How much exercise does 4 months puppy should have?

[meyori]

Hi, My puppy is getting nearly 4 months old and I'm wondering if he is getting a proper amount of exercise. This is the 1st time to own a dog and any advice is appreciated.

I think my puppy is quite active. I take him out for a walk twice a day, morning and late afternoon. Especially in the morning (maybe because cooler), he likes to walk a lot. I searched on the internet and found a few people are saying no more than10 minutes for chow puppy. A too long walk can harm more than do good. Is that true? How many meters can a puppy walk in 10 minutes? During my puppy's walk, he sniffs, plays and stops. So it's a bit difficult to measure 10 minutes.

Additionally, he spends time at big size yard where I have seven rabbits. He plays & chases rabbits = more exercise.

Any advice/comments? Thank you.

[Cindy J]

Puppies playing in the yard will rest when they get tired, so there is little worry about them playing too hard. I do watch for things that they can climb on and jump off of as the impact is very hard on their joints. (and puppies will jump) I use a five minute rule of thumb for puppies. Five minutes per month. A four month old puppy would get 20 minutes of exercise. Two 10 minute walks is fine. If your puppy is stopping often to sniff and explore, then I would not worry too much. The concern is more along the lines of what I call a "forced march" with no breaks.

If he sits down during the walk, he is telling you that he needs a break. I love that he is growing up with the rabbits and learning they are his buddies. Watch as he gets older that he is not rough with them.

[Sming1936]

A good rule of thumb is a ratio of five minutes exercise per month of age (up to twice a day) until the puppy is fully grown, i.e. 15 minutes (up to twice a day) when three months old, 20 minutes when four months old etc. Once they are fully grown, they can go out for much longer.