A good rule to follow is .......5mins for every month of their life!

The joints and bones of all puppies are very vulnerable to stress-related injury. It is wise to follow the 'five minute rule' for on-lead walking until the pup has matured. No puppies, of any breed or cross, should be allowed to haul themselves up stairs or bounce down them. Jumping over things, or onto and off furntiure, or in and out of cars can also cause damage. Similarly, vigorous or rough play with people or with other dogs should be avoided.

It is particularly important to observe these commonsense rules with pups/adolescents of large and giant breeds whose physical maturation may not occur until the age of 12 - 36 months according to breed. Caution should always be taken with breeds known to be susceptible to joint problems.

The damage done to the immature skeleton and joints in puppyhood can lead to a life of irreparable problems and great pain for the adult dog.

I'm an advocate of the 5 minute rule too. It's really important not to over tax puppies joints. So 5 minutes for each month of the puppy's age.

Dawn R.

The Borzoi is the same no long walks till they are a year old. I follow the 5min per month rule too and def. do not let them climb stairs.

I was told both by the breeder and my vet about the 5 minute rule. My 2 play and run about and then usually have a lie down for a bit, when they get up and want to go off again I do a few minutes basic training, let them off again, and then call them over to me and they are ready to walk home, they are nearly 9 months old, they are a very slow growing maturing breed so it is vital to make sure the skeleton is not overtaxed. We have a case in our breed where a pup was doing 6 miles a day with its owner, they are now amazed that it has problems!!!!!

Same goes for Alaskan malamutes.. the 5 minute for a month rule applies...

Cruiser is up to 20-25 minute walks.. aswell as the usual playing and running around mental in the garden.. No stairs and No jumping in and out the van/car...

Malamutes are a slow maturing breed and any damage done can appear later in life with hip problems or leg problems

Same with Dobes and only gentle aglility .NO jumps and No A-frames till 12 months and then build up slowly

You do have to be careful when walking pups the amount of exercise they do get, too much can be detremental. In particular Large Breeds like Ozzy have to have limitations placed on them with regards to zoomie-time too! Excessive running around and non-stop play can be equally damaging as walking them too far, damaging joints etc.

Personally, I have never allowed my dogs upstairs either, mainly because I they could damage themselves pelting up and down them, but also dominance thing and less hoovering too! LOL

Unfortunately I have a ninja Dobermann - can steal with such lightening speed and also flies!

Launches herself into the air with such ease. except two weeks ago she landed on the table. She hurt her elbow and had to get an injection and week's supply of anti-inflams!

I have no idea what this is about, but can only liken it to my son when he was 2 and he jumped off his slide and split his head open, all he would say is I was flying mummy!
Don't you just love them!

its very true........ i know with leo's it is a good 12 /18 months before they stop growing in their frame and not really classed as adults till 2, then can still change up to 3/4 yrs.
its common sense for any breed not to let them over do it or exercise a pup more than it can cope with.
you can't always stop a pup from playing etc but there is things you can do to provent joint problems.
you have to think of it if a leo pup over did it and damaged their joints then grew with a weak limb and grew think of the pressure the joint is under with the weight they carry and the pain they would be in just to stand let alone walk.
would you want your dog to go through life with pain because you didn't follow a few simple rules?