# Exerciseing an unvaccinated puppy



## MrDerek (Aug 30, 2010)

I've had Ella for almost 2 weeks now (a 11 week old lurcher pup) and I've noticed she's grown a lot in the last week. She's gotten strength in her hind legs and she's jumping everywhere. 

As she's not fully vaccinated yet (had her first last week and due her second the next week) i'm not sure I should be taking her out for long walks. Right now, the only exercise she's getting is a little run around the garden which isn't that much. I think that's the reason why she's been getting little outbursts of energy in the evenings.

She starts playing with her toys which gets her all excited and then she starts running back and forth and jumping on and off furniture. Ignoring her doesn't do anything as she pays no attention to me in these little outbursts anyways. I end up having to pick her up and hold her still until she calms down.

Is there anything you guys can suggest? When I take her out in the garden I take her out on lead as she's been eating grass and crunching stones. There's also a little hole in the fence that needs patching up. Also the damp weather isn't helping a great deal.

I've booked her up on a puppy class but we can't start till she gets all her vaccinations


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Yes it is hard going i know i got one of mine at 11wks no vacs so was in same boat as you now. Dont know how much she weighs mind was 7kg but i took him out by carrying him to get him used to traffic etc and a give him a bit of mental stimulation. I also used to take him out in car again he can see things and get him used to car. I also did 2 or 3 training sessions for 15 to 20mins in the garden with a bit of play throwing a toy or ball. Which is not only mental exercise but you can teach retrieve and things like drop and leave with this too. It did work for him. One warning though dogs shouldnt run about if you can possibly avoid it for an hour either side of feeding especially deep chested breeds like lurchers. It can cause gastric bloat a build up of gas and if not passed can cause stomach to twist which can be potentially fatal if not treated.


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## rocco33 (Dec 27, 2009)

She shouldn't be taken for long walks as a pup anyway - the general guide is 5 minutes per month of age, so at 3 months it would only be a 15 minute walk anyway. Her bursts of energy are natural puppiness and really, she should be able to get all the exercise she needs in the garden.

As sled dog hotel says, short training sessions and play is all the exercise she needs, although she does need to get out into the world to get used to different things and socialised.


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## Helbo (Sep 15, 2010)

*Get your fence hole sorted asap!*

That's the best advice I can give you

You need to let your puppy run free in your garden even if they decide its a good idea to eat grass or chew stones. If you relax and take off them anything that could hurt them (thinking more the stones than plants - unless you have any poisonous ones) they'll eventually learn that they're not supposed to do that.

You might find that after you let them run free they'll be sick a few times from eating too much grass or something, but as long as they're still bouncy and happy it's just them getting rid of the foreign guk in their tummy. And it'll hopefully show them it's not good to eat odd garden things.

I've been working on the same problem for over 3 weeks and Charlie is starting to lose interest in stones as he knows they just get taken off him.

Once your fence is fixed play chase games in the garden and get your puppy to run around and chase balls for exercise.

If you can't let your puppy run free, try to play games on the lead. But, this could cause problems later when teaching your dog to walk nicely...


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## Helbo (Sep 15, 2010)

OR - go for nice walks around your garden for 15 mins...


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## Bearpaw (Dec 10, 2009)

Do you live near the coast at all? Now,this is personal choice,but i take my pups onto the beach as the tide is going back and there are no dogs there,its a pretty safe time to do it as the tide will have washed away any nasties from the sand/beach. 
I do agree to need to let your pup out in the garden to play,itll get rid of some of that energy,or as you have realised itll be worn off indoors! can you attach a long line in your garden safely? always supervise pup on the long line,but itll give pup a bit more space and you peace of mind pup wont run off. Maybe play clicker treat games too,this is fun and rewarding and useful in learning recall.


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## MrDerek (Aug 30, 2010)

Thanks for the great ideas!

I was actually planning on sorting out the garden over the weekend. Patch up the fence and clear away all the stones. 

But there's still one thing which worries me. With the weather getting wetter and damper everyday, there's a lot of worms, slugs and snails about. I saw at the vets that snails and slugs can carry lungworms?

I'm in the north east of the UK btw.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

MrDerek said:


> Thanks for the great ideas!
> 
> I was actually planning on sorting out the garden over the weekend. Patch up the fence and clear away all the stones.
> 
> ...


The dog has to actually eat the slug or snail to contract lungworm. As long as you are supervising your pup and what she puts in her mouth, the risk is minimal.


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## Pointermum (Jul 2, 2010)

MrDerek said:


> Thanks for the great ideas!
> 
> I was actually planning on sorting out the garden over the weekend. Patch up the fence and clear away all the stones.
> 
> ...


you can use Advocate spot on if you think his eating a lot of slugs and snails.


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## chook (Sep 21, 2010)

Personaly and this is only my opinion - you need to get her out and see the world, most nastys - like parvo etc can be carried in on your shoes/clothing etc
so unless youve got a straile(sp) envorment, you could walk it in yourself, from 8 weeks of age, ive always had pups out, taken them in to town on the bus,
let them see different things etc.


The out burst's are natural for a puppy - and you will find even as an adult
she will still have these out burst's, even in to old age, my lurcher is now 16 and she still has her mad moments, if shes chewing hard stuff like stones you could swap and give her a raw bone, from the butchers it will give her teeth something to do, or a frozen filled kong will keep her ocupied,
it also helps to get rid of a little of that energy, as they will use it up chewing.

If you've been worming her with Pancur - then she will be covered for lung worm.


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