Overexercising puppy?

[ellangirl]

So, as the title says, how do I know if my puppy is doing too much? She's 3 months, and it's all very well saying only 2 15 minute walks a day, but she doesn't keep still! She races round the garden jumping over all sorts of things playing with the older dog for a long time each day. I'm now worrying her front legs aren't straight! (hopefully just being paranoid puppy owner!)

[Spamspamspam]

I would like to know this too.

My puppy is 13 weeks, currently we take her out for 20 - 30 mins to the park or on a walk . If park we drive there and wander slowly, she does a bit of training and playing during this time I really have to watch the clock and stop after about 20 mins as she looks like she could go all day - have never seen her sit down. If a walk she is on lead for a bit and we stop and start teaching her to walk nicely and she has time off lead while we wander slowly. We either take her out again later in the day, something shorter and usually on lead OR she has playtime in the garden or she has playtime with another pup who comes over. This seems to be about right for her, she sleeps the rest of the time and is calm in the house with this amount. I was taking her out for another 10 minutes training time in the garden but I read something from minimu about 10 minutes training being like an hours training so I cut that bit out.

I hope this is not too much - would be interested in replies.

[Spamspamspam]

10 mins training being like an hours Walk not training

[ellangirl]

See that doesn't sound too much to me spam. I'm more worried because if I take my pup and dog out together, the puppy is running loads because of the other dog, and same in the house. Yesterday our puppy went round to family's house and played in their garden for at least half an hour running round like a mad thing with their dogs, she has short training sessions through the day, and then in the evening I took her for a 20 minute walk on the beach. She then spent the next 2 and a half hours at home running round playing with toys etc. I put the other dog away to help her calm down, then finally gave up and put the puppy in her crate to make her stop! She is a springer cross, so an active breed, and I don't mind the activity levels, but I don't want her to do to much without realising and hurt her little growing legs!

[memphis83]

my puppy class that we go to they say one walk per day, 5 mins per month of age, other exercise to be done as play in house and garden, I also got told this by the vet I called when I wrongly walked our puppy for over an hour and he slept for hours and didnt really wake up even when trying desperately! I was so worried I called the vet for information!
He said it was something to do with the muscles not being developed enough to protect the bones wear (i have a lab x so they are prone to hip displacing) I always feel bad for him as he would run about all day but we get him home he sleeps, then the last time we let him out at night its like he knows its bed time and tears around the garden to get his last bit of energy out!!!

[Jennytailia]

I have been thinking about this as well, my pup is 12 wks and will soon be allowed out(jabs)

I take my DC's for picnics and would like to take pup, so she wouldn't be walking the whole time but we might be out for like 2 hours, driving there, picnicing, children playing in the park ect. So she might actually Only get a 30 min run around. Also I could put her in the double buggy if she was tired. But is this too long to have her out? I have no idea.

My friend told me to let the pup take the lead and if she is tired then carry her, but I'm not sure she would get tired.

[minimu1]

It is said that 5 min per month of their age times 2.

So a four month old puppy could have 20 mins exercise twice a day. BUT there is a train of thought that this is actually a bit of an old wives tale. However there certainly are different types of exercise and chasing a ball for 5 mins is obviously worse and more damaging than walking for 20 mins.

With a large breed dog I would be very careful and would always try to tire them out with training than excessive exercise. I would restrict a puppy from running round for ages with other dogs.

Getting a puppy out an about is vital so if you can carry or put them in a buggy that is great. I put my puppies or foster puppies in a rucsac on the front of me (stylish of what!) but that takes some of the weight as they get bigger but they still get out to socialise.

[ellangirl]

Thanks minimu that's helpful. I am trying to limit too much physical activity, but she's such an active wee puppy. I can't imagine her sitting still in a buggy! How would I know if she is doing any damage, or already has? It's very difficult to know when to restrict play with other dogs, when you already have one and they enjoy spending time together. I do separate them obviously to make sure they get training alone time, and at night and when i leave the house the puppy is in the crate so i know she has to rest!
Does anyone know a good resource for games to play with your dog- mental stimulation I mean?
Thanks

[Spamspamspam]

Ellangirl, yes it doesn't sound like much but I think we have finally got the balance right for our puppy - it has taken 3 weeks to really understand the right balance for her - I am sure every puppy is different :) The first Sunday we had her I didn't really think about it but she hardly had any down time because she was out in garden with my daughter or playing in the house all day plus we took her out for a walk etc. Next day she was exhausted and I found she didn't sleep as well that night, plus got a bit clingy and anxious.

Today she has slept all morning, had a few tired mooches out in the garden. Went crazy at about 2.00pm so out for her walk which was much later than normal, 20 mins of zooming round the park, she really didn't look tired and I dithered whether she had had enough exercise but she crashed out in crate the minute she got home, slept all afternoon then just had a puppy play date for about 45 mins, again could have carried on for hours they were manic but we called in a day and as soon other puppy left she is back in bed snoozing!