German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America

[kerily]

Hi all -

Now that the new puppy is here, we have been doing lots of fun stuff like going on hikes and going to the beach. However, I am a little worried as I asked the vet how far he can walk (he is 16 weeks old this Saturday) and she said about one mile only and to stop if he is tired. Well, we have gone father than one mile and he definately doesn't get tired during the walk (sleeps afterwards). She also said that you should not run with the dog as this can damage the growth in their bones and they can end up with one leg shorter than the other.

So the question is, how far can Bogart walk/should he walk? And what type of surface is best.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Kerily

[whiskerdog1]

I think 1-2 miles is more than enough to walk a 4mo old, no more.
Dont RUN your dog on concrete. Let em be a pup in parks, grass etc and run there.
Walks and brisk walks on concrete are totally fine. Once their 14-16mo, you can do some amount of running on concrete surface, you have growing bones, hips, tendons to worry about now. Dont take em jogging until theyve reached that age if you want a healthy dog free of dysplasia and physiacal abnormalities. Take em out walk em, but I prefer parks, woods for running around.Have fun
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Real men hunt Wire Dogs

[pointon]

Hi, I just got my GWP last Friday.. She'll be 8wks tomorrow. Besides hunting, the biggest reason I got the GWP was because everyone said that they're excellent running companions. I started walking my pup Monday night. I walk her on a lead(to get her used to it) for about a mile.. She sleeps following this walk for maybe an hour... Then she's ready to play.. I decided Thursday night that I'd walk her for about a mile and then let her run w/ me for a mile.. That's 2 miles and she's 8wks old... By reading this, you guys believe that that's way too early.. Should I stop walking her all together or just limit it..?
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training tips are welcome

[dualgwp]

Walks are fine, just remember they are babies! You wouldn't expect a toddler to keep up with you for an hour.

Personally, I would rather see short exercise periods at this age... maybe 15 min. at a shot a couple of times a day.

Watch the pup, when she acts pooped, she is pooped.

Just use your common sense... you'll know when enough is enough and too much is ... well, you get it.

[whiskerdog1]

Pointon,
Im trying to be polite-but youve got to be kidding me-Run an 8wk old pup a mile with you? Again, walks are fine and encouraged. Some running and chasing after ball/sock/wing in a park or field is ok too. Running or jogging on pavement is absolutely foolish, and HARMFUL to any dogs Joint development in the early stages of life-like up to a year or so, more so with larger breeds. Just be smart and use common sense as suggested- if you want a dog dysplasia and arthritic free. Jogging a 6mo old, let alone an 8wk old pup isnt using any, as far as Im concerned(and about any Vet you talk to). FYI
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Real men hunt Wire Dogs

[pointon]

Hey, that's why I asked... No harm in taking good advice. Before I saw your response, I stopped running her. She loves the running and the freedom that comes w/ it... However, I am the smarter one of the two of us( or at least I like to think so)... Specifically, what I was doing is walk her a mile at a brisk pace, off the road.. Then, we turn around and run slowly back, off the road. We stop any time I see her catch a scent, which is often. Regardless, stopped and will only walk her 1 mile each night, off the road and at a reasonable pace.. Thanks for your opinion!
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training tips are welcome

[Dave1967]

Here I go again coming in on top of good advice from Whiskerdog. I have hunted over and owned Wires for over 40 years and I have yet to meet one that would voluntarily quite hunting. It is up to you to match the exercise to the age and condition of the pup. I am smarter now (hopefully) but I have had to pick up pups and carry them out of the field to keep them from working themselves to death. Go slow, learn to read your pup and spend a lot of time establishing the bond between the two of you. The pup will be reading you at the same time, so try to stay consistent in the things that you do. Have a good handle on the COME command before you spend much time in an off leash mode in an uncontrolled area. I like to go to a ball field that I can close off egress from to allow the pup to get used to being off the leash and outside its own back yard. Both of the pups in this thread are still at the lets smell the butterfly stage so enjoy it, the walks, the runs and the swims together will come quick enough.