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Dr. Chris Zink Answers Questions on the Care and Health of the Canine Companion |
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Written by Dr. Chris Zink
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 Q:
As a trainer I constantly get asked how much exercise can my puppy have. Vets seem to be vague about how much to do and owners either exercise too much daily or only a long walk once a week.
I feel there should be a difference in how much exercise a large breed puppy of under six months should have compared to a small breed. What would your answer be to an owner of either large or small be?
Jacqui Jones (Alpha Dog Training)
A:
The following are the guidelines that I use for puppies. They err on the side of being safe because I have seen a number of problems in young adult and middle-aged dogs from being trained and exercised too young.
Puppies up to 6 months of age:
All the playing that they want to do (except for body-slamming games).
Moderate free exercise such as short walks, hikes through the woods, etc.
Fun, non-impact training like sit, stay, come, targeting, low agility contact obstacles.
Early jump training, such as cantering over unevenly spaced poles on the ground.
No jumps above carpus (wrist) height, no strength or endurance training.
Puppies from 6 to 14 months of age (before the growth plates in the bones have fully closed):
Increasing periods of free exercise.
Continued jump training with jumps heights
gradually increasing from carpus to elbow height.
Gradually increasing height of agility contact obstacles. Full height teeter and dog-walk only after 10 months.
Strength training exercises such as sitting up, retrieving on land and water, etc.
Coordination exercises such as backing up, pivoting crawling.
After 14 months of age (growth plates have now closed in all breeds):
Daily free exercise.
Jump heights gradually increasing to full height
Start training weave poles
Continued daily strength training exercises
Beginning endurance exercises, such as trotting 20 minutes three times a week, swimming continuously for 5 or more minutes.
Gradually increasing endurance exercises in a percentage that is appropriate for the level of endurance involved in the dog's performance events.*
*Performance events that require mainly endurance include: mushing, herding, field trials and hunt tests.
Performance events that have both endurance and strength components include:
Tracking, lure coursing.
Performance events that require predominantly strength include: flyball, obedience, agility, terrier trials.
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