# At what age can a puppy start jogging with me?



## babydmnc

The other thread on running got me thinking about what age a puppy can start running for exercise. I have a 12- month old coonhound mix who I think would REALLY benefit from the jogging exercise and she is about 50 lbs so I think she would be ok to start now? She has an amazing amount of energy and after our hour long walks she will still act like she could go on forever while my lab plops down and sleeps after drinking a gallon of water! lol

My concern is my 10-month old lab who is about 80 lbs, aren't you supposed to wait until they are older to start running because of their joints? 

Let me also state that by running I mean I would obviously build them up and not run more than 3-4 miles total but I am just looking for general age guidelines. 

TIA


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## Pepper

Your year old dog would be fine with jogging and so would your lab, just keep it light at first and work up. Most people don't jog with dogs under 6 months as those are still growing quite fast. At 10 months to a year, they aren't growing nearly as much, but with XL dogs like Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds, jogging shouldn't happen until about 1 year of age or 1 1/2 as they are still growing a lot at that age.

You can also jog on lighter surfaces like forest trails, rather than pavement.

That 2nd picture is adorable!


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## peppy264

I agree with Pepper. There is a "rule" about waiting until they are 2 yrs old which gets repeated a lot, but I'm yet to see any sort of logical basis for that. It depends on the size of the dog, the running surface, on/off leash, distance etc. 25 miles on leash around NYC? Not a good idea. A few miles off leash through a park? Go for it.

Exercise is too important to skip based on scare mongering.


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## Dieselsmama

If you really want to take them out for a run...
1. bring them to the vets, your vet can tell you via xray if their growth plates have closed yet or not, otherwise, do wait until they're two yrs. old to be safe. I know you'd feel terrible when they're older and suffering joint pain when it could have been prevented. Plus your vet can alert you to any possible joint weakness that could pre-dispose them to injury.
2. make sure in these warmer months, you're running only on cooler days and early in the morning and later in the evening to prevent them overheating.

If it's the dog's exercise you're looking for, a great way to keep them fit is thru swimming, great cardio and muscular excersize without joint wear and tear


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## peppy264

Dieselsmama said:


> 1. bring them to the vets, your vet can tell you via xray if their growth plates have closed yet or not, otherwise, do wait until they're two yrs. old to be safe.


As I expected the oft quoted 2 year rule rears its head. 

Ever think about why it is OK to walk your dog 3 miles but not jog with your dog for 3 miles? If he is on leash then he is covering the same amount of ground and likely about the same wear and tear on the joints. If he is off leash, then he is covering even LESS ground if you are jogging as opposed to walking.

I hate to see people throw out the 2 year rule without considering the obvious: type of dog, type or running (on/off leash), speed, distance, surface etc. Exercise is important, and walking at a humans pace is not very vigorous exercise. Lets not discourage people unnecasarily.


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## Pepper

If you can keep your dog under perfect vocal command, it's okay to not use a leash.

If your dog is not 100 percent under your vocal command, use a leash.

For XL puppies, like Irish wolfhounds, most breeders say do not exercise heavily until 2 years, nothing before that except running on grass in an enclosed fenced in area.

I've never heard of 2 years for other smaller breeds of dogs.



> Ever think about why it is OK to walk your dog 3 miles but not jog with your dog for 3 miles? If he is on leash then he is covering the same amount of ground and likely about the same wear and tear on the joints.If he is off leash, then he is covering even LESS ground if you are jogging as opposed to walking.


This is not true, even for people they say do not jog when you are older as it causes undue stress on the joints. Distance is not the main matter, impact is. Walking or power walking is less stressing on joints than jogging/running.

Walking a dog is just fine, you may just need to go a little longer to get them tired.


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## peppy264

Pepper said:


> I
> This is not true, even for people they say do not jog when you are older as it causes undue stress on the joints. Distance is not the main matter, impact is. Walking or power walking is less stressing on joints than jogging/running.
> 
> Walking a dog is just fine, you may just need to go a little longer to get them tired.


With all due respect, I don't think you can make the human - dog analogy here. People have 2 legs, dogs have 4. Different weight distributions, etc. We walk / run differently. Dogs are generally a lot better at it. LOL. 

