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TessaGA
Georgia
MH
Posts:2387
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| 09/30/2008 7:47 PM |
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What are some good guidelines in regards to exercising a puppy (3-6 months old)?
I have heard in regards to walking a puppy, it should not be more than 5 minutes per month of age, e.g. 15 minutes max for a 3-month old pup, 2-3 times a day.
In absence of other dogs and littermates and the resulting natural romp and play sessions, what do you suggest is the best way to tire out the pup without overdoing it? |
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:3164
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| 10/01/2008 6:13 AM |
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We were walking Bo on-leash (around the neighbourhood) for an hour or so a day by 6 months. By 7 to 8 months he was doing 2 to 3 hour hikes with us in the woods near our place, and still having energy to burn.
I think as long as you limit any hard running on hard surfaces, they will let you know when they are done. |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7839
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bravepoint
North Gower, ON Canada
MH
Posts:894
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| 10/01/2008 11:16 AM |
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I've never heard of the 5 minute walking rule....Rayne is 12 weeks and has been doing 30 minutes around the block for 3 weeks now. She's out chasing/playing with her mom, grandma and aunt in our large fenced yard for over an hour at a time.
Bev,
One of Rayne's brothers is 25lbs at 3 months so I was interested in Ringo's size. Sounds like Murphy is going to be big too! We'll see him this weekend.
Gail |
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Gail, Moka, Avery, Terra & Rayne
Bravepoint GSPs
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TessaGA
Georgia
MH
Posts:2387
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| 10/01/2008 12:55 PM |
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The running around and playing with other dogs supposedly is fine because goes in spurts and at the pup's pace, as opposed to the more "forced" sustained repetitive leash walking. The latter is what the 5-minute rule refers to, until they are done growing.
Re weight: my girl weighed 24 lbs at her 12-week checkup. Her breeder said she will likely top out at the upper limit for females, 60 lbs. Which is just fine with me.
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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bravepoint
North Gower, ON Canada
MH
Posts:894
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| 10/01/2008 1:13 PM |
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Rayne weighed 19 lbs at 11 1/2 weeks exactly the same as her mom, Terra at the same age. Terra is now 52 lbs and 23" tall at age 6. Tessa is going to be abig girl! My Moka is 62lbs and probably 24" tall and she's on the thin side.
Back to the exercising topic, I have been doing lots of short training sessions with Rayne which challenge her brain. GSPs love to work! I'm planning for an earlier start in agility this time so have been work with a dynadisc, shaping hand targets and touch pads, working basic obedience (sit, down, recalls, leave it).
Gail |
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Gail, Moka, Avery, Terra & Rayne
Bravepoint GSPs
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TessaGA
Georgia
MH
Posts:2387
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| 10/01/2008 1:45 PM |
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Tessa doesn't have a yard, so we have to get to the green spaces first.
In the a.m. we walk to the nearest, about 10-15 minutes one way, for our off-leash (well, check-cord) romp, play, run, sniff, fetch, chill, training session. So we are usually gone 60-90 minutes.
At noon she gets a brief walk around the block.
P.M. is the big one - trying to cut down on the "leash walking" we DRIVE to a green space or park, bigger, nicer fields, I rotate those, different one each day. In addition, we run errands, hang out at the laundromat, stores, city socialization stuff. We stay busy until about 8 pm before heading home. I have always found that the mental stuff wears pups out much more than running around on a field for an hour!
I just make sure she gets to walk, run, play, fetch, sniff, and meet new people (and hopefully some dogs) every day. Yesterday she greeted someone in a wheelchair, that was great! Training aka "conditioning" is woven into all of these activities.
Then I read online or in books that one should not forget that they are still very, very young at 12 weeks and that the bones and joints are far from being properly developed, so I worry if I'm overdoing it or if I am holding back too much.
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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wgspr rescue
Milwaukee, WI
MH
Posts:630
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| 10/01/2008 2:47 PM |
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Never heard of that five min thing either. Our Kate was hunting fields with the "big boys" at 6 mo old. |
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Lisa C. Rossman
WI GSP Rescue, Inc (wgspr.com)
"Until there are none, rescue just one!"
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7839
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TessaGA
Georgia
MH
Posts:2387
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| 10/02/2008 7:34 AM |
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Good point, Bev. I definitely will stay away from agility and road work (biking etc) until 18 months at least. Agility has a lot of fun parts that we are already conditioning for, i.e. tunneling or stepping over things. Weaving and jumping - no. Stairs - just for exposure purposes but never for exercise.
I have friends that train for Schutzhund and they use some kind of guideline, can not remember the breakdown, but up to a certain age, they are only allowed to jump as high as their ankles (not very high!) then as high as their elbows (but they are much older by then) etc.
Re growth plates, I have a question about that...will start a new thread though. |
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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