Exercising Puppies

[minimu1]

I for years have always given out the advice about restricting puppy exercise. However I am trying to research into evidence to see whether too much exercise has caused issues with the dog. I am also looking for studies that have proven how much exercise is too much. Have any of you come across any such studies?

No but when I was looking to see how much exercize I would get different views from different people.

As a vet I advise people to let them exercise to "their own level" by this I mean not repeatedly throwing the ball and getting them to run about but instead to take them out for a sensible period of time and let them run if they (the dog) choose but mostly walking with the owner. It is the jumping and running that is most likely to affect developing joints, but gentle walking exercise is good for them, to help build up the muscles and that in turn helps to support the joints.

Sadly I can not quote you any specific studies but you may like to talk to someone like Prof Innes at the University of Liverpool Vet Faculty for this sort of information in a scientific report type form.

I'm interested in this too.

Coming form a background of physiotherapy I'm not sure I understand the reasoning behind why weightbearing exercise can damage developing joints in dogs (afaik it doesn't in children), in fact weightbearing through joints is one of the best ways to improve nutrition to the joint surface.

Is dog and human joint physiology hugely different?

I can understand how an impact/compression injuries through jumping could have reprcussions later on when the joint is fully developed but there presumably is scope for cartilage repair particularly in a young healthy dog with good nutrition.

Growth plate injury I suspect would cause more problems later on but all the advice I have read is the 5 min rule per month is to prevent hip and elbow dysplasia (please correct me if I'm wrong here minimu or beautifulgirls).

Saying all that I'm sticking to the 5 min rule religiously

This article maybe worth trying to get hold of:-
Schrader. S.C. Small animal practice, 1995 pages 1177- 1179.
Also this chapter Current techniques in small animal practice Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore 1997 pages 1120 - 1121.
Both of these articles link over exercise of puppies to excessive flexibility of joints making minor versions of elbow and hip dysplasia have worse clinical signs. There is also evidence in some of the literature that panosetitis more likely to occur in over exercised pups of certain breeds (Sorry don't have the references for that).
However, no one seems to be prepared to give advice on the correct amount of exercise. I usually recommend a gradual bring into work over the first year, with no agility type play until at least one year old.

Beautifulgirls thank you I will contact Prof Innes.

Slubberdegullion I agree - the conflict between humans and dogs does seem very different. We do not restrict our childrens exercise.

I am also considering the social impact as I am seeing so many poorly socialised dogs due to the fact people are not getting them out and about at a young age. When this early socialisation has been proven to prevent problems at a later stage. I am wondering if the % risk of damaging joints is less than a badly socialised dog and all that goes along side that.

However I am still sticking to restricted exercise with my pup! (until it can be proven otherwise!)

I agree Slushy that everyone does seem to have their own viewpoint so would like some scientific evidence to back things up. I always feel better with a good bit of science behind me!

x post thanks Lizcat just the type of article I am after I will get researching!

I found this article useful
skeptvet.com/Blog/2009/12/exercise-in-puppies-are-there-rules/

I did quite a lot of looking for evidence on this topic when I got my pup but didn't come up with an awful lot! I ended going for a common sense approach so never exercised him to the point where he seemed tired (& fat chance of that, frankly, he's definitely got duracel batteries) but because he's not a breed prone to dysplasia didn't stick rigidly to any guidelines.

And thinking about it, there are over-use injuries in children, like osgood-schlatters disease so it'd be logical that something similar could affect dogs.

mm liath, but with osgood-schlatters I think the primary cause is growth spurts in the femur and increased tension of the tibial tubercle from the patella tendon. Exercise will absolutely exacerbate the symptoms (which is why you will see adolescents heavily involved in sport presenting more frequently) but I don't think the exercise per se is the cause of the problem.

sorry for sidetrack.

Hope it's alright minimu if I ask another q.
wrt canine hip dysplasia, having just wiki'd it I see it covers both acetabular and femoral heal malformation/damage and cartilage (arthritic) damage. Do you think the exercise recommendations are there to protect bony joint develovement rather than cartilage?