Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

How much exercise for a puppy?

Species: Dog
Breed: golden
Age: Less than 3 mon
Hi Dr Marie,

I'm pleased to report Max is doing well.. changing from Iams to p/d resolved his diahrea and all of those objects he swallowed eventially passed. You'd be amazed what a puppy can swallow.

Max is now 3.5 months old and 27 lbs.

Three weeks ago I took him walking downtown for atleast an hour. This past weekend we went walking for a good 45 minutes. Aside from sleeping well that night he exhibited absolutely no signs of discomfort that day or the next.

The reason for my email is I was recently told by a breeder you should never take a puppy his age on a walk longer than 30 minutes.

It was just those two walks, but needless to say we won't do that again until he's atleast 1.5 yrs old.

But I'm concerned now that I may have done irreperable harm to his bones or joints that may not show up until later.

Also, what is a safe number of stairs/day for him to walk?

Thanks again.

Jay


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Jay! I'm so glad to hear that Max is feeling better!

I have no problem with Max going for long walks. The reason why some people say to limit exercise is that there is fear that we could cause damage to growth plates in growing dogs. However, my belief is that the only dogs that we would see problems in are dogs that already have a joint problem. I have never, in 12 years of practice treated a dog that was injured because of too much exercise as a puppy. Realistically if too much exercise could damage joints then we would put limits on how much exercise children could do.

So I would say go ahead and do the long walks. If Max is TOTALLY exhausted or really sore the next day then you may want to shorten the walks a little bit.

Sounds like you guys are having fun!

Dr. Marie


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Large scab on cat's neck Dear Dr. Marie, My cat has a scab on its back, it's L shaped and is uniformly... (14205 views)

Should we do surgery? Hello Dr. Marie, My cat Gus will be 15 in 3 months. We have been working with his... (10426 views)

what kind of dog to get Hi Please help! I want to get my Golden Retriever (male) a friend, but not... (6962 views)

Quiet after dentistry. Good morning...this may be lengthy...sorry. Despite my cats advanced age of 17,... (6259 views)

Pine bedding and gerbils. Hi, We noticed that our gerbil was lethargic, eyes closed, breathing rapidly. I... (9022 views)

Wheatgrass for cats? Dear Dr. Marie, I have a question for Fei Meow again. As Fei Meow is very happy... (23718 views)

Paralyzed chihuahua My Dog Was Lost For 2 days and i found him 12-11-10 at 4pm curled up in a ball... (10067 views)

Dog weak slow and shaking. My dog has become not interest in anything and has become very weak and has very... (14811 views)

Vomiting dog. Our vet has told us that Lola won't digest all her food and empty her stomach in the... (7845 views)

Repeated diarrhea and vomiting. Dr. Marie: Thank you for your input and warning -- this will be a bit lengthy. I... (11581 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.