[ashleylp]

Remy just hit five months and it's like a switch flipped and he went into TURBO energy. He wants to GO and GO and GO. When I get home in the evening it is already dark so I am going to start taking him on longer walks every morning. Today I decided to walk him and see how long it took him to settle down and get a bit tired (a tired dog is a good dog!). We ended up walking 2 MILES! I'm fine with that as I've been wanting to get in shape anyway, but is that okay for him? It's a neighborhood and I try to allow him to walk on the grass 90% of the time but sometimes he does have to walk on pavement. I've read on the forum two conflicting views... one that you should walk them until they're tired, and one that you should walk 5 min x months old. This walk took us about an hour... so that would be too long? What are your thoughts?

 

[Dallas Gold]

slowgrow

This is an excellent article about slow growth feeding and exercise. If you scroll to the end it has some recommendations for walking.

 

[bowdense]

My Remington is five months old, too. We walk twice a day...about 1/2 hour each. Plus playtime at lunchtime. I notice training tires him out, too. So, that might be an option if it's too dark to walk when you get home. If you are in a neighborhood with street lights, I'd walk anyway. I am not, we live in the woods, so that would not be an option for me! If you can only get one walk in, I am certainly no expert but I think a 45-60 minute walk would not hurt him You said that you are mostly on grass. I'd also let him go at his own pace.

 

[Florabora22]

I guess I'd be careful overdoing it. I used to walk Flora off-leash for 1-2 miles several times a week starting when she was around 6 months old and she later developed luxating patella and potentially has hip dysplasia, and I am constantly asking myself if it's my fault.

I don't know if she just had rotten luck with health or if I overdid it with her. So just be careful!

 

[dinky do]

There are lots of things to do to tired out a puppy. Thinking and problem solving can tire them the same as it does us. I have played many games in the house with energetic pups. Try hide and seek. Basically hiding treats or high value toys for the dog to find and teaching him to seek them. there is a very good article in the Whole Dog Journal a couple issuse ago about teaching this and other games. Works well. I have also taught dogs to use a treadmill with great success.:bowl: