# Puppy and joint protection



## jadasmum (Apr 15, 2012)

Hi All,

when we got Jada 8 weeks ago (at 13 weeks), the breeder told us to make sure she doesnt jump too high and we carry her up and down the stairs to protect her joints until she is about 1 y.o. 


It is vertually impossible because she is a very active dog.We try as much as we can, but at 5 months now, she chases our other dogs, jumps over them when playing, runs up and down stairs that lead to the garden at the back of the house.

Any advise on how do you protect your puppy's joints would be great.

Anna


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

jadasmum said:


> Hi All,
> 
> when we got Jada 8 weeks ago (at 13 weeks), the breeder told us to make sure she doesnt jump too high and we carry her up and down the stairs to protect her joints until she is about 1 y.o.
> 
> ...


Normal playing and jumping is okay. Carrying her up and down the stairs until she is one? I hope that you are really really strong and in shape...Help out with jumping in the car or things of that nature and no agility until she is 1.


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## shaner (Oct 17, 2010)

Anything she would do in the wild is fine. She would run and jump in the wild so it's fine if she does that. What you want to avoid is her jumping off your bed on a regular basis, off the couch, out of a high vehicle, jumping to catch something you threw, etc. Any jumping she does on her own (other than off a high object) is perfectly fine. No, if she's 5 months old, you do not need to carry her up or down the stairs. Stairs don't create a lot of impact on the joints of a 5 month old. 

Just don't make her jump and try to limit (not stop, just limit) the number of high objects she jumps off of. You don't want to encourage jumping, but you don't need to stop it either. Puppies are going to jump and that's okay.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i wouldn't want my dog at any age running up and down steps
so i would block the steps off.


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## katdog5911 (Sep 24, 2011)

I carried Stella up and down the steps for months because I was worried about her joints...and wound up injuring mine!


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## JeepHound (Mar 14, 2012)

I was worried about Achilles going up and down the stairs. Was concerned about the impact on his joints, as others have mentioned.

However, my vet said as long as its not excessive, its actually good exercise and can actually improve joint health.

I can't find any good research indicating that stairs are bad. The only articles I find are about older dogs, joint problems, and stairs.

Also, its not like I can stop him - in the wild, he would would be running up and down, over rocks, etc. Stairs are just the urban equivalent of rocks.


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