# Exercise Needs for St Bernard Puppy



## dianajc891 (Oct 4, 2012)

Hi everyone
Ruby is now here with us and I have a quick question for St Bernard owners. I will post some pics in a separate thread.

How much exercise does a 16 week old puppy need? and is this something that has to be built up gradually over many months like a newfoundland?

Any idea of the timeframe involved would be useful too.
Many thanks, Diana.


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## Phoolf (Jun 13, 2012)

Being a giant breed they shouldn't do any jumping, going up stairs etc. and they are not fully grown until 2 years so just like a Newfie take it easy. Playing in the back garden or running around off lead is okay, but lead walking should be built up slowly and not for very long distances at all (20mins or so at 16 weeks).


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

5 minutes per month of age, so at 16 weeks - no more than 20 minutes of doing anything they can't or wouldn't voluntarily stop doing by themselves (walking with you,particularly exiting games or haring about with another dog for instance).

That goes up by 5 minutes every month until 18 months.


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

Oh aye and like Phoolf says - no stairs, no jumping, no jumping in and out of car boots and games like fetch should be played on soft surfaces like grass.


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## Booties (Nov 23, 2012)

As others have said really, roughly 5 minutes per month of age at this stage.

The KC puppy guide advises that this can be done twice a day, so 30-40 minutes a day split into two walks.

Try to take it easy on the crazy running about/jumping up too 

Congrats on your new puppy!


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## Alice Childress (Nov 14, 2010)

Booties said:


> As others have said really, roughly 5 minutes per month of age at this stage.
> 
> The KC puppy guide advises that this can be done twice a day, so 30-40 minutes a day split into two walks.
> 
> ...


With a giant breed I wouldn't be doing the walk twice a day. They grow so so fast that you have to be extremely careful with their joints. If it were me I would stick to the 5 minutes per month once a day. So no more than a 20 minute enforced walk.

As others have said, be very careful with jumping off settees and out of cars as well and no stairs. If stairs are unavoidable then make sure you go down the stairs very slowly with him and don't let him jump down them.


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## Booties (Nov 23, 2012)

Alice Childress said:


> With a giant breed I wouldn't be doing the walk twice a day. They grow so so fast that you have to be extremely careful with their joints. If it were me I would stick to the 5 minutes per month once a day. So no more than a 20 minute enforced walk.
> 
> As others have said, be very careful with jumping off settees and out of cars as well and no stairs. If stairs are unavoidable then make sure you go down the stairs very slowly with him and don't let him jump down them.


I feel the same, Mori gets 20 mins a day at 3 and a half months.
Just adding what the KC booklet says for another opinion source


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## dianajc891 (Oct 4, 2012)

Thank you everyone; you have all been very helpful.

Ruby is not allowed upstairs or on the furniture (like Barney) and I will be careful about the car. I brought her home yesterday and she sat between my legs, put her head on my knee and was very comfortable (Barney was in the back as usual). I am supervising interactions between Barney and Ruby as he can be quite boisterous and she appears to be fairly laid back. Interesting times ahead!
Diana


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

My goldie got twenty minutes walk outside, but most of that was off lead letting her walk with other dogs who kept her under their wing. I let her run as much as she wanted to do, but she was put on the lead and taken back home on a short enforced walk afterwards.


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