Conditioning for a pup

I have started Riley on a low grade workout everyday.
she and I play fetch, tog o war and she plays with the springpole (Yes, all of her paws touch the ground) so no jumping just tugging on it.

We basically start our afternoon off with a few training sessions with basic commands then we do our PLAY time work out with fetch, tog o war and springpole (the springpole doesntget used alot maybe once a week or every two weeks) . we hop into weight pulling commands when she settles down and is focused on me then we get into the 2 pound weight pull. I set her and allow her to pull 5 to 6 times then it is done with for the day (this is a 30min thing with both weight pull and play time this doesnt include the training sessions)

is this alright? She doesn't seem tired after and has high energy.

I also walk her in the morning around the block and again before bed time.

Riley is 8 months old on the 17th

 

"Pup" and "conditioning" are two words that really shouldn't be used in the same sentence. Just let a pup be a pup, and don't worry about any legitimate conditioning until they are atleast 18 months. Now, with that said, I don't think you are doing too much. My pup is 8 months and high energy as well, and I just take him for walks and play fetch with tennis balls at the park.

 

You can condition a pup 1 way and only 1 way.

Swimming.

You do anything else strenuous with them at a young age, you're doing both yourself and that puppy a dis-service. End of story.

 

Nothing wrong with walking

 

If they are pullers/tuggers like most of my pups have been, ud be surprised at the damage they can do, if you walk em for too long.

 

What if you have a pup that grows up and matures in the fall/winter? I'm not about to throw my pup in my 30 degree pool to let him have a swim.

 

What kind of damage? Any dog I walk that pulls wont be pulling as hard after the walk cause their tired. You cant overwalk a dog.

 

Puppies shouldnt be forced to do excessive repetitive exercise - including walking, jogging etc - until the growth plates in their joints have "closed". These are areas at the ends of the bones in the joints that develop as the puppy grows; in puppies they are quite soft, and susceptible to damage if the dog is overexercised. Closure of the plates can take up to a year and a half in heavier breeds! Until your particular breed of puppys' bones have hardened, give them primarily "free" exercise like playing ball; your dog can stop when its tired. over walking a puppy can damage joints an muscles which to leave them with problems later on in life such as displaysia.

^ Vets with scientific study, must not know shit huh?

 

I'll add to that, the reason I pointed out swimming is because there is little to no stress placed on the problem areas, and its a great cardiovascular exercise and does promote muscle growth through resistance, without the risk :cool:

 

Chasing after a ball, quick stopping and starting, is better that a calm, controlled and age-appropriate walk? I see... Thanks.

 

There is a big difference between an age appropriate walk, and walking for conditioning purposes :rolleyes:

And chasing after a ball under their own power, direction and resistance is fine, attach a leash and do the same thing with them hitting the end of it constantly - then it'd be a bad idea

 

Well, but isn't that what folks have been kindly suggesting to the original poster? Conditioning and pups don't mix, proper walk, yadda yadda yadda? I mean, we can always take the extreme on any subject, but wasn't the whole point pretty clear?

 

Kindly point out where a leisurely walk, condusive to the pups age has been pointed out, all we've had so far is "you can't overwalk a dog"...

I'm not picking fights man, and if you wanna disagree thats your perogative, I happen to think otherwise, so if I get asked why, or told I'm wrong, I'll obviously explain my opinion.

If you just wanna say, cool I disagree with you though, so be it, I'm not asking you to change your opinion - I'm just voicing mine.

 

Just walk her a bit. Nothing extreme, remember, she's still a pup.

 

All our dogs run loose playing and hunting wild animals as young pups. When they are separated and put on chains all of our dogs from age 6 months until 5 years of age are excersized with long trots on my bike at a medium pace followed by some free running and walking along the beach every day. Our dogs develop excellent cardio-vascular and respiratory systems and are strong and healthy throughout their lives.

We have never had any problems with any muscles, joints or bones and never have had a case of dysplasia. You can state all the things mad scientists say, what the vets may say or even what the multi-million dollar corporate research departments say but none of that will ever change what I see with my own eyes.

 

swimming is good but you should def walk your dog. you have to be smart about it obviously. i think fetch and things like that are good as well. introducing a pup to the spring pole is also fine to build interest but be careful. sounds like you mostly playin with the pup to get its exercise in which is perfect

 

Gringo absoloutley nailed it there. CASE CLOSED!

 

Well said!!!!!!!

Yes, Riley and I play alot! hehe, she is so spazztic I have to let her run. Fetch, tug o war and chase doesnt seem all tht bad to me as early conditioning. it lets the dog be a pup, burn energy and have fun at the same time.

And she has only used the springpole twice. no jumping nothing that would strain her in anyway. its not like I have the spring so high up she has to leap for it. I have it so all her paws are sturdy on the ground.
She is also showing more interest in it since the first time I took it out for her in november. I just took it out yesterday so she could burn some extra energy.


I can't wait till it gets warm out again so I can take her to the lake<3 she would have so much fun there! and by that time may hit she'd be a year old!

 

thanks, i didn't think I was over doing it. I am just playing with my dog. I call it conditioning because in a way it is training her and keeping her active so when she does start her real conditioning she wont be so strained and out of shape.

aw, I wish I could take Riley to the park! she is da with alpha type dogs and aggressive ones so I avoid dog traffic if possable.

 

I am excited for it to warm up again too. My pup was born in May so he was a measly 4 months when it started getting too cold to take him swimming (plus he wasn't physically able at that age). But he did wade in baby pools and splash around, so I am thinking it will be easy to get him started. Plus by the time it's summer he will be over a year old so we will be able to stay out longer. I was putting him on the first pool step when he was 6 weeks old, he loved it lol