Can walking my 12 week old puppy really harm him?

Question

From several questions i have asked tonight , a couple more have arrisen.. one being that walking my puppy too far at 12 weeks is not good...what problems can be caused and how far is too far... many thanks...andi

oh sorry i forgot to say he has had all his vaccinations and all clear by vet... thankyou

all fantastic answers so i never know who to put as top answer so dont take it personally if it isnt you..lol... harley our puppy is a cairn/border collie

Answer 1

Yes it can. To much or to strenuous exercise can damage his joints and bones, as he is still developing and growing.

At this age, (also due to vaccination and illnesses he could pick up) I suggest walking him on leash around your yard to get him used to it. You can also let the leash drag behind him as you play in the yard with him to get him used to the feel of the leash.

A puppy that young can use several fun play sessions with you outside, like with a ball, but walking it any real distance at this point is a no no.

Also, be sure to have him on a high quality puppy food to help him develop and be healthy.

Spay or neuter!

Answer 2

Think of it this way, how far would you expect a baby to walk?
Your puppy is a baby and needs only short walks or exercise sessions at this age! Being a border collie/ cairn terrier cross he will have higher energy levels than most breeds so will be able to walk further than a 12 week old toy breed but too much can damage growing bones and delicate pads (if a lot of the walk is on paved streets) It's better to give them a few walks of 10 to 15 minutes and increase the time weekly! You will soon find that you are far more in need of a rest than he is! Both the Border Collie and anything bearing the name Terrier were bred for stamina. Make sure that he has plenty to occupy him and start training him gently as early as possible, that way you won't end up with a destructive, boistrous menace which ends up in a shelter waiting for someone like me to rescue him!

Answer 3

First I did not see your first question. Here is what I told all my clients. Start the pup out slow. A ten minute walk the first week is fine then add 5 minutes each week until the pup is used to you walking time. Little pups tired quickly so take that into consideration. I bred Golden's a large breed pup so you can also take that into consideration. If your pup is of a smaller breed then I see no reason to alter for the time table I have given. Big or small good excersise will only make your pup stronger and more plesent to be around. Besides when I took my dogs out for the first time in my neighborhood I think I would walk 20 feet before a neighbor or someone else would stop to talk and pet the pups. So ten minutes the first week is a good starting point. Beleive me if your pup tires it will let you know by sitting down and not moving an inch. At 12 weeks is a good time to get him outside and get walking.

Answer 4

You have to remember that a puppy of whatever breed at this age needs more sleep than exercise, I generally don't take puppies out of the garden until they are at least 16 weeks and then it will only be very gentle exercise, of perhaps 10 minutes 2-3 times a day, puppies bones at this age are still very vulnerable, so no off lead, especially with bigger dogs around as although they may be friendly towards your pup, the playing will be too strenuous. So if you do take him out at this age, just keep the exercise to a minimum for now, he will soon be ready to go for 2 hour treks, especially as he has Border Collie in him!............. Believe me I know!

Answer 5

Apologies if this repeats anything said earlier, because I haven't seen your other questions. Your puppy does need exercise but you don't have to train him for the Olympics. Let him be your guide - he will let you know when he's tired!

But just as important as exercise itself is the sniffing he does to detect where other dogs have been - he needs that a great deal, so a gentle wander with him where he is able to sniff round the trees is far better than staying at home. He also needs to mix with other dogs to become socialised, because if you don't do this he could grow up fearful or aggressive. So if you're not taking him to puppy classes, let him meet other dogs on the streets or in the park. And enjoy him!

Answer 6

take no notice of fatrat, he is obviously a TOTAL SPAKer because vets have to be more clever than doctors and he cant even spell, so he probably isnt one.
whats your hurry with walking your pup too far, its more important that it socialises, think of exciting things that he can do rather than walk, take him to a train station and let him meet people and get used to loud noises, take him to a farm and get him used to other animals, take him to the woods, skateboard park, swimming lessons, town, school at home time. he will get more enjoyment and stimulation out of all that than a long walk, and you will help create more of a sociable puppy, ONE RULE IS: 5 Min's twice a day for every month since they were born. is sufficient, don't forget they have little soft bones and muscles, after 12 - 18 months there bodies can cope with loads more now they are fully grown - ENJOY A GOOD PLAY IN THE BACK GARDEN, and a fifteen min lead training and socialising out the front per day

Answer 7

No one can answer "how far is too far" without knowing what breed your dog is. Obviously you can walk a puppy the size of a lab a lot farther than you could walk a chihuahua puppy. The problems that can be caused by too much walking in a young puppy are you can damage their joints. However, those problems are most common in large and giant breed dogs. Why not call your puppy's breeder for some common sense advice on his care?

Answer 8

Puppy's at 12 weeks old cannot manage mile long walks so usually a 20-30 min walk a day is sufficient,with my own dogs when they were pupy's we would go down the feild and they would run around with other dogs which wore them out.It's also very important you take you take your pup out other places such as busy town centers,markets,outside a school to pick/drop off children etc this is important socialisation that determines your dogs temperment as he grows older.Good luck with your new puppy.

Answer 9

You can harm young dogs by exercising them too heavily. If you walk at a moderate/light speed, you could probably walk for about a half mile with a 12 week old puppy. If the puppy starts to get tired - end the walk. Over exercising a dog at a young age (especially if it is a large breed dog) can be harmful to their joints, especially if prone to hip or elbow dysplasia.

Answer 10

I dont think you can walk a puppy to far they let you know when they are tired so you can pick him up and carry him the rest of the way. Unless its like my pup that was 10 pounds at 6 weeks old and at 4 months old weighed 45 pounds then it would be hard to carry them. Walking on a leash at an early age is great teach them early wont have the fight when they are older