Just been reading this thread with a little interest... our old setter came to us at 15 weeks, we were told that there was a problem with her hips and that she was not to be bred or shown and infact had no KC documents, though I have her pedigree.... she was given regular exercise etc... as we had woods at the back of us.... she died aged 8 of bone cancer that ate away her displacic (sp?) hip joint... So I was and still am cautious with Jamie.... the breeder he comes from is lovely, full of advice and I am getting D from him too, he told me to give 5 mins of exercise to each month of age and whereas he encourages play and socialistion not to give too much on lead exercise until they are 6mths.... I hope to get Jamie hip scored soon just for my own peace of mind... yes dysplacia is also alot to do with enviroment and diet, but I would not over exercise a young pup who doesn't know whats good for him/her... just my own opinion for my own dogs btw

'' but I would not over exercise a young pup who doesn't know whats good for him/her''
I think that is very responsible of you Petticoat, neither would I.

4to 6 hours walking for a 14 week old pup is over exercising it Jess. YOU may not wish to listen to that or believe it, thats your choice, but I doubt any experts would back you up, particularly experts on BCs like our very own Moobli, or vets.

Met several last night, many thanks for your thoughts.
Pup is in good health, and considering his small size for his age a few months back, he is now muscly and chunky, and a more appropriate height and weight, comments on his coat and condition and calm temperment for his age.

So without seeing the dog, Ramble, I believe you are the only one thinking that.

Along with the others that have posted to say that they think it is too much on this thread.

Agreed that none of us on here have seen the pup, but as we are saying that any damage caused would be long term rather than necessarily immediate, in this case I don't think that seeing the pup now would make any difference.

I guess that fact that he is not dying of physical exhaustion.
I am not sure where those figures came from. He has a big 1 hr walk with 2 other walks, sometimes an hour sometimes only half per day.
The 4 hour walk came from the big one we did in the snow the other day. Up a hill, which was slow going. Less damage done than any other day.
I think you are all getting worried over something that is not worth the bother. I am doing enough worrying for everyone !

I am most interested in this thread as I had someone recently suggest I was over-exercising Marius and I think they were right.

I now only do a brisk road-walk of 20 mins and that is it, the only other walk he gets is to 'empty' and it is literally a very short one. Before I often would go for 45mins - 1hr for his main walk and two shorter walks one in AM, one PM

As a puppy, I only used to take him out for a few minutes and let him play to tire him out indoors.

Thats still too much Jess...he should be on 2 walks of around 15 to 20 minutes a day.

As Hali said, the damage done will be long and not short term.
NO dog should be exerecised to the point of physical exhaustion anyway.

''he should be on 2 walks of around 15 to 20 minutes a day.''

could I have some scientific evidence to support this please.

Yes Jess..you could google it.