By Dawn Chapman, qualified Mantrailling Instructor and Veterinary Nurse.
MYTH: Puppies should only have 5 minutes exercise per month of age.
FACT: Too little exercise could leave a puppy with crazy amounts of excess energy which they still need to use up, inside the home, running around and bouncing off the furniture or doing other things which might harm them or might upset you. Unless you are literally planning on wrapping a puppy in bubble wrap then you need to make sure that their mental and physical needs are met, otherwise they are going to throw themselves around one way or another.
The interpretation of the original advice has been changed as it has been shared like a Chinese whisper, and has fallen into commonly accepted knowledge without it’s original message intact. Following the 5 minutes per month “rule” strictly can cause a lot of damage both physically and mentally to a young puppy.
To clarify what the full rule is and how to interpret it please read the following:
The actual rule states “no more than 5 minute’s per month of age of repetitive movement”.
Repetitive movement refers to constant movement over and over and this can cause joint damage and long term health issues, with some breed types being more susceptible to problems.
So it is important not to push or allow a puppy to do the same thing for more than 5 minutes per day per month of age:
1 throw a ball to be chased and caught repeatedly
2 march them along without stopping
3 jog or cycle with a pup
4 running constantly
5 non stop rough play
These are just a few examples, but anything which is repetitive could be damaging.
By sticking to “the rule” and only taking a pup out for 10 or 15 mins per day you limit how much outside world they have time to absorb and process. They also come inside and often are full of beans as their need for mental and physical stimulation is under used.
This can lead to them becoming reactive long-term as they have not had enough time in early brain development to process the outside making it more scary or frustrating for them in the future.
This means that a puppy can be with you outside for as long as the puppy can cope, without becoming over excited, scared or exhausted as long as you make sure they have opportunities to rest.
A puppy walk should be about learning about the world investigating by looking, watching, walking, running and playing, but most importantly sniffing as they see the world mainly through smell whereas us humans see the world visually. Every blade of grass smells different to a young pup with information about all the amazing new things which have passed by.
Sitting in a park so your pup can really settle into that space or even in the boot of the car together and watching the world go by can really benefit your pups development.
As good rule of thumb is:
If the pup comes home still bouncing they probably have not seen or done enough.
If they come home and need a short nap then that’s about perfect
But if they sleep longer than 1 – 2 hours after a walk or new experience then it was probably too much, this will change as they grow, so keep a mental note.
If you have to be somewhere and need to rush or reach a set goal, don’t take the pup, rushing through the world can disadvantages for the pup in the future.
Remember though that pups need a lot of sleep, as much as 18 hours a day, so make sure that they get opportunities to rest because like any young one they will fight the tiredness, but if they don’t sleep then they won’t benefit from everything that they have learned.
For more information check out https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/exercising-your-puppy
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