Puppy Exercise Chart –Guidelines!

 

 

When To Start Walking a Puppy?

You need to be careful exercising puppies because their joints are not yet connected and excessive walks or playing can cause injuries or problems when they are older.

Let’s recall the rule of thumb that says 5 minutes exercise twice daily per month of age. Some people even split the rule-of-thumb-time between walks and training.

That being said, when do you actually start walking your pup?

Personally, I recommend starting to walk your pups at the age of 8 weeks. Some dog owners start at 12-16 weeks with actual walks and strictly adhere to the rule of thumb. Which ever way you choose make sure that you’re not getting your pup hooked on walking hours per day. It will only demand more as it gets older as well as the damage it might do to its joints.

Keep in mind that the level of exercise you will give your puppy when he is young will define the energy level later on to a certain degree. If you are taking your already energetic puppy out on a 2 hour hike each day at the age of 6 month you are setting your puppy and yourself up for failure as you can only increase this so much with time and joint issue can catch up later on in life. Every breed is different and there are several dog owners that took their puppies for long hikes and they are now healthy adults, although I would not bet on it. Some high-energy and medium-sized dogs are okay with more exercise as a pup but all Mastiff breeds or breeds with genetic hip dysplasia predispositions should be more careful (same goes for avoiding stairs). When you have a young puppy, your walks should mostly consist of free walking.

That means your puppy should be able to experience his environment at his own pace.

Studies have shown that dogs who are able to spend 33% of their walks sniffing on the ground are much more happy and optimistic.

Don’t neglect leash-training though, this isn’t an afterthought and it’s hard to get rid of nasty pulling habits.

 

How to play with your puppy?

While getting to know your puppy or dog, you will quickly learn what it enjoys the most.

Regarding playing, your dog might love to fetch a ball or might enjoy a tug of war. Playing not only means getting rid of your pup’s excess energy but also creates a bond with you. Play is also a great way to teach your puppy new things. You can bring structure into your sessions by teaching it “let go” or “leave it”.

 

Toys Are the best thing ever!

Chew toys are best for young puppies and most come in different sizes tailored to your dog’s age. Avoid hard plastic toys with sharp edges as they might hurt your puppy’s gums and teeth. Choose soft toys that don’t have any small pieces that can be chewed off.

Provide your puppy with interesting plush toys with different textures for him to explore. They might not last long but even ripping the stuffing out is an exercise.

A lot of puppies love their Kong which also provides a great possibility to keep your dog busy when you’re out of the house in order to prevent separation anxiety. Make sure to check out a couple of recipes explaining what to stuff your Kong with.

 

Hide and Seek

Hide and seek is a great game for dogs at any age. It is a game that can be played outside as well as inside and can make up for a shorter walk on days the weather isn’t great when you still have to get the energy out in another way.      

•Start by getting your dog into a sit-stay position (you practiced this already from 10 weeks old and it’s a good way for repetition training)

•Hide somewhere easy in the beginning so your dog won’t lose interest.

•Then simply call his name and wait for him to find you and reward him.

Over time, you can increase the difficulty. Be careful to not reinforce unwanted behaviour like barking or door scratching.

 

DIY Agility Course

A course consisting of different obstacles is a great way to exercise your puppy effectively. You don’t have to invest in professional gear. Keep a few cardboard boxes, some

Cushions and blankets and make use of your chairs and tables to create tunnels for example.

They are also excellent socialization tools and teach your pup that it’s safe to walk over different textures and levels and it’s actually a lot of fun. Always start small and don’t

overexercise your puppy.

If you buy professional agility gear make sure to use obstacles like the hoop very close to the ground to not overstrain your puppies growing joints with every jump. Keep

it light and fun and encourage your dog to explore new things he has never seen before.

 

Fetching Balls

Playing fetch is a great way to work on impulse control with your dog.

•Use a stay command. Recall your dog in the middle. Perform a heel. Release.

The ball will be the ultimate reward in this case and it teaches your dog not to frantically chase everything that’s running. Chasing stuff like a flirt pole should be reserved for adult dogs. Light flirt pole work is okay, as is chasing balls in a fun way in the garden.