Walking is better than nothing but does not provide a real cardiovascular workout for dogs or people. Most dogs that are just walked on leash are under-exercised. To me a happy dog is exhausted and, usually, filthy.


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## Pepper

We both have joints that feel stress, we can both get arthritis, and we both have growth plates that grow for a while. Swimming for both man and dog is less stressful on joints. Walking is less stressful, but running can be stressful on joints if you go overboard.

And most dogs walked on leashes are not able to run up to strangers/leashed dogs. 
You have no scientific proof that dogs that are walked are under-exercised.

I only walked my dog for 40 minutes today(60 lb APBT) and he's been passed out for 2 hours. A walk is a walk, it is both physically and mentally stimulating, especially if you don't go the same way everyday.


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## cshellenberger

peppy264 said:


> As I expected the oft quoted 2 year rule rears its head.
> 
> Ever think about why it is OK to walk your dog 3 miles but not jog with your dog for 3 miles? If he is on leash then he is covering the same amount of ground and likely about the same wear and tear on the joints. If he is off leash, then he is covering even LESS ground if you are jogging as opposed to walking.
> 
> I hate to see people throw out the 2 year rule without considering the obvious: type of dog, type or running (on/off leash), speed, distance, surface etc. Exercise is important, and walking at a humans pace is not very vigorous exercise. Lets not discourage people unnecasarily.


Running is FAR more stressful on the joints than walking, just ask my husband who isn't allowed to run due to his back injury (ruptured disc) but still walks 3-5 miles a day. The ONLY way I'd run a large breed dog before two years is if it were on sand or grass where the impact is minimized. 

Yes, dogs do have a different body position but he impact on the joints is still far greater when running than when walking. There are many other ways to wear a dog out, such as training to tire them mentally and good hard play sessions as well as games to make them THINK. 

We're not saying don't let you dog run, we're saying don't run them on pavement for long distances.


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## peppy264

Pepper said:


> We both have joints that feel stress, we can both get arthritis, and we both have growth plates that grow for a while. Swimming for both man and dog is less stressful on joints. Walking is less stressful, but running can be stressful on joints if you go overboard.


My point is that we have a very different physiology than a dog, so that the fact that a person while jogging puts a lot more stress on his joints then walking, does not imply the same thing for a dog. The stress will be higher but so significantly higher that there is a health risk? That is not at all clear. Anyways, I think we are saying the same thing: do it but don't overdo it.



> You have no scientific proof that dogs that are walked are under-exercised.
> 
> I only walked my dog for 40 minutes today(60 lb APBT) and he's been passed out for 2 hours. A walk is a walk, it is both physically and mentally stimulating, especially if you don't go the same way everyday.


Don't get me wrong, I am 100% in favor of walking dogs, both for the physical and mental benefits. Nonetheless, many dogs walking on leash at a person's walking pace is not giving his heart and lungs a workout. Walk long enough and he will be OK, but will not have the fitness of a dog doing a lot of running, field work etc. More critical for some breeds than others. I don't know about APBT. But do you think a Vinsula is getting a workout by strolling around the neighborhood for 40 minutes? That dog needs to RUN!


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## Pepper

American Pit Bull Terriers are working, job needing, exercise needing dogs. He needs to run and he gets it. But he is perfectly tired out by walking too. We stop almost every 5 minutes to do training and commands, which can be just as tiring as running. And my dog is well..ripped to say the least, and can run for hours, so he has the stamina and fitness. And for the most part we walk and play tug of war. I mean...look at those butt muscles in my signature!!! 

What is a Vinsula?


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## peppy264

cshellenberger said:


> There are many other ways to wear a dog out, such as training to tire them mentally and good hard play sessions as well as games to make them THINK.


Mental stimulation is important but it doesn't replace pure exercise which works the muscles, heart, lungs. Doesn't have to be running. Can be swimming. Fetching (which is basically running anyways). Maybe other things. But it has to be physical.



> We're not saying don't let you dog run, we're saying don't run them on pavement for long distances.


 I agree with you. My point is that a lot of people make a blanket statement 'don't run unless the dog is over 2 yrs old', and I think its a shame to discourage anybody from exercising with their dog. As per above, consider all the factors and don't overdo it.



Pepper said:


> What is a Vinsula?


