Running with a young dog

[phej]

Our puppy is now about 10 month old. We just started taking her for short (1-2 miles) runs on soft surface (trails in the woods, never concrete). Is it too early? While she can romp around in the woods for hours with no problem, she seems exhausted after controlled running (not while actually running, but after we get home). I guess I am having second thoughts. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[juliepoudrier]

Running, like any repetitive motion, is hard on the joints. Consider that most youngsters' joint growth plates don't close until they are around 18 months old, so repetitive impact before that age could affect the joints. Running surface and climate will make a difference too (though in NY at this time of year, I imagine you don't have to worry about heat and humidity). If she seems exhausted after her runs (it's more work to go steadily for X miles than to stop and start, sniff around, romp a bit), then you are probably overdoing it, even though it seems like a short distance to you. I personally would take her only on short jogs, with plenty of walking in between, until she was at least a year old. Long walks, with her allowed to set the pace are probably ideal for a youngster. I even use long walks (off leash so they are free to set their pace, within reason--no lingering for ages to sniff things) to condition my adult dogs. While my working dogs start working at a younger age, they aren't running for really long periods of time--it's usually more start-stop and only for short periods of time.

 

It wouldn't hurt to have a vet check and discuss your concerns with him/her as well.

 

J.

[phej]

Running, like any repetitive motion, is hard on the joints. Consider that most youngsters' joint growth plates don't close until they are around 18 months old, so repetitive impact before that age could affect the joints. Running surface and climate will make a difference too (though in NY at this time of year, I imagine you don't have to worry about heat and humidity). If she seems exhausted after her runs (it's more work to go steadily for X miles than to stop and start, sniff around, romp a bit), then you are probably overdoing it, even though it seems like a short distance to you. I personally would take her only on short jogs, with plenty of walking in between, until she was at least a year old. Long walks, with her allowed to set the paThance are probably ideal for a youngster. I even use long walks (off leash so they are free to set their pace, within reason--no lingering for ages to sniff things) to condition my adult dogs. While my working dogs start working at a younger age, they aren't running for really long periods of time--it's usually more start-stop and only for short periods of time.

 

It wouldn't hurt to have a vet check and discuss your concerns with him/her as well.

 

J.

 

Thank you, Julie! This is helpful. I have seen people taking their 4 month old pups for runs, which I thought was not very smart at all, but its so hard with the teenagers who seem to have enough energy to take your house apart, and yet are just not ready to do some of the activities that would tire them out. :-)

[herdcentral]

I have a 9 month old BC and I take her for a walk to the beach everyday. I let her set her own pace as I walk. She runs around a bit herself, chases the occasional seagull, does a bit of swimming, lots of sniffing and never seems exhausted at the end of it. When I am at work I leave her inside. When I am home she does the occasional zoom around the backyard.

 

 

I have had her since 4 months and have been doing these walks since then and I have gradually been increasing their duration.