canine
Let Them Be Little Gail Radtke discusses the importance of limiting puppy activity during the crucial early stages of development while ensuring they get the appropriate amount of physical activity for their age
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can’t imagine taking a toddler on a long walk or hike, but I are rarely designed for dogs, and see it all too often when people are trying to tire the steps can be too high and out their exuberant and energetic puppies. slippery for a small puppy. Thus, The more exercise and activity he gets, the stair climbing and descent until more tired he will be, right? Well, the age of three months, in perhaps he will be physically ex combination with the immature hausted but he will still, quite neuromuscular function and co possibly, have plenty of mental ordination, might create too much energy. In fact, excessive repeti load on the immature joints and thus tive exercise when a puppy is promote abnormal development.” only just developing can be po (Krontveit, 2012). The same study re tentially detrimental: “If you veals that daily exercise outdoors in overexercise a growing puppy you can over gently undulating terrain up until the age tire it and damage its developing joints, caus of three months can be helpful in pre ing early arthritis.” (The Kennel Club, 2019). venting hip dysplasia: “Provision of regu Luckily, there is a growing trend of infor lar exercise on soft ground in moderately mation and education in canine fitness be rough terrain appeared protective against coming more available, not only to the radiological CHD, while daily use of stairs professionals that train puppies but also should be avoided in this period due to to the puppy owners. One of the com its negative effect on radiological mon topics I discuss with my puppy CHD.” (Krontveit, 2012). clients is growth plates. I find this Similarly, Farricelli (2016) points © Can Stock Photo/adogslifephoto According to the Kennel Club, a good rule of thumb is a ratio of makes a big difference to their under out that puppies are “particularly five minutes exercise per month of age (up to twice a day) until a standing of their puppy’s limitations prone to injury during strenuous ex puppy is fully grown concerning physical activity and also ex ercise because they lack coordina cessive play with other puppies. tion and don’t have a lot of muscle strength.” Of course, we don’t need The growth plates are the soft areas of tissue that sit towards the to be putting our puppies in a glass bubble, but I think we definitely end of the long bones in puppies and young adults. They contain rapidly need to know what are the age appropriate activities for them at vari dividing cells that allow bones to become longer until the pet is finished ous stages of development. growing (Puppy Culture, 2017). As the puppy matures, the tissues and cartilage calcify, the bones become denser and the growth plates close. Enrichment Growth plate closures vary depending on location in the body, breed When we talk about activities that are not appropriate for young devel and age (Farricelli, 2016). Until the growth plates close, they are soft oping puppies, this even includes very long walks. Often, when I discuss and vulnerable to injury. Injuries to the growth plate may not heal prop this with my clients, they are quite surprised at how limited walks for erly, causing growth deformities or making the puppy more prone to in puppies should actually be. According to the Kennel Club (2019), a good jury when he grows up (Puppy Culture, 2107). So, it is very important for rule of thumb “is a ratio of five minutes exercise per month of age (up owners to know what is expected for their particular puppy. For exam to twice a day) until the puppy is fully grown, i.e. 15 minutes (up to ple, the smaller breeds’ growth plates close earlier than those of the twice a day) when three months old, 20 minutes when four months old larger breeds. Some people even like to get Xrays of the growth plate etc. Once they are fully grown, they can go out for much longer.” areas to ensure they are fully developed and closed before they get The average age of puppies coming to my training classes is around their dogs started with high impact sports (Farricelli, 2016). 1214 weeks, so, based on that rule, they would need approximately 15 Even everyday activities can pose a threat. A study conducted in minutes of physical exercise up to twice per day. You can imagine, then, Norway suggests that the use of steps during the first three months of a that many loving, wellmeaning puppy guardians might be unintention puppy’s life can increase the risk of canine hip dysplasia (CHD): “Stairs ally overexercising their pups. Fortunately, there are resources that pro vide creative solutions to finding the right balance of mental stimulation and age appropriate physical activity throughout puppyhood. We all worry about socialization – or the lack of One of my favorite visual resources is the poster, Exercise Guidelines it – and how it will affect our puppy’s behavior. for Puppies (Puppy Culture, 2017). For me, having this in my training As a result, puppy owners commonly seek out classroom is a must. It provides a monthbymonth overview of appro playmates for their pets. However, we must priate exercises and activities for puppies. When I am discussing activi consider the impact of this selection on a ties with clients, I get them to consider enrichment activities instead of the traditional dog walk. They often chuckle and respond, “You’re giving puppy’s physical development. me permission to not walk my puppy?” My answer is that walking 28
BARKS from the Guild/January 2020