Sorry, meant Vizsla. A type of retriever / perpetual motion machine.


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## Dieselsmama

peppy264 said:


> As I expected the oft quoted 2 year rule rears its head.
> 
> Ever think about why it is OK to walk your dog 3 miles but not jog with your dog for 3 miles? If he is on leash then he is covering the same amount of ground and likely about the same wear and tear on the joints. If he is off leash, then he is covering even LESS ground if you are jogging as opposed to walking.
> 
> I hate to see people throw out the 2 year rule without considering the obvious: type of dog, type or running (on/off leash), speed, distance, surface etc. Exercise is important, and walking at a humans pace is not very vigorous exercise. Lets not discourage people unnecasarily.


Ever ask yourself why this general rule came about? Without bringing each individual dog in for xrays it's impossible to look at a dog and make the determination that it's growth plates have closed and joint formation is complete. The two year rule is a precaution. I'd feel awful if I took your advice and ran with a puppy only to find out later on I'd caused permanent irreversable joint damage. I never disagreed exercise was very important but there are far more safe ways to get your puppy exercise than jogging. I believe I suggested swimming, but some other venues would be training, playing fetch, walking with hill and grade work. It's always important to be watching for puppies tiring and going at their pace, not yours. A puppy's exercise should be mainly self driven so they can regulate themselves.


*Ever think about why it is OK to walk your dog 3 miles but not jog with your dog for 3 miles?*

Well two things here, it's only OK to walk your dog that distance as a puppy if you can be attentive to it's signals it might need to stop and rest, my female lab as a puppy would have followed me for ten miles if I'd gone that far, not because that was what SHE needed for exercise but because she was a pleaser and would have wanted to stay with me. Walking and running place very different stresses on joints and developing tissues. Running is far more concussive impact, causing stress to joints, pasterns and pads.

Let's not recommend things that can cause permanent damage to a growing dog!



peppy264 said:


> My point is that we have a very different physiology than a dog, so that the fact that a person while jogging puts a lot more stress on his joints then walking, does not imply the same thing for a dog. The stress will be higher but so significantly higher that there is a health risk?


Actually our joints form in much the same manner. This is why in a weight lifting program, exercise physiologists always recommend children wait to lift any significant weight until their growth plates have closed. 
Concussive damage happens the same way to dogs joints as it does to peoples.
Yes, so significantly higher that there is a health risk.


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## frankyk

For my collie/beagle mix dog who is 6 months old (50 pounds), I was talking to my vet and they said that I could start running her if I start building up towards it.

However, they noted that since my dog was not a huge dog, that I didn't need to really wait too long for her to start running, is this true?

I mean, I'm a pretty big runner, so I'm curious at what age would it be okay, or perhaps the rule doesn't apply so much given my breed of dog?


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## BlackStar

I can't run fast enough to get Fancy Pants (5 month old Lab/GSD) to break out of a fast walk unless I sprint. It is quite clear that she isn't working as hard as I am. She takes much shorter strides than me; quite similar to when she is walking. Joint and bone stress are higher than walking, but there is no indication that she is under duress at any time. She drinks a little on each 1/2 mile lap and usually pees when we're done, so she isn't dehydrating. We "run" 3-4 days per week and started with 1/2 mile. Right now, 2 miles in 30 minutes is our pace. We are going to start agility training soon, and I will lower her run participation until she's a year old, but I'm not convinced that there is much chance of injury at our current pace.


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## cshellenberger

A 5 month old pup should NOT be running other than to chase a ball in the yard of SOFT ground, you will do irreparable damage to her joints. It's the equivelent of a 5 year old child running several miles. This is not theory, it's proven medical FACT. 

There are better ways to tire out a puppy, structured play and training among them.


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## BlackStar

Carla,

I appreciate you conviction. Could you provide the source for your information? I'd love to read it.

Did you see the part where I described her "running" with me? When she chases the ball, or does wind sprints around the back yard, or at the dog park, that is running. When I am at her side, it is nothing more than a fast walk for her. Not even a trot. Certainly not a lope and definately not what you would call a run.

Also, what is "Dragon Slaying Dobermans Inc"?


