# Too much exercise?



## Divaskychick (May 18, 2011)

How much is too much exercise for a 15 week old pup?

Soleil and I walk with Coco to and from summer camp every morning, about 1.5 miles round trip x 2. Coco does a good amount of the trip in her stroller and initially she held Soleil for about half the way just so we could move quicker. I also tend to scoop her up when we get near busy intersections or if there are people / dogs blocking our way on the sidewalk. 

Today on the afternoon walk to get Coco, Soleil kept sitting in the middle of the sidewalk, just looking at me. I didn't want to drag her so I'd put her in the stroller for a bit and then she'd walk some more. On the way back she just she flat out refused to budge and rode the entire way on Coco's lap. 

Have I just taught her she can get a ride whenever she wants or is this really too much for her, and I guess, is there any difference? Thanks!


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

Too funny, Cey did the same thing at about that age. He would literally just flop to the ground (preferably on any grass that was near) and refuse to budge. He now walks just fine wherever we are going though, if that's any help! When there is nobody near he walks loose-leash even. The only time when we carry him is if there are too many people/dogs around since he doesn't quite have the 'loose leash' walk down if there is anything interesting going on. 

Funny aside - last weekend, we went to a summer block party. Tons of kids, people, events, activities, and dogs. They were luckily giving out bags with samples in them - the reusable, cloth kinds of bags you might take to the grocery store, if you know what I mean. I emptied a bag and stuffed Cey in with his head over the edge and threw the bag over my shoulder while I was walking around, and he LOVED it! When I stopped to sit, I let him out. We sat for about 10 minutes, then I went to gather up all of my stuff to go find my daughter, and Cey wouldn't get out of my way. I was like, What are you DOING? to him, then I realized - he was trying to climb back in the bag!!!! hahahaha.

He looks so cute in the bag too - there's this tiny bag with a huge fluffy havanese head sticking out of it, I will take a picture tonight and share it with everybody!

Anyway, sorry, I didn't mean to hijack your thread, but I thought you might like to hear that in our case anyway, it did get better!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Divaskychick said:


> How much is too much exercise for a 15 week old pup?
> 
> Soleil and I walk with Coco to and from summer camp every morning, about 1.5 miles round trip x 2. Coco does a good amount of the trip in her stroller and initially she held Soleil for about half the way just so we could move quicker. I also tend to scoop her up when we get near busy intersections or if there are people / dogs blocking our way on the sidewalk.
> 
> ...


That could be too far for her. If you notice she has walked quite a bit when she does this, it could be an indication that she's tired. Puppies will refuse to walk sometimes when they are stressed about something in the environment or possibly something is uncomfortable with the owners actions ,eg. the owner leash correcting. If nothing stressful seems to be happening she could simply be tired. It's important to slowly build up on your distance and watch for signs of overexertion. You have to watch her closely to see why she might be balking. Be careful when picking her up. If you do this when people and dogs are nearby she may associate this with something to be afraid of. I'm not a fan of strollers other than certain cases.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I wouldn't force her to walk. When my guys were that young, they would walk about 30 minutes a day. They are now walking about 1 hour a day. Scudder is the only one that will sometimes stop in his tracks on our hikes. It's usually at the bottom of a steep incline. He gives me a look like, are you kidding? That's when I pick him up and carry him for a bit. He is much stockier than my other two. I'm thinking the hikes might be harder on his stocky body. He only does this about once every few months. Otherwise, he loves his hikes!!!


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor (Jan 17, 2008)

Not only puppies will refuse to walk. At times Sir Winston who Loooovvves to walk, will plant himself in the middle of the road and not move...I have had to pick him up and carry him. He is obviously tired for some reason...you can easily tell. Although it is his normal usual walk, he for some reason has tired more quickly. I try to watch him and if I notice signs of tiring we turn around. 

I notice this in hot and cold weather, but I never take him when it is hot, muggy or the pavement has heated up...so early or at dusk..


