# walking my 7 month old



## Jeremyd (Jun 21, 2015)

Hi,
How far is a safe distance to walk my seven month old pup? We typically walk 3 to 4 miles a day. About half the our walk is on pavement and the other half is on grass. He does great and seems to have more energy when we finish than when we start! I just don't want to risk damaging his growth plates or causing any other problems. Thanks!
Jeremy


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Wish I could help, but it's been so long since I raised a puppy. Hope other members will advise you on this. What I've heard lately is that you should let the pup set the pace, but I'm just not sure about time and distance...


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

You'd really have to over exert and over extend him at that age to damage growth plates, like having him do repetitive, unnatural things like walk up and down stairs repeatedly and quickly, or forcing him to jump up and down on things against his will, etc. 

V's have boundless energy, but they also know their limits, so just be aware of how he's doing and adjust your timing accordingly. It's also a good idea to bring fresh water along so he doesn't get dehydrated..that's actually much more of a risk.


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## Pecan_and_BB (Jun 15, 2015)

I agree with Gingerling. My 6 month old is bird training with a 4 year old V and out of the gate in the field, she keeps up with the 4 year old pretty well but soon tires and reserves herself to ranging between us and the 4 year old who's still running flat out covering the entire field.

They know their own limits, so as long as you aren't doing the things Gingerling mentioned, or say pacing your V to run alongside you for distance while you run/bike, you will be able to tell when your pup tires.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

we typically go out twice a week on shoots, I really tried to limit Elvis to just coming out on the "easier" shoot....it didn't happen, I just couldn't bring my self to leave him at home. He is full of energy and works really well alongside Ruby (4 year old) but then as the day progresses he tucks himself in behind me more and more as he tires. I pick my friend up for one of the shoots with his two black labs and he's happy to let his dogs jump in and *out* of the back of my pick-up,,,he jokes about me being too soft as I lift my two in and out of it....he wonders why his two dogs (age 2 and 5) have developed limps


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## lord brush (Oct 22, 2015)

I've been meaning to ask a similar question myself. We have a 6 month old Wirehair, and have been adopting the 5 min exercise for every month of age approach, so typically around 30 mins twice a day (1 hour total). This is what I've read, and this is what the breeder recommended.

Having spoken to a gun dog behaviourist recently though, he reckons this is myth, and that they "needs as much exercise as they need". Off-leash exercise on soft ground also helps prevent impact injuries.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Off leash at their own pace, on soft ground is what I do.
I don't do things on walks where they have to keep up with me. Instead I let them lead the way.
Saying that, there is nothing wrong with doing a few minutes of walking on leash before and/or after their free run. On a free run with a young dog, its a lot of play time, with a little training mixed in. Most pups are going to show you by slowing some, that the exercise time is over. Use that to set your exercise time for them, and slowly build from there.
Know that it not uncommon for your pup to bounce off the walls when you get home. It does not mean you should exercise them for longer. It means they are tired. As soon as they stop, it lights out.


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## Pecan_and_BB (Jun 15, 2015)

I took Pecan out for her first experience of off leash trails with me on my mountain bike this past weekend.

As TR stated and I 100% agree with, it was at her pace on soft trails. I let her lead out in front of the bike at all times and she set my biking pace. She is used to my walking pace for trail hikes so it took her a little time to figure out that my bike can keep up with her when she decides to go full out. Once she did figure out I could keep up with her, she and I had a blast and she tore around the trails so happy that I could now miraculously run with her. When she would tire, we would slow down and we took multiple water breaks. We only started to ride again when she was the one who started to bug me to get going again. 

We worked on GEE (go right) and HAW (go left) once her initial big burst of energy was gone so the new commands, mental stimulation, and elevated physical exercise wore her out like it used to when she was a much younger pup just learning her up,up,up command and her whoa command on her long lead. We were out for 45 min total exercise time with 4, 5-8 minute breaks.

Keep in mind if you decide to attempt this, it is about your dogs' pace. If she stops to sniff, you stop and wait. If she stops and looks at you, you stop and offer water. If she opens up into a sprint, you can gear up and go faster to keep up with ensuring you keep more than enough breaking distance if she decides to stop. Just always keep them out front as the pace setter, at this age, I would never use one of the bike tethers and have them run alongside where you are dictating pace, distance, time and repetitive body mechanics.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Let me come back to this.

At six months, as long as you tune into them and make sure they're OK, go for it, Just bring water, the dehydration issue really is a bigger threat than soft tissue injury. Just don't do things like run marathons with them...or my all time eye roller...tethering the dog to a bike and just riding. This cannot be fun for them, and can easily lead to injury.

But walking and hiking? Fine.

I've been taking all my V's for hikes starting when they've completed all their shots, I just don't have the expectation of going very far, those little legs don't move so fast, and all those new sights and smells! But by 6 months, we go out for the afternoon with absolutely no issues. And by that time, they've learned basic commands so they're completely reliable off lead and in the woods.

The flip to this is owing to their high energy nature, a V that's cooped up or otherwise doesn't get sufficient exercise is very unhappy, which is fertile ground for behavioral problems. I think there's more risk in under exercising a 6 month old.


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