Exercising question

[ebkelsey]

I was reading some information on other sites and it made me curious. I generally take my dog for a 10-15 min walk every day. During the walk he is always wanting to run instead of walk. After our walks he isn't tired at all, mainly he is still just as hyper. I'm not sayin that try to tire him completely out on the walks. Since he acts like the walks don't effect him that much is it ok if I take him out running with me instead of his walks or should I just lengthen the walk. On the other site it said that running can cause structural problems like in the hips because the joints aren't closed. Well I thought that running would strengthen the joints and muscles instead of hurt them. Well in short I just want to know if its fine to take him running. Just want someone elses opinion.

Eric

[daisykatep]

Hi I'm a dog walker and all of the dogs I take out have at least a 30 min walk morning and evening plus an hour with me in the middle of the day. All dogs should get this amount of excersise unless they suffer from any health problems and also puppies up until about a year old don't need as much as a fully grown dog, that allows thier muscles, joints and lungs to develope properly. If you do take your dog running do it gradually because if he's only been getting 10 to 15 minutes a day it could be too much for him. All dogs should get at least an hour a day. What sort of dog is he and how old? hope I've been some help. :)

[imported_Cassie]

IMO, and I have owned dogs for over 40 years. I certainly let my dogs have fun on their walks...I find a nice area they can run and play and tire them selves out. If you plan on jogging with your dog and you have only been letting your dog have short 10-15 minute walks, I would build him up for it first.
This is just an example of how our dogs benefit from exercise. I own 4 Newfoundland dogs and 1 Dobie and 1 Rottie...my Rottie has HD, she still rips around with my other dogs and has a great time. My friend who breeds Newfoundland dogs keeps her dogs only for show...she let a couple of her Newf's out to play in her 1 acre compound,prior to this the dogs were stuck in a kennel for months, muscle tone was horrible...one the Newf's ended up tearing his cruciate ligament...he was out of shape. I took one of her males and he also tore his cruciate ligament the first time out...he also was out of shape. With him, I built him up gradually..now he plays right along side my other dogs and has a blast.
My idea of a healthy dog, let them play, run, do what dogs love to do. The only time you are going to run into problems is if you have inconsistant exercise plans...I would not recommend you taking your dog for only 10-15 minute leash walks during the week then expect he can jog with you on the weekends...be consistant.
One last thing, with my Rottie with HD and one of my Newf's with ED...they get exercised constantly throughout the week. They run, they play...they rip around, they swim...they enjoy life. The last visit I had with my vet they were amazed at the flexability in my dogs joints, the exercise is doing them good. Exercise will help build and tone...build your dog up for it and enjoy his company...just be sure not to jog with your dog during the day in the summer...they can suffer from heat stroke...I would jog in the evening. An active dog is a tired dog...a tired dog is content.
I have even found for adolescent dogs consistant exercise is good for them...it helps build them up. This is what I did when I adopted my 10 month old Newf bitch about 1 1/2 ago...she ran, played etc. the breeders are amazed at her general health and muscle tone...her hips scored perfect and so did her elbows...yet, other pups from her litter have scored low on their hip and elbows...the ones which scored low were not exercised very often.

[ebkelsey]

He is an APBT, he is 15 weeks old. The 10 to 15 min walk isn't all the excercise he gets, after the walk I usually let him run around playin with my other dogs until he shows sign that he is tired and ready to go back in. And yes I would start with short jogs and build up as I watch him and see how he reacts to it. Thanks for what you have shared already.

Eric

[Guest Anonymous]

He is very young I have a new guy about the same age and the same breed. Diallo goes out with drey and deja on walks, I usually only take two out but he is almost always one of the two. we will walk anywhere from 30-60 mins. if we are walking. if we go to the park where they spend most of thier time running and chasing stuff then 20 minutes or so. then we head home. They usually sleep better after they are tired out, there is no destructive behavior and they are a lot more calm around the house. its a good idea to take it slow with a pup though, as you dont want to over do it. I wouldnt walk him in extreme heat either, wait until dusk, when its still light but the sun has gone down some.

[Aroura]

At 15 weeks old you probably shouldn't be jogging with him, for the same reason as they reccomend you don't start agility until about a year and a half, the joints and stuff are still growing. Is there anywhere you can take him swimming? Swimming is a great exercise for growing dogs, as well as all dogs in general, it exercises without straining anything.

My dogs get an hour walk each day, half the walk the papillons get let off lead so they can run around and wear themselves out, Lily is too dog aggressive so can't be let off lead! Its a good idea for younger dogs if you can find somewhere to let them off lead so they can romp around and wear themselves out at their own rate, as he gets older gradually make his walks longer and after a year or so you can start jogging with him :wink:

[Malamum]

At 15 weeks old he doesn't need that much leash walking and I definitley wouldn't run with him just yet. As long as he gets lots of play time and runs around in the yard at home that should be plenty combined with the 10-15 minute walk each day.

I have a large breed and I started taking him for longer walks when he hit 6 months, it was still at a fairly casual pace but we just built up the distance. Then once he hit year we then went further and faster and now that he has passed 18 months we are starting to go jogging.

I really don't know how quickly pits develop compared to the larger breeds but I would still take it fairly easy and not push him too much until he is fully grown.