How far should I walk my puppy?
Getting to finally take your puppy out for walks is super exciting. It’s also super confusing. Your puppy needs walks to keep them fit, socialise them and stop them getting bored. But your puppy is also growing rapidly and it’s important not to over-exercise them. So how much exercise is too much?
Unfortunately, it really depends. Every puppy is different. And every walk is different. There’s lots of different factors that go into how far you can walk your puppy: their personality, where you walk them, how fast they’re walking or running… Your puppy’s breed also affects how far you can walk them. Puppies with short legs, long backs or who are a giant breed will be more prone to joint problems and need to be exercised much more carefully.
The 5 minute rule for walking puppies
If you look for advice on how long to walk your puppy you’ll probably find people telling you that you can only walk them 5 minutes per month of age. Usually with dire warnings that over-exercising them will lead to your puppy getting hip dysplasia. This can be pretty scary - no-one wants to hurt their puppy. However, there is no evidence for this set amount of time. It’s basically been plucked out of thin air and has been panicking new puppy carers ever since.
So can you just exercise your puppy as much as you like? Not really. While you definitely don’t need to stress about walking your puppy 10 minutes longer than you ‘should’, you do need to limit their exercise. Lots of fast turns (like playing fetch), walking up and down steps and jumping could damage your puppy’s growing joints so it’s best to avoid these. Puppies also get tired very easily but won’t realise they are. Your puppy will probably keep walking and running with you beyond the point they’re exhausted and their joints are sore. So it’s best to let your puppy control the speed of the walks and take as many breaks as they need.
Long walks are mentally exhausting for puppies
Limiting your puppy’s exercise isn’t just about protecting their joints. The world outside your home is pretty overwhelming for your puppy. There’s new things to see, hear and smell everywhere. You need to socialise your puppy, but good socialisation is short and sweet. Once your puppy becomes tired and overwhelmed they’re going to start to find the world very scary. And that can quickly undo all the good socialisation you’ve done. How long your puppy can cope will depend on their age, their personality and how busy the environment is. You’ll need to judge how your puppy’s feeling - and take them home while they’re still having a good time.
Puppies also need A LOT of sleep. Like 18-20 hours a day… If they’re out walking all day, they’re not getting enough sleep. And that’s going to really affect their behaviour. Tired puppies are bitey puppies. And tired, sore and overwhelmed puppies are VERY bitey puppies. Tired puppies also struggle to learn and remember things you’ve taught them. So those long walks could be making you and your puppy’s life much harder…
Entertaining your puppy at home
Puppies have a lot of energy. And often walking them for longer feels like the only way to stop them bouncing off the walls. So you’re probably thinking that limiting your puppy’s walks sounds like a recipe for disaster. Luckily, there are very easy ways to entertain your puppy at home and help them settle and sleep.
Training is a great way to tire out your puppy because learning new things is EXHAUSTING. Try to keep training simple - fun recall games are great for puppies. Play is super important for puppies. But you need to keep play really short (maybe 1-2 minutes) so your puppy doesn’t get bitey. You can also wrap kibble or treats in paper for your puppy to rip apart. Or scatter some kibble or treats on your floor or in your garden for your dog to sniff out and eat.
Written by Juniper Indigo, dog trainer in Tiverton and Exeter