How far can puppies walk

[Vikks]

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Hi how far does everyone let their puppies walk and at what age ?

 

[JoanneF]

It's a little more nuanced than just how far to let them walk.

There's a general rule of thumb that puppies should have five minutes of walking per month of age, twice a day, until they reach skeletal maturity. But the type of walking and the surface they are walking on makes a difference. And that five minutes doesn't need to include play or running in the garden. Also, it's more important to be careful with large breeds than smaller ones.

You might find this article interesting - https://www.mylamedog.com/post/what...ng-puppies-until-the-growth-plates-are-closed

 

[Hemlock]

When they are very young, I take them (by car or carrying) to safe places where they can bundle about at my feet and take in the world, rather than actual lead walking. We sit and watch traffic, children in the school playground, people in the park, but far enough away that they don't feel threatened. Actual walking on a lead we might do for 5 minutes in the garden, then outside on different surfaces such as grass, pavement, gravel and so on. When to go for longer is in gentle increments and very much according to breed age of maturity.

Be careful with strange adult dogs as some can be really antagonistic with puppies. Every outing should be geared to happy experiences. Don't be afraid to tell people no they can't "say hello" until pup is more grown-up. Our pups need to meet other people in safe environments controlled by us - they are not toys for random people to use in order to make themselves feel good or to entertain their children.