10 minute walk seems too much for my dog

[DownwardsMonopoly]

My dog is 11 months old, it's a jack russell and when we are on walks, he starts panting really quickly. Like 10 mins in! This is regardless of the weather, I try to always go early mornings or evenings! Is this normal? I've continued on for about 45 mins but he's looking awful at that point! I assume he would probably stop if he had enough? Or is the tongue out panting after 10 mins completely ok and not something to go by?

Dogs will sometimes literally keep going til they collapse... which happened to my old dog once when we didn't realise how quickly his energy was sapping during a play but it was because it was on an inclined field, and since he was still continuing to run for the ball we assumed he was fine and would 'stop when he'd had enough' which he didn't. But then when we said time to go home he literally collapsed and we had to carry him to the car it was awful. Was always careful with potentially over-exercising after that.

But my point is, this doesn't sound normal to me and they don't always 'stop' when they've had enough, until they physically drop... which you really don't want to happen so definitely get pupper to a vet OP.

Yes panting is normal BUT this sounds like something similar to when people get shortness of breath after very little exercise - it's concerning in humans so it is just as concerning in dogs. Best to get him seen xx

Also just to add to that I'm not saying the panting is shortness of breath necessarily as they mainly pant to cool down but the same way that shortness of breath is concerning in humans after very little exercise, a dog his age should not be panting as if overheating or trying to cool down from overexertion when in reality he's only walked 10 minutes when he starts, if you see what I mean.

It sounds like a heart issue. It might be wise to get a vet to have a listen and perhaps an X Ray to see if the heart is enlarged.

Leaking heart valves are not rare in dogs.

There is a condition called persistent patent ductus arteriosus where blood vessels in the heart that should close over at birth, persist.

What you are seeing is classic. Surgery is available for this.

I think I'd cut back his walks but instead of 2 longer ones I'd try to do 3 shorter ones. Possibly stop half way and let the dog rest. I'd also be popping him to the vet for a check up and tell the vet he is getting breathless after 10 minutes. They can run tests on him to check his heart is not weak.

Some dogs do pant more than others.

I'm a dog walker and walk fit, healthy dogs who pant from about two minutes into their walk, and others who never seem to pant at all unless it's really warm or they've really over-exerted themselves.

Panting with tongue out after ten minutes wouldn't worry me enough to stop a walk unless the dog was actually physically struggling to breathe, but I would advise a vet check as it could be a sign of a heart condition.

I assume at 11 months your dog is otherwise fit and healthy and not overweight?

That said I wouldn't keep walking a struggling dog for 45 minutes. I do walk a dog who pants like you describe but she is on lifelong steroids and is regularly monitored by me, her owners and a vet.

She can look and sound awful but she's fine and gets lots of rest and breaks. It doesn't help that she's not very well bred and seems to have a massive tongue in a small head!

Don't make him walk for 45 minutes if he's not coping well. Do short regular walks.

I've had Jack Russell's and in my experience they do tend to pant a lot on a walk.

It would not have been unusual for my last to have panted ten mins into a walk. It would have been very unusual for them to 'look awful' after 45 mins. She could go all day.

I would definitely want a vet check here to make sure my dog was healthy.

Is he scrabbling about at the end of the lead? Wildly over-excited?

If neither, I'd probably speak to my vet.