# I've been over-exercising my puppy, is there anything i can do to undo any damage?



## ken300 (Mar 21, 2017)

Hi,

I'm a new puppy owner and have just become aware that i've been over-exercising her, she's a Toy poodle / Bichon frise cross and is 5 months old (we've had her for 3 months). Apparently a sensible maximum for a puppy is 5 minutes per day of on-lead exercise for every month of age so for her, 5 months old = 25 minutesa day. Many people say she can have additional off-lead exercise like a game of fetch too because it's easier for her to stop and rest as & when she wants to.

Our daily exercise routine is 30 minutes or so of fetch in our back garden in the morning, more fetch/playing/tug of war and obedience training indoors during the day plus maybe two or three times a week a walk in a country park (on hard surfaced paths, on-lead) that are usually 60-90 minutes long.

These longer walks are too much and i'll correct this immediately but i'd like to know if there's anything we can do to undo any damage that we might have already done.

I assume that anything to help the condition of her joints in general will be a of benefit too....

Thanks in advance for your replies,

Ken


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

To be fair I don't think the majority of dog owners know about the 5 minute rule. There's nothing to be done that will wind back time but just watch closely dor any lameness and act quickly if you see any. Being half Bichon I imagine she has long back, short legs ? If so be careful with her back - no stairs, jumping on and off furniture.
As long as you keep her excercise to the reccommended levels now you're aware chances are she'll be fine. Keep her at a healthy weight too. 
We do need pictures , puppy photos are compulsory !


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## lullabydream (Jun 25, 2013)

Fetch is great but you need to be careful as it's the twisting on the joints that can cause problems...off lead is usually classed as fine as it's at the dogs own pace.

Toy breeds are notorious for luxation patella...so just be aware of this..back legs, any hopping, lifting of leg when running or walking. Most good vets will check joints as standard when they have health check ups. Usually if parents are clear, this usually means the likelihood of off spring having LP is unlikely, probably not at all. Hence health tests prior to breeding are usually essential. LP is usually graded, sometimes it can be mild and will lead to arthritis in later life. Other times surgery to correct is utmost importance to give quality of life.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

The 5 minute rule is much important for large breeds, less so for small ones. And it really applies to forced walking on hard surfaces. If any joint damage has been done, there's not really any way to undo it; but just avoid too much jumping, twisting and fast stops.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Ive yet to find any scientific study that backs up this 5 mins rule. 

Its like the 5 a day - plucked from thin air.


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

Our vet told us with Teddy who is a small cockerpoo that he could go as long as he wanted on walks as long as we didn't do any forced activity jumping like agility until twelve months. You only have to be careful with large dogs.


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## ken300 (Mar 21, 2017)

I apologise for not replying sooner - I've been tied up for a few days!

I'm eternally grateful for all your replies, i'll watch her like a hawk for any lameness or problems...

When she's having her 'zoomies' in the back garden (when she runs round like an absolute idiot who's totally out of control) she does like to make her own agility course by jumping on & off the garden chairs etc, i think that i'll be moving those out of her reach too!

Thanks again


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## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

Nonnie said:


> Its like the 5 a day


And just to make it more interesting, five a day _of different colours_!


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Calvine said:


> And just to make it more interesting, five a day _of different colours_!


I didnt know that bit!

I mainly eat various shades of green.


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

ken300 said:


> I apologise for not replying sooner - I've been tied up for a few days!
> 
> I'm eternally grateful for all your replies, i'll watch her like a hawk for any lameness or problems...
> 
> ...


Don't worry that's not forced, a few minutes zoomies jumping on and off the chairs won't do any harm.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

I do not think most people bother about this odd 5 minute rule. The bigger the dog the more careful you need to be but you will not have done her any harm. Why is she not walked every day though. She would be far better with regular exercise, 2 half hour walks a day, every day. If you have her of the lead she will go on the grass and not be forced to go at your pace on the hard paths.


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## MelodyM (May 24, 2017)

I've been a bit concerned about this too as Cara is very small, so I'm relieved to hear off the lead time is fine. She just loves her walks and likes to spend ages frisking about on the grass 

We also have Mad Puppy Time when she tears around the house and garden like a complete maniac. I guess this is normal!


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## Nettles (Mar 24, 2011)

I was one of those neurotic owners who stuck to the 5 minute rule until my girl was a year old.. and she still ended up with hip dysplasia at 18 months old. Whether it made no difference at all, or prevented it from getting worse, who knows?

I think it's more of a guide to remind people that puppies shouldn't be, and don't need to be, walked for hours at a time while their joints are still growing.


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## WillowT (Mar 21, 2015)

Nettles said:


> I was one of those neurotic owners who stuck to the 5 minute rule until my girl was a year old.. and she still ended up with hip dysplasia at 18 months old. Whether it made no difference at all, or prevented it from getting worse, who knows?
> 
> I think it's more of a guide to remind people that puppies shouldn't be, and don't need to be, walked for hours at a time while their joints are still growing.


Me too


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## Lottie9330 (Oct 26, 2016)

I wouldnt worry too much. I remember when my puppy was 4 month old i was taking her on days out where id walk for miles and i remember a few people saying to me what id done was crazy and id ruined my puppies bones and i panicked. When she had a check up at the vets i mentioned the 5 min rule and what id done and was worried id contribute towards my dog having arthritis in the future and he just laughed and said its an old wives tale and long walks are encouraged to burn off all the puppies built up energy which has several positive health effects on the puppy and i was encouraged to carry on


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## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

Lottie9330 said:


> I wouldnt worry too much. I remember when my puppy was 4 month old i was taking her on days out where id walk for miles and i remember a few people saying to me what id done was crazy and id ruined my puppies bones and i panicked. When she had a check up at the vets i mentioned the 5 min rule and what id done and was worried id contribute towards my dog having arthritis in the future and he just laughed and said its an old wives tale and long walks are encouraged to burn off all the puppies built up energy which has several positive health effects on the puppy and i was encouraged to carry on


Thank heavens your vet is not my vet as I would have had an argument with him. Large and giant breeds in particular should not be walked for miles as puppies as it will damage bones and ligaments.
I bought my first golden over 30 years ago and the breeders impressed on us not to walk her far for the first year of her life. The five minute rule is a new invention, it's really to try and impose some sort of structure to puppy walking that is easy to understand. Saying don't walk a puppy far depends on your view of how much 'far' is, so the five minutes per month of age came about.
It's not a hard and fast rule to be kept to the minute and upped on the day the puppy hits the milestone of a new month, common sense should prevail after all. And, of course, it only refers to enforced walking on a lead at a fixed pace. Having th puppy off lead going at the pace it finds comfortable and allowing stops and starts, isn't included in the five minutes


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