Should A Puppy Be In "Hard Condition"?

Just pondering this lately as I've read a couple of critiques stating the above.

My question is, if puppies are supposed to have controlled exercise for the first year (my personal example tbh) to protect the joints, then should a puppy really be in good, hard condition?

I once had a critique on the Spinone I show that stated the judge would like more muscle tone (he was 10 months old). As most will know this is a very large breed and as such should only be allowed so much exercise before a year old surely? The irony of it all was the dog is outside all day as his owner works at a stable yard!

I often wonder this myself as I had a couple of other exhibitors say I needed to get more muscle on Maddy, she was 6-9 month. I wasn't caring as she still did well albeit always beaten by adults but that is to be expected really. All in due course.

Small dogs mature and are fitter sooner than the larger breeds. At 10mths Orey was rock hard in muscle and condition, but a bigger breed takes much longer. Id have to question a "hard conditioned" puppy in a large breed.

It does make you wonder if some people are over exercising their dogs to get as better result in the ring?

It also makes you wonder if people have a half a clue what they're writing about when commenting on a large breed puppy needing more muscle tone when he's outside 9 hours a day!

Thats very true what you have said Rips, half the time I wonder if they know what they are feeling. I do remember my friend's Dobermann, he was so fit it was unbelievable, not an ounce of fat on him, muscles like house bricks, a BREED specialist told her he was TOO fit and to get more weight on him if she expected to do any good!!

You just can't win with some people can you!

A friend of mine shows ,races and lure lourses whippets. She only shows them until they are 12 months and then she starts to race and course them. Then she finds she can either show them or race them if she tries to do both she gets told they are to well muscled. She now tends to race them in the winter months then cuts their exercise down so she can show them during the summer

It's interesting that you mention that this dog is with his owner at a stable yard all day. I take my dogs to the stable yard with me every day for a minimum of 2 hours, usually more like 4 hours. My whippets are very slim and fit, but don't have lots and lots of muscle I was advised to do more lead walking, especially up and down hills to help muscle them up. I would have thought hours of galloping around the fields would have sorted that but it seems not

At one of the Rott Champ shows last year the judge was the Croatian Breed Warden and actually said that some pups were over muscled. I think muscle should come with maturity. My cattle dog bitch is as hard as nails BUT she gets no more exercise than any of the others genetics also has a part to play.

At my first open show with my BSD (must have been 7-8months old) I was told to hill walk her to get her muscle built up. Advice I ignored; her long term health is more important than short term show success. I agree with rottalmarotts that the muscle should come with maturity.