August 01, 2013
My 13 week old pup has so much energy & I'm paranoid about hip dysplasia, should I be restricting her exercise?
Full Question:
I have Puppies 8 weeks to 8 months and the series of building drive and focus. I love them but have a couple questions as a first time dog owner.I have a GSD working line puppy that is 13 weeks old now. She has soooo much energy that I'm having a hard time gauging how much exercise is too much. Right now, I'm walking her around the block about 3 times a day (sometimes I take her for a longer walk because she has so much energy) and I train her once a day in the backyard. I know I'm not supposed to run with her, but when I give her the STAY command and then tell her COME, she does run to me. Should I be walking her less or restricting her from running every day? I am very paranoid about causing dysplasia. What preventative measures can I take?
Cindy's Answer:
I wouldn't be so overly worried about her running around. Puppies build muscle and coordination via play and running. What we don't want to encourage is FORCED running, structured extended exercise sessions or extreme hiking where the pup shows they don't want to go on.
You may also want to drain her energy thru restrained recalls as shown in the video Training the Recall. I would also suggest several short (2-4 minute) sessions on engagement and marker training each day. That's one of the best ways to tire out a pup.
I hope this helps.
Cindy Rhodes
You may also want to drain her energy thru restrained recalls as shown in the video Training the Recall. I would also suggest several short (2-4 minute) sessions on engagement and marker training each day. That's one of the best ways to tire out a pup.
I hope this helps.
Cindy Rhodes
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