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## cshellenberger

Well, by running I mean a steady run on any hard surface, brief spurts of running are not what's I'd consider a 'run' or a jog. 

http://www.vetinfo.com/puppy-exercise-explained.html

http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com/extra-large-breed-dogs.html

"Dragon Slaying Dobermans Inc" is a group from the Dobe forum I'm on, it's a joke because Dobes are notorius for barking at "Dragons" (things that aren't there).


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## BlackStar

Carla,

Thanks for the links. I will read both. I have never had a Doberman, but my Labrador/GSD puppy (you can't tell she's anything but Lab) is quiet. Thank goodness.


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## cshellenberger

Oh my girl is Quiet MOST of the time, but she will bark at stuf 'out of the blue' or catch a scent of something underground and start trying to dig it up (this is a new behavior she's just stated since we moved to WA). Dobe's are goofs at time, though they are extreamely smart (sometimes smarter than thier owners >.< )


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## BlackStar

Right, know exactly what you mean. Fancy is a mess when she gets going. At 5.5 months, it's amazing what she can already do and she is willing to try most anything.

Steve


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## dogrunning

I have read all kinds of comments and opinions on running with puppies. First remember these are dogs which means they were born to run and hunt. Puppies (wolf puppies from which our pet dogs came from) were expected to participate at 6 to 9 mos in the wild. We however have modified them such that some breeds simply are not made to run (e.g. bulldogs). Many dogs of 25 to 30 lbs and up can run safely fairly young - 5 to 6 mos of age (depending ot the dog). At 6 mos most breeds are about 7 human yrs eqvl. At this age, short easy paced (9 to 10 min miles for 10 to 20 mins) runs can be ok and good training but keep it fun - just like working with your second or third grader. At this speed the youngsters are really more dog troting than true running, especially larger breeds. By 1 yr they will be about 14 to 15 human yrs grown. At this point (like high schooler that run CC) they are ready to move up in speed. Heat (above 80 to 85 degrees F) is usually the biggest concern and best avoided unless want a vet trip if you are lucky. Running breeds like hunning, herding, and some working make great running companioins as do many mix breeds. Ask yourself does your dog look like a runner or a weight lifter or a football player - that will give you some idea. Short hair dogs do better in heat, long hair in cold. A general guide is keep runs to 1 mile for every 2 month they age after about 6 month - so at 5 -6 month - 1 mile, at 7 -8 month 2 miles, 9 -10 mons 3 miles, and at 12 month 4 to 5 miles. Less (or no) miles if hot. They need to drink at least as often as you do. ALWAYS before running with your puppy talk to your vet as each dog and breed is different.


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## Shaina

Ah, the classic thread resurrection technique.

I maintain anyone can run any distance with any dog of any age on any surface...provided you carry the dog. 

*throws 9 month old English Mastiff over shoulder and trots off into the sunset*


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## xxxxdogdragoness

So,question my 6 month old Jo likes to run with her sister Izze next to the atv & the mule utility vehicle we use to get around the ranch should I let her do this & if so how much?


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## JuneBud

peppy264 said:


> As I expected the oft quoted 2 year rule rears its head.
> 
> Ever think about why it is OK to walk your dog 3 miles but not jog with your dog for 3 miles? If he is on leash then he is covering the same amount of ground and likely about the same wear and tear on the joints. If he is off leash, then he is covering even LESS ground if you are jogging as opposed to walking.
> 
> I hate to see people throw out the 2 year rule without considering the obvious: type of dog, type or running (on/off leash), speed, distance, surface etc. Exercise is important, and walking at a humans pace is not very vigorous exercise. Lets not discourage people unnecasarily.


Exactly. I am not going to give an opinion about how far or fast a dog should travel, but I'd like to point out that going at a faster rate of speed, whether it be dog, human, or horse, puts more strain on the joints. The culprit is the weight of the animal vs. gravity plus speed. The heavier the animal, the faster the travel, the more force is put on the joints, so 3 miles of walking do not equal 3 miles of running. People, as a rule, don't get shin splints from walking, but they do from jogging.


