When to start Walks

Not to far off now until my puppy is born. Time is creeping by soooo sloooowly in this wait. I don't know how the bulk of you managed to survive it.

However, I've always been one to plan waaay ahead, and the nagging question that's on myself, my lady, and my roommates lips (and through those lips, much, much debate), is at what age can one start regularily exercising ones puppy with jogs/walks.

We've assumed its after the boosters/shots, but having only owned larger dogs before between us (Shepard, Bernese Mountain, Austrian Shep) we're never sure when the joints are strong and healthy enough to really get out there are do some jogs/walks/playing. With these dogs, it was over a year, due to their size and proclivity for joints compression. But with a small dog, we're unsure.

If anyone has kind of a ball-park age, it would really help settle this debate.

Thanks.

As soon as they've had the jabs and can go out but only short walks to start with. It's not good to over exercise them. It can cause problems when they get older.

So after all the shot's were good to go?

Thanks so much.

And no worries, I'm figuring this pooch will help me exercise. Probably not the other way around! But thanks for the heads up.

Enjoy your gorgeous bundle of fluff. Have you looked into puppy socialisation classes??

Kerrby wrote:So after all the shot's were good to go?

Not really. Once they've had their shots & the vet says it's safe for them to go out, you can start with short walks, but I wouldn't do more than a 10 minute walk maximum 2 or 3 times a day. The rest of their exercise can be got through play at home.

The hard exercise (jogging, running, long walks) shouldn't begin until at least 9 or 10 months, and even then you should build them slowly.

I can't remember how many days after the jabs. But the vets will tell you when you go for the first one.

i was advised initially 5 mins for every month old the dog was so after the jabs at 12 weeks it was 15 minutes and then i was able to incease every 4 weeks - it was very tempting to go out longer as woody would have stayed out for hours even at that age but i didnt want to damage his joints so stuck to it