Exercising A Puppy

[miss shel]

Hi there

we are getting our new puppy in about 10 days, he will be 8 weeks old, a beagle.

How much exercise should we give him each day. I have heard its not good to walk your dog too long when they are a pup. Should we just play with him in the back yard at first? When can we start walking him and for how long.

Thanks

Shel

[SALTWOOD]

Yes, don't go for long walks but you can play in your backyard with him. Chasing a ball, tug toys, etc.

Also you can start teaching him to walk on a lead in your backyard and to sit for a treat. That way he will be ready when he is fully immunised.

When he is 12 weeks old and he has had his immunisations take him to puppy preschool.

Socialising is important but you also have to be careful he doesn't pick up diseases before he is fully immunised.

Good luck with your new baby!

[SoL]

Hi there

We have a 17wk old pup and we've just started taking her for little walks up and down the street. Well, it's more of an up-stop, stop, stop stop kind of walk so it takes a long time for such a little way LOL However, I also 'train' with her (ie lead training, stacking up etc) for about 5 mins a day.

I would say don't do too much at this stage. They need to grow and be strong before any strenuous exercise takes place. Playing in the back yard should be quite sufficient for the moment.

[Tunsafun Boxers]

our dogs dont get walked very often (not because of them, but because our neighbors dont contain their dogs in their own yards!).

i exercise our dogs in the front yard playing with balls etc.

our puppies (8 and 10 months) have only just started going to the oval for a little exercise, but as they are big dogs, we keep the exercise to a minimum.

as a rule, i dont take my puppies out for a walk (away from home) until they are at least 6 months old, and then only for about 5 minutes twice a week.

i'd stick to working in your back yard until he is getting the hang of it and then off to puppy school!

[miss shel]

Thanks for your help.

I will start off in the back yard.

I have found one puppy school near where I live, who are they generally run by? Im near Liverpool/Campbelltown.

Thanks

Shel

[Gretel]

Many vet clinics run puppy preschool

[Flying Penguin]

After my beagle had all her injections we walked her once a day, and now we are walking her twice a day, once in the morning and once at night time.

We also play with her during the day throwing the ball around the backyard etc with her as well so she is exercising. Beagles have ALOT of enegry!

EDIT: we also went to puppy pre school and then the follow on course from that, muts with manners

Edited January 24, 2007 by Flying Penguin

[huski]

After my beagle had all her injections we walked her once a day, and now we are walking her twice a day, once in the morning and once at night time.

We also play with her during the day throwing the ball around the backyard etc with her as well so she is exercising. Beagles have ALOT of enegry!

EDIT: we also went to puppy pre school and then the follow on course from that, muts with manners

FP, how long are your walks with your Beagle? Daisy has had all her shots and she is currently doing puppy preschool now. She is getting walked once a day although I'm not home until next week so I'm not 100% how long the walk is. Apparently she is completely full of energy, even after her walk. Obviously she can't do the hour long walk I do with my Sibe so I will have to do two separate walks when I get home next week (walking the dogs is generally my job).

Edited January 24, 2007 by husky87

[Flying Penguin]

After my beagle had all her injections we walked her once a day, and now we are walking her twice a day, once in the morning and once at night time.

We also play with her during the day throwing the ball around the backyard etc with her as well so she is exercising. Beagles have ALOT of enegry!

EDIT: we also went to puppy pre school and then the follow on course from that, muts with manners

FP, how long are your walks with your Beagle? Daisy has had all her shots and she is currently doing puppy preschool now. She is getting walked once a day although I'm not home until next week so I'm not 100% how long the walk is. Apparently she is completely full of energy, even after her walk. Obviously she can't do the hour long walk I do with my Sibe so I will have to do two separate walks when I get home next week (walking the dogs is generally my job).

Ahh thats what was happening with Sam, we would take her and she would still be full of energy. Our vet who also owns a beagle recommended 30-40 min walks, depending on how fast you walk and when she builds up and can walk longer we can go for a longer period of time. He also said the half hour walks are good about three times a day, if obviously time permits. Being a student some times im home at lunch times and sometimes im not. If i am I take her in the morning, lunch and then after dinner. If not just in the morning and after/before dinner. She gets a bit ancy(?) if she doesn't get her walks because she is a little bundle of energy.

[miss shel]

Thanks Flying Penguin

[huski]

Thanks from me too FP.

[Rozzie]

miss shel... we went to the puppy preschool at St Andrews vet... don't know if you are close to there but they were wonderful...

[Jellybean Chick]

Miss Shel, it's also probably a good idea to ask the Puppy Pre school what you'll actually be doing there, what is involved etc. As the one I went to (was at a local vets) just put all of the puppies in one room (to play/socialize) then just taught the humans things about dogs (responsible dog ownership, breeding, what to feed etc.) in another room (we didn't even get to see our dogs until an hour later!).