the dog is. Zephyr is 5 months old so I walk him no more than 25 minutes at a time and often I can't do even this much as his attention span is limited and he gets unwary

[Katlin]

5 minutes every week (not month)

Humm, every breeder I've talked to says the same as Katelyn. 5 minutes for every month so 4 months old, no more than a 20 minute walk.

[TerriHolt]

5 minutes every week (not month)

Humm, every breeder I've talked to says the same as Katelyn. 5 minutes for every month so 4 months old, no more than a 20 minute walk.

i think he thought i said walk a pup once month as in only going out once a month... i think