 

Exploring the World

Puppies are incredibly curious and react intensely to different environmental stimuli. Exploring the outdoors can be very rewarding and satisfying for a young puppy.

If you do not have a backyard, go outside with your puppy to a quiet place and attach a long leash to supervise it. Let it sniff every little leaf and encourage it to look for things. Once your puppy understand that exploring with its nose is fun start hiding treats in easy-to-find spots.

While you can and certainly should aim to let it explore, it’s important to have control over your puppy and that means building in a couple of commands from time to time to get the focus back to you, as well as not letting him off-leash until he is trained (alongside a proper release command).

 

Attending Puppy Classes

The best playmates for your puppy are probably other puppies. Puppy play classes are perfect for it to satisfy its needs and to learn the right way to interact with other dogs in during its socialization phase. You can invite some friends over that also have puppies or very playful smaller breeds. (all dogs need to be vaccinated before group meetings)

 

Avoid dog parks, especially with a small puppy as all the dogs are overwhelming for him and he could be run over by larger breeds. Gradually get him used to environments like that with proper positive reinforcement training in this case.

You can also attend early obedience training classes when your puppy is 12 weeks or older (but start your training at home right after bringing your pup home). There you can learn basic training commands in a guided and controlled environment.

 

Signs You’re Over Exercising Your Pup

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to how much exercise is too much.

Many people think that larger breeds can go on longer walks because they can tolerate it while small breeds don’t need as much exercise and that sentiment is not always right. Larger dogs are usually prone to joint issues and too much exercise at a young age might cause problems.

You should also take into consideration the energy level of your breed. If you have a high energy breed like a JRT, you can definitely take him on longer walks than a Great Dane. Working breeds need more mental stimulation than other breeds and require a type of work they can perform while breeds with short snouts have a hard time breathing when exercised too much.

 

Exploring and playing is far more important for a 3-month-old puppy than walking on a leash.

Once your puppy gets older, his exercise needs will change and you will need to go on long walks.

Pay attention to your dog, here are a couple of overexercising signals:

•Refusal to walk any further

•Excessive panting

•Puppy limping

•Reluctance to go outside

•Exhausted to the point your pup refuses water/meals

•Unusual behaviour like extreme silliness and mouthiness

Keep in mind that all these signs can point towards medical issues or fear issues too. Strenuous exercises (hiking, agility, jogging) are not suited for young puppies and should be saved for when your dog becomes older.

 

Puppy Exercise After Eating

Exercising your pup immediately before or after a meal can cause bloat or other digestive issues/vomiting. To be safe, it’s best to wait at least an hour until exercising your pup.

Also if you don’t like vomit on your car seats, feed your pup long before stepping inside the car to go to your puppy class.

 

How Do You Exercise a Puppy when it’s Hot?

The summer heat is really hard for many adult dogs and while puppies can try to keep up until exhaustion, it can get pretty dangerous.

If you want to walk your regular route with your pup, make sure of the following:

•Before stepping outside, always check the temperature of the ground with your hand. Too hot to lay your hand on the concrete for 10 seconds? Then it’s too

hot for your puppy’s sensitive paws.

•Avoid exercising your dog in the hottest times of the day (go early in the morning or late in the evening instead).

•Pay attention to your puppies’ signs like heavy breathing.

•Always provide your dog with enough water to drink.

Try exercising by swimming in the pool or a nearby lake. If you do not have access to any of that, baby pools are a great alternative as they can get their paws

wet at the very least. If all else

fails and it’s really hot, just relax inside and play with your pup. Invite a playmate if possible.

 

  Exercising Puppy in Winter

  If you’re living in a colder climate or have a particularly harsh winter, exercising your pup can be a real challenge.

  Read this article to find out what is too cold for your dog.

  Breeds with thick double coats or large dogs, in general, are more hardened when it comes to temperatures.

  However, if you have a hairless breed, small breed, or just a very sensitive dog, buy them a doggy coat and/or dog boots.

  Puppies in general often overestimate themselves, make sure you don’t leave your dog exposed to the cold for too long even if it seems like everything is okay