There is a lot of conflicting advice when it comes to exercise and puppies and this can lead to confusion. Reading all the advice out there can be overwhelming to new puppy guardians.

We know that exercise is a good thing for puppies as it can help build both their bodies and minds. However, the exercise undertaken, should be appropriate to your puppy’s age and development, otherwise there is a significant risk to their developing bones, joints and muscles which can cause irreversible damage such as abnormal gaits, deformities and bones that stop growing.

Puppy exercise is, therefore, not a subject that should be taken lightly, but be approached sensibly.

One suggestion you may have heard of is that puppies should only have 5 minutes of exercise per month of age (i.e. 15 minutes for a 3 month old puppy, 20 minutes for a 4 month old puppy, 25 minutes for a 5 month old puppy etc). But is this correct and is it practical? Should there be a ‘one size fits all’ rule?

Whilst this ‘rule’ was suggested out of concern for puppies welfare, it can unfortunately, result in puppy guardians having sleepless nights about how to keep their energetic puppy from over doing it, but it can also lead to very frustrated puppies who aren’t being provided with the appropriate level of exercise, stimulation or enrichment that they need.

One of the most common concerns when considering puppy exercise is their growth plates. Growth plates are soft areas located at the ends of the long bones in puppies and young dogs. The cells within them allow your puppy’s bones to become longer and more dense and once fully developed the growth plates close and are replaced by solid bone. During this development phase, your puppy is at higher risk of injury if over exercised or whilst undertaking high impact or repetitive activities.

Each breed of dog will grow at a different rate and will be considered ‘fully developed’ at different ages. For example, it will take a giant breed dog to reach skeletal maturity much longer than a small breed dog. Generally, closure of growth plates for small breed dogs happens around 6-8 months of age, while for giant breed dogs, this generally occurs at 14 to 16+ months of age.

So, when we consider factors such as breed, health status, personality, temperament, the mental and physical needs of each puppy, we can start to understand that the one size fits all approach is not the way to go. Instead, your exercise plan should be tailored to your individual puppy based on the factors mentioned above but that exercise plan should always avoid high impact, repetitive and jarring activities such as high concussive (a hard blow or collision), ball throwing, jumping, long walks, flights of stairs and steps and twisting.

It is worth mentioning here that genetics, weight and diet are also risk factors for joint problems. It is vital, therefore, that as well as considering what is appropriate exercise for your puppy, you also choose a reputable breeder who has undertaken the necessary health checks to reduce the risk of hereditary joint problems and that you ensure you are feeding a good, nutritious diet and monitoring their weight.

In summary, we are looking at:

So, keep in mind that slow and steady is best when you have a puppy. In time, once they are fully developed and have matured, you’ll be able to enjoy longer walks and more fun exercises with your healthy dog.

References:

https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/puppy-exercise-5-minuets-per-month-of-life

https://www.thecanineconsultants.co.uk/post/puppy-development-exercise-myth-legend

Puppy Culture Age Appropriate Exercise Poster