So, you have a new puppy. A spastic little bundle of boundless energy eager to explore the world, steal your shoes, socks and whatever else may be laying around, taste test the furniture and do laps around your house. There is nothing more fun than a puppy! But how do you cope with all of that energy?
I cringe when I hear someone say: “I walked my puppy for 90 minutes and he still wasn’t tired.” Walking your puppy until he drops isn’t the solution and could cause more harm than good. Exercise tolerance will vary some by breed, with small breeds that mature faster able to withstand more at a younger age than larger breeds. But over-exercising your puppy can cause injury, leading to bone and joint problems later on. That is why it is best to err on the side of caution until your puppy’s growth plates are closed (at about 12 months for large dogs). Build up gradually. One rule of thumb is to let your puppy set the pace if he is playing with his peers; he’ll romp and play until he’s tired, and then rest, and is less likely to push himself beyond healthy limits. But if you are calling the shots, requiring your puppy to follow you out on a walk or hike, use the five-minute guideline: five minutes of walk per month of age, twice a day. That means you can safely walk your three-month old puppy for 15 minutes, go 20 minutes at four months, and so on, twice a day. Sure your puppy will still have tons of energy, but there are other outlets for that energy.
One option is to incorporate training into your play sessions to provide mental stimulation, which will tire your pup out just as much as exercise; play fetch, squeak a toy and call him to you to establish a recall at a young age, ask him to sit, etc. Introduce him to different surfaces: place a tarp or piece of cardboard on the floor and encourage him to walk across it, give him a box to get in (but don’t let him chew it up). Take him to new places and watch his reactions. All of these things encourage him to explore and expend some of his energy, while helping socialize him as well. So, stick to short walks, frequent playtimes, and training/socialization sessions, and give him lots of time to nap, grow, and assimilate everything he has experienced.