How much should i walk a lab pup??

[Uptown Girl]

My Labrador puppy Hagan is having his second parvo jab tomorrow then i can take him out for walks. How long should these first walks be i no they can't be to long because of his joints but im not to sure how long they should be

[brindlerainbow]

Not too long and dont let him race around off the lead just nice gentle lead work with maybe a 10 minute run around.Thats what I do with my Boxers anyway

[sometime]

I was advised that a puppy should only walk on a lead for 5 min for every month of its age so 2 months 10 mins

[princessstacie22]

Yes i thik that is true. Our old bulldogge's joints went bad as we over excercised him, he was really naughty and its the only way we could control his behaviour was to walk him loads. We now have learnt our lesson and little pixie is walked for ten mins a day.

[JaysMum]

10 mins lead walking and as much or as little playtime as pup wants in the house.

Lead walking is sometimes referred to as "forced excersize" as quite simply they cant get away from the person holding the lead..... but playtime in the house/garden is different as they can go to bed if they feel the need.

[mumsie]

Bred labradors for years and I always advise owners absolutely no longer than 20 mins for first 6 months and do not let them jump up or encourage them on to back legs. Also vital they don't get too fat so be careful to follow vets or breeders advice on feeding and don't feed titbits eaccept when training and then deduct that from meal allowance. Harsh I know but labs are very greedy and will just overeat.

[vetnurse]

just remember that he will not be fully vaccinated until 1 week after that 2nd vaccine (2 weeks for the lepto part of it, im assuming you had him fully vacc and not just parvo?).

so he can start being walked a week from tomorrow. and as a general rule i advise the same number of minutes as weeks old. e.g 16 weeks = 16 minutes of walking. this can be done several times a day.

[dazycutter]

I dont free run my setters until they are at least 9 months old and then for short periods.. you have to watch the hip and shoulder joints in big dogs...

[cheekychops]

No proper walks til they are 6 months! I show mine and they play and walk for 5 mins on a lead but no more than that.

[dazycutter]

babycheeks.. totally agree.. I show my setters.. they are not let off the lead till 9 months

[B_31]

its normally 5 mins per month of their life.

im assuming by 2nd jab hes upto 10 weeks?? so around 10 minutes??

dont forget - the play loads in the house/garden too

[dazycutter]

I also use calc phos 30c once a week for even development of bone growth

[hatman]

We have a lab who is 12 months now and we were told not to let her do stairs till she is a year. We try to keep her down stairs but she loves to sneek up if one of the kids leave the door open and i find her all cosy in my bed and her smelly bone on my pillow nice!!!!!

[cheekychops]

10 mins of structured walking for a 10 week old puppy is very misguided. Under no circumstances should a 10 week old pup even be going out. They shouldn't have had there 2nd jab by then!

[brindlerainbow]

Hatman, I never let my Boxers do stairs until they were 9 or 10 months old.We dont have stairs in the house but we have steps behind the stables.I looked a complete sight struggling down the steps several times a day clutching a big, squirming Boxer!!! The buggers are heavy too!!!!

[Uptown Girl]

Hagan's doing great he has two 10 minuet walk a day-no stairs. Also i trow the ball in the back yard for a bit for him x

[hairyponios]

Another vote for the 5 minute rule: 5 mins of structured exercise per month of his age once he's vaccinated. Problem is you also need to find ways to socialise with people places etc before he's vaccinated as this is the age that is critical for his future confidence. I carried mine about and took him everywhere in the car. Just didn't put him on the floor w/ where other dogs could have been