Hello Everyone...

Cozi (Rottweiler) is 4 months old already (I can't believe it)! We have been going for short walks on the new trails that were just recently finished a short distance from our house.

I haven't been able to locate any credible/reliable information regarding a safe distance for walking. I do absolutely no 'forced' exercise w/him (unless the walking is considered 'forced') & my desire is to preserve & maintain his musculoskeletal integrity, along w/his health & well-being.

Would anyone here be able to advise me regarding distance recommendations for a puppy?

Thank you!

Dana.

I would not walk a 4-month pup on sidewalk for over 4-5 city blocks. I used to live in midtown Manhattan and now downtown Toronto and in both instances with pups, I was fortunate to have lived just 2-3 blocks from a park where I walked my pup to and allowed them to just romp around in the grass.

When the sun is out on a summer day, I don't walk them until night or early morning and do not let them go down flights of stairs - I carry them. I know I may seem paranoid, but don't want to risk displasia.

With 4 month old pups I only let them do voluntary exercise. Play in the yard, chase bugs etc. I don't take them on structured leash walks till later, especially not asphalt. So stick to the trails and keep the walks very short.

I am very conservative with puppy exercise while the joints are still growing and growth plates aren't closed yet.

For socializing I would take my 4 month old in the car, and then let him walk around on leash when we got to the destination (pet store, park, etc) - I did NOT walk him for exercise.

Exercise was ball in the back yard or romping with another of my dogs for a few minutes - i.e. free run time.

I had the same problem: locating reliable information regarding how much exercise is safe. I can tell you from now on I'll do things differently. I've had two shepherds, both got ALL their recommended vaccinations right on time, like the "good owners" we were. Both had leashed walks. I consulted multiple sources, the Monks of New Skeet recommend long woods walks as good for puppies, so that's what we did. If he laid down, that'd be the end of the walk. We had 1-2 flights of stairs we allowed both dogs to do (the breeder said it was ok!) (In fact, when we went to visit the breeder, he saw us lifting the pup out of our back seat, and he asked what we were doing, it's ok for him to jump out!)

Both dogs developed dysplasia; one bilateral hip the other bilateral elbow. I suspect the vaccines along with early over-exercise had something to do with it.

Never again! I'll carry my pup on stairs, getting out of the car, and follow the advice from here regarding exercise. And my vaccine schedule will be significantly pared down, if not eliminated.

I am fine with pups doing stairs (doing, not overdoing) and stuff like that. HD is either there or it's not. A dog that has great genetics for hips isn't going to get HD "just like that." But a dog that is predisposed to having bad hips would be better off not doing those things. But if you know a dog is going to have a high probability of bad hips, it begs the question: Why did you get the pup?

According to all the research I've done about this, ALL dogs are genetically capable of developing joint dysplasia, and the larger breeds are more prone obviously due to their size. Other factors usually contribute to a dog actually developing it, be it over feeding, over exercising, vaccines interfering with normal bone/ joint development. Some dogs may have a genetic higher susceptibility, for sure, but that doesn't guarantee they'd develop dysplasia. Both lines we bought from were healthy, competition lines. I truly feel in our case, we got a dog who perhaps was genetically more prone to developing dysplasia, and everything was set up just right environmentally for it to actually develop. To bad learning has to come after the fact.

I share your concern, Stephanie. I have a 13 week old presa canario pup (Cleo). I worry about the stairs in our house. I ALWAYS carry her down the stairs but sometimes let her walk up, so long as she is leashed and I'm right there in case she slips.

She is now over 35 lbs. Pretty soon, it's going to be dangerous for me to carry her down the stairs. Does anyone know at what age she can safely descend the stairs on her own?

BTW, Stephanie, I don't walk Cleo. We play tug, she runs around the yard, I swim her and play a little ball (only about 10-15 feet each roll and only for a few mins). After about 5 mins of play, she's ready to crash. I really don't think she'd be ready for a walk. That's my thoughts on the walk issue, for what it's worth. But, like my stairs question, I wonder at what age it is ok to walk her?

I carried my pup(s) down stairs until it became dangerous to me because of their size(s). Even then, I try to limit them going down a flight of stairs as much as possible. I believe at around 1 year old, I would no longer intentionally avoid stairs (I think that is also around the age I would go on short jogs with them). Going up stairs I do not have concerns with - my concern with going down stairs is not so much that they may slip, but the impact stairs has on the joints and plates.

Wow did this one catch my attention! This evening, our 4 month old GSD stood up after a nap (before nap he was romping with our smaller dog). When I stood up, he went to follow me and started screaming and limping. THAT was a nightmare! Pure terror ran through me because I didn't think it was ever going to end. And I am scared to death now and demanded a ramp for the four steps off the back door and no more romping.

Anyone have any suggestions after something like this? He is in the middle of another growing/eating spurt for sure. He has had no x-rays since our old-fashion vet doesn't think they are necessary or can prevent anything :0( I think I must be able to do something even if it is getting a little more educated if anyone knows any links.

OH - and I am in the middle of trying to find an "additional" vet for these things and keep our regular vet for emergencies - so know I am "trying" - it's just hard to find an up-to-date vet under 4.5 hours away and I don't have much time for preventative medicine. One vet I'll probable be seeing is VERY accepting of any info a client brings in and loves to keep up with new medicine (works with people without making them feel foolish - sounds like he appreciates the input). Yet he admitted he hasn't dealt with many GSD's at all :0(

Dee