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## ExplorGM

Our confusion with this topic concerns what is actual "running" and therefore is "bad" for a pup and what is trotting or fast walking and if this is also bad? Our Dobi can "trot" or walk fast at both my wife's and my pace. 8-10 minute mile. He seems to need a ton of excersize and we take him for both walks and "trots" daily. I can absolutley see how running/galloping could be bad for him as I am a life long 50 year old runner with bad knees and ankles... The trotting does not seem to instill much impact on his legs and joints? There is very little vertical movement. He is 5 months old, 53 lbs and 22.5" at the withers. All legs! Thoughts?


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## Bordermom

The rule of thumb with puppies (under a year) is to let them dictate how much exercise they do. So go to the park and stand around more or less while they run and play for an hour. They can slow down, speed up, or change directions as they feel they need to. Jogging or running for an hour on a sidewalk is very different!

And the damage can happen without you knowing - my example is a friend's retriever who was very active, 2 hour walk in the morning and evening, started on agility at a young age (this was when the jumps for his size were 30 inches), hiking on weekends with a backpack. His parents had perfect hip ratings so she didn't think he'd have a problem. When he was 2, they were a day and a half into a backpacking trip when he started limping and yelping, so they camped for the night then took it slow hiking back out. The vet took xrays - he had NO hip joints left, spent a year being as thin and active as he possibly could before it was too much and he had to be put down (replacing the joints weren't an option).

How many dogs at ten have joint problems? How many human kids do?

My point being that with dogs, they wear and tear more than we think, it's only 18 months or so to wait to be safe, and much better than doing damage for life. If you really NEED a dog to jog with now, find someone's adult dog and work with them till your pup is old enough to have xrays and start slowly.


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## ExplorGM

Thanks for the quick reply! No, we would not take him on an hour run yet. With my bad knees a half hour run is painful enough... I usually take him for a mile in the morning to keep him from mauling the kids before school and a mile at night to settle him down. That's about 8-10 minutes max per outing. My wife might take him for 1-3 miles once in a while and she is going about 10 minutes per mile which for him is only a fast walk with his long legs. All other excersize is walking or back yard fetch.


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## cshellenberger

This really is too much for the joints of a 5 month old Dobe, you're setting him up for severe problems when he gets older. BRISK walk twice a day 5-7 Minutes per month of age, NO running! He can also be tired out with TRAINING to stimulate his mind and running around your yard (or a ball field) chasing a ball, frisbee or playing with a flirt pole. These activites, done on softer earth are fine, running on pavement/asphalt is too rough on the joints.


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## ExplorGM

Thanks Carla!


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## Kadugui

Interesting research on the matter.
Contrary to what I expected!

http://www.usdaa.com/article.cfm?newsID=2288


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## packetsmom

For giant breeds, 2 years is the recommendation. For large breeds like labs and GSD's, I've heard anywhere from 1-2 years. If you want to have something more scientific to base your decision on, you could always get x-rays to look at the growth plates.

I'd probably err on the side of caution with a GSD mix, but then, I think I have a phobia when it comes to hip dysplasia. I'm seriously considering getting my mix's hips and elbows OFA'ed at 2 years. Overkill? Likely, but it might help me rest easier about letting him jump.


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## CptJack

packetsmom said:


> I'm seriously considering getting my mix's hips and elbows OFA'ed at 2 years. Overkill? Likely, but it might help me rest easier about letting him jump.


We are having Thud X-rayed at 2, and have a large chunk of change set aside for surgery. He's big. He's heavy. He's active. I REALLY want to know.


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## packetsmom

CptJack said:


> We are having Thud X-rayed at 2, and have a large chunk of change set aside for surgery. He's big. He's heavy. He's active. I REALLY want to know.


That really is smart planning.  On the one hand, I'd hate to hold him back at all if everything is fine. Being in shape will actually help protect those joints. On the other, if there is a problem I'd rather find it and fix it early and not make it any worse.

I think part of me will be holding my breatg until he's old enough!


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## CptJack

packetsmom said:


> That really is smart planning.  On the one hand, I'd hate to hold him back at all if everything is fine. Being in shape will actually help protect those joints. On the other, if there is a problem I'd rather find it and fix it early and not make it any worse.
> 
> I think part of me will be holding my breatg until he's old enough!


I'm very carefully not stopping him doing anything he wants to do on his own, and am encouraging a ton of swimming which has resulted in thighs of steel (it's kinda weird, actually) and that makes me feel better, but yeah. I'm paranoid about it, too.


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