# Long walks - not good for the bones?



## Shai (Feb 14, 2012)

I took my 11 weeks old out for her longest walk yet - 4.5 miles, in about 90 minutes (good pace). She seemed to really enjoy herself and sport crazy energy levels, even after I had tired down and slowed the pace. I this kind of walk good for her, or can it damage the growth process?


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

what else is going on in the dog's life?

at this age , typically , vaccinations and growth periods.

exercise , that length and that clip , are physiologically stressing . For a pup that age that is pretty intense . 
There is such a thing as "overtraining syndrome" which shows temporary decrease in the immune system .

Ideally at this age you allow the dog freedom of movement to self- select time , distance, speed of movement .


----------



## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

4.5 miles at 11 weeks seems VERY far to me.
That is repetitive pounding on bones, cartilage and tendons for a
dog that is still a baby and just starting to grow.
I would keep it under a mile at this age and increase it at about 1/2 mile per month.


----------



## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

Agree with Paddy and Carmen. And if the long walks are on pavement/cement, that adds to the stress.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i got my pup when he was 9 weeks old. some
weeks later we were walking from his puppy class
which was 1 mile away. we were walking at a very slow pace.
i was letting my do whatever he wanted. 40 yards from our house he
plopped to the ground. later on he started limping.
he had scratch on his paw. i realized then that he was never
on asphalt or concrete. he was in our back yard and the woods.
he plopped from the slow walk. your pup is young. let him build
some muscle, let his pads toughen, let him age. build up
to 4 mile walks. when my pup was 4 to 6 months old we
were walking a mile. when he was 18 months to 2 yrs old
we were walking 5 miles. i like the slow easy, build up to it method of 
doing things with my dogs.

you went 4.5 miles in 90 minutes with a 11 week old
pup. i go 5 miles in 2&1/2 hours (maybe 3 hours)
with a 4.5 yr old and that includes taking a break
or 2 for water and rest (i need the breaks more than the dog) lol.


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I wouldn't go that far with a puppy that age, especially if it was on a leash or on pavement. 

We were doing those distances when my pup was about 14 weeks, but it was off-leash in the woods and I let him set the pace. There were plenty of stops for rest and water.


----------



## Shai (Feb 14, 2012)

thanks, i'll ease up on her untill she's older. nevertheless, I do want her to be my jog buddy whem matured. do u reckon I should build some kind of training program?


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Shai said:


> thanks, i'll ease up on her untill she's older. nevertheless, I do want her to be my jog buddy whem matured. do u reckon I should build some kind of training program?


For now, most of her exercise should be off-leash if at all possible. Is 3 miles per hour your normal jogging pace? That's a fast walk/slow trot for a GSD and I really don't have an issue with a couple of miles at that pace by the time the dog is 4 or 5 months old. Start slowly and keep an eye on the pads of her feet. Carry water for her if it's more than about 80 degrees out. I'd keep her at that pace until she's about a year and then start adding some faster intervals if you want to go faster. Meanwhile, let her run flat-out as much as she wants on grass or dirt.


----------



## Anjulian (May 28, 2011)

It is generally said that a pup needs about 5 min walk for each month of his age, plus 5 minutes. That is on leash. So a pup pf 3 months would be out walking with you for 20 mins. It is of course different when they are off leash. I have always found this to be helpful so as not to cause problems for a growing pup. Hope that helps. Julie.


----------



## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

I exercise my pups alot BUT it's off leash and more at their own pace. 

OFF LEASH

That way it's more at a pace they can feel comfortable with and I don't have to worry about. I want the running and stopping and resting and running and walking and trotting and stopping and walking and..................

I really keep an eye on my pups when they are young and force myself to pay attention and go more at THEIR pace.

But by the time they are about 6 months I can't walk fast enough/long enough to tire them out. I'd still be careful about repetative (sp?) exercise on a hard surface, or lots of high impact activities, but not really distance.

OFF LEASH is key! So the pup can adjust their pace. 





 
May be more ideas here --> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/development-socialization/111084-proper-exercise-puppies.html


----------



## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

I would stick with 1/2 mile per month for an easy-to-remember conservative estimate. When the dog is 7-8 months or more, a good pace would be 9 - 10 minute miles or 6-7 miles per hour. Walking pace is 3 (me) to 4(my wife) miles per hour. As stated, off leash in the woods is best because they can go in spurts and the ground is soft. JMHO


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

" I do want her to be my jog buddy whem matured. do u reckon I should build some kind of training program"

-- absolutely ! For yourself. lol.
soon will come the day when that dog can go 10 tens as far as you can , you need to be fit .

Carmen


----------



## Shai (Feb 14, 2012)

I use a retractable leash along the beach, and stop when ever she hangs behind, so it's basically her own pace, mostly on soft sand. I'll stick to the 5 mintue - 1\2 mile per month rule and gradually add intensitiy as she starts to phase into maturity. gonna' be lots of fun!


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I disagree that long walks will harm a puppy. Running is stressful, walking is gentle exercise. Jumping and rough dog-dog playing are far more stressful on the body than walking. 

I have had dogs for 24 years. Any that I adopted as puppies started long walks as soon as they were acclimated to them. These walks were both on and off leash. This never caused problems. 

My CAT took very long walks with us. When she was younger she would go as far as 4 miles at a time. When she was older (even last summer at age 19) she would walk a half mile.


----------

