5 minute rule it is

So what would you suggest for those who can't drive? This is a genuine question as I've wondered what the hell I'd do if I got a pup. Someone has suggested sitting on a park bench but the park was a 20 minute walk for us, too far for a young pup to walk. So were all the other decent socialisation areas. Even the nearest bus stop was a good 10 minute walk. Only thing I can think of is to put the pup in a pram or something to get somewhere you can socialise it. Both the pups I've had would have been trying to jump out to sniff around though, they were nosey ******s. Same if you'd carried them. Obviously socialisation is important (I do NOT NOT NOT want another Rupert) so never taking them out isn't an option. Learning to drive may never be an option for me.

And by road walking do you mean the walking on concrete or do walks on leash on grass count as road walking too?

Id carry or try to get a lift or a taxi that accepts dogs, Failing that id walk SLOWLEY, pooching about, not walking fast.
(if you teach them early then they should get used it it)

I suppose if i was in your situation this would limit me to a breed i could carry for some of the way,& one not prone to joint & growth issues.



Having had a dog with HD its just not worth the risk or heartache

Road walking to me
is a lead walk as if you are "going somewhere" so walking at a pace that is constant. spo youve got the "pounding " on the joints.

A little lead walking on grass is not the same thing, esp if you allow for sniffs & pooching & exploring etc

To get used to cars then build up slowley, id not want a dog to get used to cars as a by product of a walk, i would do this separate

Sometimes people cant help their situations, we all should do whats best for the pups!

I have a young Labrador, well he is 6 months now. I am very lucky living where I do and have some wonderful off road places to walk Bruce. What I don't get though with regards to hip/ joint problems etc is this, when Bruce is walked around the block last thing at night on his lead it is a relatively slow gentle walk, though have to admit Bruce
does pull quite a bit. When walked in the day time either in the fields or up on the common etc Bruce is off his lead and he runs and jumps and bounds about the whole time, he doesn't stop. Surely this is having more impact on his joints etc? I am not deliberately trying to be awkward just trying to make sense of it.
I don't know Bruce hip scores but will get his papers out and check later. The breeder went on about hip scores and eye scores etc etc but I will be honest I wanted a dog as a pet, no interest in showing or breeding. I have always wanted a black Labrador for as long as I could remember. I fell in love with him the second I saw him and his brother. Even if his Scores had been high I probably would of still bought him!

Can the bitching and biting please stop? I know Jols has been a bit of a pain but some of you are being equally as bad if not worse. Jols did try to put an end to it on this thread but some just won't let it drop.

Jols this is a very good site with some very knowledgable people on here. Try to enjoy the site and get what you can out if it to help you and your Pup!

I cant see as 15 mins would harm a puppy, really I cant. They never walk anywhere "properly" at 4mths, its never going to be "pounding the joints" as far as I can see. You can do much more damage with having a puppy running loose at that age in my experience.

I think you need to apply a little common sense. Taking a puppy a short walk is fine to see the traffic etc.. but you wouldnt walk a long distance to get there, likewise Id never run a pup loose for long period either.

A sensible post at last!
I might have missed it, but I can't see Jols saying anywhere that she is pounding the streets with her dog??
I see loads of pups out walking the streets - very slowly with all the sniffing and nosing about that goes on.

Hallaluha......someone is actually reading what I am typing not just picking out key words.



As Theo sniffs a lot he hardly pounds anywhere....bless him.

He is a pup of the 60's very chill out man!!!!

God my dogs are screwed in the future as all 3 must have guaranteed hip dysplasia, all 3 of mine have had free walking and running since i had them, the vet did their 6 monthly check last month and commented on how fit and healthy they are compared to a lot of dogs he see nowadays, hip and joint mobility was excellent on all 3 and he stated all 3 were exceptionally fit.
All the walks contain a fair element of road walking until we get to the woods where they run freely.
When i was in the vets i did see some really grossly fat overweight dogs who hopefully were not walked a lot as pups so as they do not get any injuries in the far future.
You know i may just get lucky as i have never had a dog with hip dysplasia in all the years i have had dogs, my old boy lived until 17, his back legs did go just before he was PTS so maybe his first owners who abused him before we took him from the rescue centre walked him too much as a puppy.
I must have a word with my grandparents (graveside) and tell them that the dogs they lovingly reared from pups free running who all lived long and productive lives were put at risk by them.
I feel awful now putting my dogs in danger in the future and all i can hope is that luck is on my side.

Totally 10 or 15 minutes walking on a path with Puppy isn't going to cause joint or growth problems. Puppy's are hardy little things. There is too much paranoia and cotton wool mentality. I have known vets to advise not walking dogs off lead until they are 18 months old!

You'll probably cause more problems not walking your dog to the park (Socialisation issues) than not doing it. People need to use a little common sense.

Common sense does not exist only what is advised by super duper specialists.