How much walking is too much walking?

[Staceyvd]

Hey guys,

I'm writing you guys to ask if there is a limit to how much a puppy should be walked. Sushi is 4.5 months old and we recently moved to the Ottawa area to live with my mother-in-law until we settle in. She walks him every day at least once, sometimes twice for about an hour and a half and then sometimes my husband and I take him for a walk too. The most he's walked in a day is about 2 and a half hours. I know walking is good for them, but I'm wondering if, like other things, it is only good in moderation.

Any input would be awesome!

[Sirchow]

This is a direct quote from the UK Chow chow breeds council website....

EXERCISE

Chows are compact, heavily-built dogs and should not be encouraged to jump up or race up and down stairs, as this can lead to injury to their legs. They can run fast over short distances. They love to play in the snow, enjoy dry cold weather and will happily lie outside for hours on end provided they have somewhere to shelter as most Chows dislike getting their feet wet and are reluctant to go out in the rain. Chows do not require a lot of exercise but are always interested in going for walks and enjoying new smells. Puppies should be able to play in the garden and have short (10 minute) walks twice a day until they are a year old when the length of walk can be increased. It is important not to let Chows get too hot. In summer, walk early in the morning or in the cool of the evening. Chows have no road sense and will happily walk down a motorway with traffic dodging either side of them. As a result it is unwise to let them off the lead, other than in an enclosed space, until you are confident they can be recalled and will return on command

.

Some styles of chows have less weight to carry and longer legs but in general a chow is not designed for long walks and below the age of a year they have soft ligaments which can easily be damaged by too much exercise.

[DrewBear]

There are a number of variables to consider. Sirchow mentioned longer legs; generally each Chow will have individual characteristics that will affect their physical stamina. My 7 month old smoothy is ~55 lbs. and can handle a 1.5 mile, 45 min. walk (sometimes brisk, but with lots of sniffing & peeing stops) in the cool morning. We go for a shorter walk in the early evening and sometimes an even shorter one late at night if he seems restless. But if temps are > 75F, then we walk only when it's cooled down and usually for shorter distances. I'd say temperature and pace are very important. If you're out for longer walks, bring water & cup.

[Cindy J]

Along with the other good comments, I also try to keep in mind that their growth plates are not fully developed. Too much exercise at a young age can cause damage. I read somewhere (???) that a puppy should get five minutes of exercise for every month of age... twice a day. A 4 month old puppy would get 20 minutes of exercise/play twice daily.

I break up the play times and Chance gets 4 ten minute periods. Of course these are not actually timed and a lot depends on his willingness and energy levels. I also factor in outdoor temps which are currently climbing.

Excellent tip on bringing water along with you!

[Laura]

"Chows have no road sense and will happily walk down a motorway with traffic dodging either side of them."

I own two of these!!!!

[kingalls]

Early on - not sure who advised it on this site - but I was told that for their first year their walks should be shorter (like less than 30 minutes) because their bones & muscles are still developing. I remember taking our two out for about a 2 block walk when Nahkohe was just maybe 4 months old - he stopped on a lawn and just lay down from being tired. The lady of the house came out and said that he better not be doing his "business" on her lawn - argh! I just told her he was tired and getting some rest. The lady went back into the house and watched us through the blinds..geez! Anyway, I might be obnoxious about it but I will say something to any dog owner that they need to limit the walks/runs during the first year of growth. Not too long ago we met a couple of ladies on a trail that we usually walk on the weekends. It's steep and they had a puppy scampering alongside. After we talked, the owner picked up and carried the puppy. We haven't seen the puppy on the trail since.