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## inlovewithhav (Feb 18, 2011)

Kipper did that too at that age. We were at the soccer fields pretty much every night with practices or games and I would use that time to walk the track. Kipper would walk about 5 minutes and then just sit down and look at me as if to say "keep dreaming". I usually ended up carrying an extra 8 lb weight around the track and getting funny looks and comments from the other parents that were at the park. Soccer will start up at the end of July again so we shall see if he is able to keep up with his mommy then ound:


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## Divaskychick (May 18, 2011)

Thanks the replies. I'm having her ride most of the way there on Coco's lap and then she walks back herself while I push the empty stroller. When she stops I encourage her to keep moving but if she doesn't, I put her in the stroller for a bit. (I want to get a tee shirt that says, "NO, the stroller is NOT for the dog").

By the way, at 8:15 am when we leave for camp it's already her third walk of the day. The other two we just stand out front and then walk to the end of the block and back. She seems to need to move to get her bowels moving.

To your point, Dave, I'm being as careful as I reasonably can to not coddle her her around other dogs/people. It's hard. Yesterday she played with a bigger lab pup and he accidentally stepped on her ribs. There were tears (hers and mine) but I didn't carry her away from the scene. I got her calmed down and then put her down again to interact with the much chagrinned lab for a friendly goodbye. Fortunately, she was game.

It's HARD not to pick up my dog when we approach a huge dog on the street. I speak with the owner from as far away as possible to ascertain our safety level and I watch body language as well. What do the rest of you do?


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Mandy, it seems like you're doing the right things. Just watch for her body language, and don't force the encounters or the walking. You've got the right idea.


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## Dalston (Jan 22, 2014)

Dalston is 14weeks and he doesn't walk that much yet.
Having said that it's Summer in Australia right now and pretty warm.

In the morning/evening he is a bit better, but he often sits down and I have to motivate him to do a few more steps towards me at least, before picking him up, I don't want to teach him he can get carried around all the time, if he just sits down, but have the same problem, I also don't want to force him if he actually had enough exercise and is tired, or too hot etc.
And I do often pop him in a nice spacious beach bag with a towel when i have to get somewhere quickly or if he is definitely tired but we need to go out.
He loves it.

I can't wait for him to go on proper walks without stopping!


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## jabojenny (Sep 18, 2011)

Timmy does not do well in the heat and will often refuse to walk and he is 2. 14 weeks is a very young I'm not sure how long your envisioning him walking, plus he's just getting used to leash walking. Be careful walking him in the middle of the day pavement can be very hot especially on a baby's pads. Also be careful if he hasn't had all his shots yet. Are there any older dogs you can walk with? Mae, my new Hav, did very well walking. I brought her out at 8 weeks and carried her in a sling and now she's graduated to walking almost our whole walk but I do still occasionally pick her up. I'm so jealous you're in summer... I have over a foot of snow and sub zero temps, I wish I could go for a walk! Oh, and Dalston is very cute!


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## Lalla (Jul 30, 2013)

I was always under the impression that a good maxim was "5 minutes walk for every month of the puppy's age", in other words, if it's three months old, 15 minutes, 6 months old 30 minutes etc.


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## jderock (Sep 9, 2013)

Does it depend on the age and size of the dog? My Charlie (13 lbs) 11/2years will walk 5 to six miles a day divided into three walks and then goes out in the yard and runs in circles around me! He loves to play soccer with his ball in and outside. He also likes to sleep in to nine, so I have to wake him up in the summer to get in his exercise. One thing I always have water with me.


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## Lalla (Jul 30, 2013)

jderock said:


> Does it depend on the age and size of the dog? My Charlie (13 lbs) 11/2years will walk 5 to six miles a day divided into three walks and then goes out in the yard and runs in circles around me! He loves to play soccer with his ball in and outside. He also likes to sleep in to nine, so I have to wake him up in the summer to get in his exercise. One thing I always have water with me.


I think a certain amount depends on the age and size of the owner!!! And goodness, how fun it would be to sleep in till nine!!!


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