puppies - five minutes per month

[shoutymcshoutsmum]

Hi everyone. Does this rule work for every breed of dog? I ask because, as I understand it, there are active breeds and less active breeds and there are different size breeds. I am a novice in relation to dogs, hence why I ask the question. Thanks

It depends a bit who you ask

One of our Doghouse regulars is a vet, who had just been to a orthopaedic vets' conference, where the latest research said that being overweight was the main factor in adding to the risk of future arthritis/joint problems, and that exercise didn't really come into it at all.

They do get tired quicker when little though, so I would certainly only walk a pup as much as he or she seems able to cope with. Bearing in mind that very young creatures (human included) can tear around beyond their energy limits, then collapse in a heap - so if your pup is a St Bernard, don't go too far from home or you'll have to carry it back

My dog is supposed to be a lab cross, but as he's developed its clear there is something long-legged and fast in him - lurcher or ridgeback or something - and he has always wanted/had a bit more than those 5 minutes per month, and now (aged 11 months, or nearly) has two 1 hour walks per day. Vet says absolutely fine.

I'm still of the opinion that the 5 min rule is useful for more than one reason.

It will be interesting to see how the weight/arthritis research pans out - it certainly hasn't filtered down to the majority of vets - or breed enthusiasts yet. One of the important health tests breeders use are about inherited hip and elbow joint problems and if the weight issue proves to be more important it will have a significant impact on the need to have our breeding dogs hip and elbow tested.

Still - back to topic. The 5 min guide is a pretty much common sense rule of thumb to exercising a puppy of any breed. Most of us do all we can to prevent damaging our dogs and to ensure they grow up into fit, strong adult dogs. By restricting exercise while they're young, we're giving the dogs the very best chance physically to develop strong joints which are undamaged by impact and have built up muscle around them to support them as they work.

Also, I always find it useful as a reminder that although pups will run and run and run, they are far better off if we manage them. It avoids over tiredness, over stiimulation and ensures that a pup isn't hysterical with tiredness and behaving like a pain in the parts. An adrenaline fuelled puppy is a nightmare for everyone and I avoid it at all costs!

I have a german short-haired pointer, only 16 weeks old. I restrict his walks but I cant restrict it to 15 minutes, it just doesnt work. he charges around on the common like he is in paradise and never seems to tire. i bear the guidance in mind but cant help feel that the guidance has to be adjusted for a breed like his. The breeder and the vet arent concerned but I dont want to get it wrong

Hand in the air. The information about the five minute rule no longer being necessary came from me after I had been on an orthopaedics course given by Mike Farrell, who is Noel Fitzpatrick's sidekick.

I would agree with daisy that ensuring the correct joint checks have been done on the parents is the most important, then weight control and I don't get excited about exercise at all.

shouty, my brother has a (now 3 year old) short haired GP, and would utterly agree with you there

Thanks everyone. I always knew that a GSP was a very active breed but this puppy just makes me smile. He is calm at home but outside off the lead, he just makes me smile. Constant investigation of everything (including a cross swan this morning ), jumping around with other puppies, etc etc. If I stopped this at 15 minutes.....I think I would be in some deep trouble.

Thunder, mine can cope with a short walk in the afternoon but in the morning, no chance. he needs to play puppy-style!

The 5 minute rule isn't meant to be taken as law, more as a rule of thumb to provide a sensible guide of exercise rate, especially while they're building up muscle and so on.

Any working bred dog, particularly of gundog breeding is going to keep on running. And running and running some more. Young pups just love new experiences, and thrive on adrenaline. BUT they do not know when to stop. They need us to stop them.

It is far from obvious, even to those of us who have had quite a few puppies, when a pup hits the point of exhaustion - especially when they're interacting with other dogs. Their behaviour will be no different to how it was at the beginning of a walk; still full of beans.

The point is that once exhaustion is reached, not only is rational behaviour out of the window, but like children it's most likely when injuries occur.

Puppies don't get to dictate what they do here, they learn how to fit in with the household and what we think is best for them, and are as exhausted by a good 10/15 minute training session as they'd ever be by a half hour walk.

It's also worth noting that an adult dog will also run and run all day, and sometimes ours do, but realistically, few people have that much time available. They have to accept what we can give them to an extent and entertain themselves for the rest of the day. 2 or 3 hours a day is about all most of us can manage and that has to be enough.

I always try and keep the adult dog I'm trying to form in mind when I do anything with my pups. It helps with the end result .