I am erring on the side of caution and walking 10 mins a day on the road and 1o mins in the park.....my vet says this is fine....

i see the vet in the park every day and he says theo is doing great.......he has examined him in the vets three times since we have had him. [diarrhea probs]

I googled the question how long to walk a lab pup....or something along those lines and got a wide variety of answers

from

10 mins a day


to

30 mins twice a day.

So who is right?

It is confusing and I only want to do the best for him.

But who's advice should I take?

Amillion dollar question,,,, i'd say.

Why do you keep changing what you are doing?

One minute its 10 mins Road work twice a week, Plus Walks on beach & parks off lead

The next its 15mins in morning each day plus free running on beaches & parks.

What are you telling your vet you are doing?

YOUR breeder should have given you advise if they are a good breeder, what did they say?

It's not a million dollar question at all - there is something broadly classed as the 5 minute rule (guideline) - 5 minutes of onlead exercise per month of the pups life up to 12 months.

That doesn't mean you MUST exercise them to that level every day dependent on the dog and it's needs, but that is your maximum.

Some labs can be predisposed to HD - if both parents have relatively average to low hipscores, then the risk is much lower - but it's not non-existent - the problem is - no-one knows which pups are prone to problems until it is too late - which is why caution is so important.

One of my girls doesn't have brilliant hips - had I thrown caution to the wind in terms of exercising her as a pup - it could have been the difference between moderate dysplasia which doesn't cause her a problem and a lot more severe difficulties

I have to agree with mishflynn in terms of what advice the breeder gave you - I was too aware that you were referencing your pup as a 'Golden Lab' - when there is no such thing as a golden lab - they are yellow, chocolate/liver or black.

If the golden bit has come from the breeder - it does raise questions as to their knowledge and credibility

I wondered about this too....

But I do have to comment re roadwalks - not everyone owns a car or has access to one. Luckily I lived 4 mins roadwalk to the nearest green space and 10 mins from the beach when my dog was a pup. I might have overwalked him according to some - good socialisation opportunities demand it - but not on a daily or weekly basis.

I made sure I took full advantage of the bus routes in my area

There is a difference between walking gently a pup to a green space for pottering around etc, to dragging a pup around a block for 15 mins each morning then free running in the afternoon

How do you tell a lab to potter and not run?


I dont do the same every day I mix it up

stop talking to me and making me answer lol

You can socialise your pup by carrying him/her round, or sitting on a bench is a park or town and let the pup meet people, dogs, cars, buses as they come past etc etc

And has the pup had all its jabs? If not I would not reccommend walking the pup, as s/he could pick up an infection.

I would leave road walking untill s/he is older, I know labs as said can be prone to developing HD early on.

ok I am bowing out here....of course he has had his jabs he is 4 months old.......................


oh sitting on a bench theres a new one....


Really for me its over and most definitely out.

As said before you all contradict each other.

Dragging was a tongue in cheek expression, he sniffs everything..lol

some got the joke others didnt.........

The dragging, Mish, is what bothers me too....
This early on in the relationship, is all about trust-building and bonding. Dragging shouldn't come into it anywhere.

OMG put it on a lead.So you can be responsible fr its welfare, & limit the free running to a healthy amount