Walking puppies

[edfroncz]

I have a 4 month old mixed breed dog. Not positive of the breeds but he is over 30 lbs now with huge paws. I have a question about taking him for walks. I have been walking him for 20 + minutes each morning. Our trainer says not to take more that 5 minute walks because his muscles are not developed enough yet. Are there some basic guidelines about how much walking puppies can handle? I would like some advice on this because I really enjoy walking with him. Thanks.

[Erica]

The guideline I've heard (and gone by with my own puppy) is 5 minutes for every month of age...so at 4 months, a 20 minute walk is good (4x5=20). It's not so much about the muscles as it is about preventing the joints and bones from being overworked while they're developing, to help prevent problems later on in life. On that note, walking on soft surfaces, eg dirt or sand, will be better for joints than walking and running on hard surfaces like asphalt or concrete.

[edfroncz]

What about hiking? We like to hike occasionally. Do we wait until he is fully grown (14 to 18 months, I guess) before we take him? It is going to feel really weird going for a hike and leaving our dog at home.

[JudyN]

It really is worth sticking to shorter walks for now to protect his joints in the long run. It's possible you could go further if you build in plenty of breaks and go very much at the pup's pace, replicating what he would do if left to his own devices in the house & garden, but that probably wouldn't be your idea of a good hike.

His puppyhood will pass faster than you imagine

[edfroncz]

That's what I am seeing here and other places. He's a great puppy and we want to keep him healthy so we'll keep the walks short and wait a bit before taking him on a hike. Thanks