Things To Consider When Deciding How Far You Can Walk Your Puppy
There are many things to consider regarding how far you can walk your puppy, such as his breed and age. These factors include:
Larger breed dogs may have problems with too much exercise. They grow more quickly than their smaller counterparts but mature more slowly.
Exercising a larger breed puppy too much can lead to orthopedic problems and arthritis.
Also, brachycephalic dogs with short muzzles like pugs and shih tzus have a lower tolerance for exercise because they can overheat more easily and have more difficulty breathing.
And some breeds, like working, herding, and sporting dogs have a higher exercise need even as a puppy.
So your border collie, golden retriever, labrador retriever etc. will generally need more exercise than your maltese.
Very young puppies don’t have much endurance. They shouldn’t be walked too far.
A rule of thumb is a puppy can walk five minutes for every month of age starting at eight weeks. So a two-month-old puppy can walk about 10 minutes.
And a three-month-old can walk for 15 minutes; and a four-month-old for 20 minutes. And so forth.
Of course these are general guidelines. It’s always advisable to check with your vet regarding your puppy’s specific needs.
Avoid the hottest or coldest parts of the day
Young puppies can be susceptible to temperature extremes.
They may overheat and suffer from heat exhaustion, which can be deadly.
Even when it’s too cold, they may become very uncomfortable. In cold weather, puppies may require a coat or sweater to help keep them warm.
Breeds with short muzzles such as shihs tzus or Lhasa apsos are especially susceptible to extremes of weather.
Plus, if it’s too hot or cold, the ground may damage your dog’s foot pads. And salt to melt snow can be dangerous to our dogs too.
It’s important not to walk on surfaces that can be harmful or dangerous to your dog.
Places that are slippery can be dangerous for you and your dog to explore. Also, areas with sharp surfaces are hazardous.
Be sure that the surface isn’t too hot. This can especially occur with blacktop.
If the walking surface is too hot for you to place your hand on, it’s too hot for your puppy to walk on. Err on the side of caution so that he doesn’t burn his pads.
Also try not to walk him on surfaces that have any chemicals, such as salt to melt snow or weed control, as some are toxic to dogs.
Get your new puppy used to walking on different surfaces that he’ll face throughout his life. It’s part of the socialization process.
Get him used to grass, pavement, and dirt trails. The more he’s exposed to in a positive way as a puppy, the better he should adapt to them as an adult.
Note From Colby: This is uber important for service dog puppies in training. If a service dog cannot walk across sand, grass, pavement, metal grates, etc without any kind of reaction, then the dog is not suitable as a working service dog.
As was stated above, walks shouldn’t be too long, depending on the dog’s age.
A walk or two a day as well as other play should be enough.
Don’t jog or run with any puppy because their bones and joints are still developing and can easily be damaged.
If you’ve ever thought that dogs naturally know how to walk nicely on a leash, you’ll soon realize this isn’t the case when you first put a leash on your new puppy. Since your life with your new dog is going to involve plenty of leash time, walking nicely on a leash is a skill that must be taught as early as possible.
If your puppy gets so excited on a walk that they bark excessively, this can be a sign that your puppy is not getting enough physical and mental stimulation throughout the day. If you have an active breed puppy who is being left alone most of the day and only taken for one short walk in the afternoons, they may become so overstimulated that they can’t stop barking. Try to change your day around to add more short bursts of exercise and playtime throughout the day. If you’re away from home all day long, you may need to look into a puppy daycare or dog walker to give your puppy the stimulation they need.
The good news is that leash skills can be taught in the safety of your own home, so by the time your puppy is ready for their first outdoor walk, they will already be familiar with walking nicely on a leash. If you’re wondering how to walk a puppy for the first time, the secret answer is that your puppy’s first outdoor walk should be preceded by plenty of indoor practice and leash training during those weeks when they’re not fully vaccinated and unable to socialize outdoors.
Once your puppy is feeling comfortable with their harness and leash, it’s time to begin encouraging them to stay by your side while walking. This technique isn’t difficult, but it can take some time to master. Your puppy needs to learn that when they’re in the right position (immediately to your side) they get to continue their walk. If they move out of position – whether in front, behind, or to the side – the walk stops and doesn’t resume until they’re back in the right spot. Your puppy may show signs of frustration at first but will soon learn that the only way to get you to continue moving around is for them to walk by your side.
Your puppy’s first outdoor walks don’t so much come down to their age but where they are with their vaccination regime. Rather than wondering what age do puppies start walking, chat to your veterinarian about starting your puppy vaccination schedule as soon as possible so they can be fully vaccinated and ready to head outdoors.
How Long Is It Safe To Walk Your Puppy?
If you’ve just got a new puppy, you may be wondering how much exercise does a 10-week-old puppy need? The answer is much less than you probably think. As a general rule, puppies require 5 minutes of exercise for every month of their lives.
When we first get a puppy, most dog owners picture long rambling walks in the countryside with their new best friend; indeed, this is one of the great joys of owning a dog.
However, it’s easy to forget that your new best friend is just a baby. Like human babies, they expend a lot of their energy just growing, so their physical ability is limited in the first few weeks and too much exercise can do more harm than good.
Plus, puppies are not allowed out and about until they are fully vaccinated, which is usually when they are around 12 weeks old, so puppy walking outdoors will need to wait a while
Keep reading to find out how to exercise puppies safely in the early weeks, how long to walk a puppy, larger breeds’ exercise needs and the risks of over-exercise.