# Jumping bad for hips?



## dg39 (Nov 26, 2014)

I have a 1 year old German Shepherd / Rottweiler mix so naturally I'm worried about future joint problems. 

I haven't noticed any obvious signs of problems, he does have that Rott waddle but nothing that concerns me. He's a pretty athletic dog, loves running and can jump out of the gym. Its the jumping that I'm slightly worried about. 

He's really toy/stick motivated and sometimes he'll jump for them when were out playing, about a foot or two off the ground. Every once in awhile though I get caught up in the fun and I hold the toy out and tell him to get it. He can grab it above my shoulder level and I'm around 6 foot tall. 

I never think about the negatives till he comes crashing back to the ground landing on his butt and hips. 

I should definitely cut the jumping out or at least keep it to a minimum right?

One big thing he has going for him though is that he's relatively small for his age and breed mix. He's about 23 inches tall and only 60 pounds, but not underweight by any means ( good amounts of muscle, can't see ribs) That should be a lot easier on his joints than if he was 100lbs. 

Opinions?


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## Zeusthegsd143 (Nov 24, 2014)

Bump


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

I sure hope the jumping isn't detrimental to a dog's well being....I took it easy on my pup for the first year and change as I had read there are growth plates which need to be considered as the dog matures to full size. However, now that she is mature and has been for a while...she's a jumping fool...loves her frisbee and has quite the aerial maneuvers.

Hopefully, someone with knowledge on this topic will add their educated thoughts.


SuperG


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## dhaney81 (Nov 5, 2014)

I worry about jumping and my 5 month olds joints sometimes as well. I let my dog hang out when I'm watch tv in bed (never sleeps with me though) and seeing him jump off the bed sometimes worry's me. Also when we use the flirt pole(the best toy ever!) he gets really excited jumps pretty high for it. I have room to use the flirt pole inside though, so at least it's on carpet which is a soft surface.


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

I'm no expert ... I waited until Kyleigh was 18 months (and vet checked) to start the "hard core" stuff with her - running, pulling, big jumps, etc. 

When she was a puppy, and playing with other dogs, I placed no "restrictions" on her ... if she was running full out with another dog and having fun, I let her do it ... if she was jumping around and rough housing with another dog, I let her do that too ... (being mindful of course that they are playing and not trying to eat each other!)


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## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

My boy isn't a jumper, but he has.. He doesn't sleep on the bed, we decided the day he could get up and down by himself, then he could sleep on the bed..hasn't happened. I still lift him into the back of the SRX, he jumps out though.. I always thought mixed breeds didn't have hip problems, is this an old wives tale, am I wrong?


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## Ruger Monster (Jan 29, 2015)

Ruger has taken to jumping this week, and I've been a little worried, but I also worry about _everything_ when it comes to my boy. He's just over 12 weeks. I make sure he doesnt jump down the stairs or off the couch or bed, but he'll try and jump over one of the boxes that keeps him in the kitchen nook when we're not home (his x-pen comes in tomorrow). He's started to jump with all 4 feet off the ground instead of just throwing his front feet up in the air. I'm hoping it won't cause any issues, as it's not jumping from a height, and he can only go as far as his little body momentum will get him...


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## gsdheeler (Apr 12, 2010)

Mixes can have the same hip and elbow issues as pure bred dogs.
Riot is 7 1/2 months old an doing agility, as far as jumping he is jumping 10 inches. The agility flooring is dirt, sawdust and chips, so it's soft and has some give for landing. I plan on keeping his jump height low and focus on confidence building and handling for quite sometime.
Keeping him from doing something stupid at home is a differant thing, with the cold weather he isn't getting enough exersize so he's bouncing off the walls and the sofa and the chairs. Thank goodness for the outdoor runs.


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## kelbonc (Aug 25, 2014)

Kyleigh said:


> I'm no expert ... I waited until Kyleigh was 18 months (and vet checked) to start the "hard core" stuff with her - running, pulling, big jumps, etc.


 This was the advice I received from my Vet as well.


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