Time for Walkies - Deciding How Long You Should Walk Your Puppy
07.12.2022 - Reading time: 2 minutes
Dogs need exercise - everyone knows that. Many new puppy owners also have this principle in mind and make sure that the little one gets enough walks right away. You mean well, but you overlook the fact that a puppy shouldn't go for long walks yet. Your little puppy is still growing, its bones are still soft and not yet strong enough, and the growth plates are not yet closed. You should take this into account when deciding how long to walk your puppy. As a rule of thumb, it is better to walk more often, but for a shorter time.
Smaller breeds mature earlier
As a rule, smaller breeds become fully grown earlier than larger breeds, which is why you can put more strain on them earlier. In small dogs, such as the Jack Russell Terrier, the are fully grown around six months, whereas larger breeds, such as a Golden Retriever, don’t stop growing until around twelve to fifteen months.
Rule of thumb: five minutes per month of life
So caution is advised, especially with large breeds, because overdoing it can quickly occur, which can lead to joint misalignment and arthrosis in later life. Therefore, a puppy should walk for a maximum of five minutes at a time per month of life. The basic rule for walking is: less is sometimes more. It’s better to do a few obedience exercises or play a little game in between. If your doggie hasn’t had enough after the walk, just hide a few treats in the living room and give it a good workout. After all, nose work is tiring without putting any physical strain on your puppy!
