How much to walk a new puppy.

[Lilycrumb]

We have started taking our 11 week old puppy out for walks now. We have read the recommended amount is 5 minutes for each month of age, twice a day. So we have been taking her for 2x15 minute walks a day (in different places).

When we get out on the walk her body language seems to say she is enjoying it (engaged in smells, or head high & tail wagging) but she starts to whimper after about 5 minutes (but she doesn't appear to be afraid). We are not sure if we are walking her too much, or if its just a reaction to all the new experiences, or if its something else entirely.

She will mostly walk fine. She is a bit stubborn on the lead but off the lead she will walk next to me (at the moment) and she is quite good at recall (again, at the moment!)

When we get back home she is still full of beans for an hour - 90 minutes but then she will sleep for hours after that. The week before we started walking her she had stopped napping so much, maybe for a 2-4 hours a day (then sleeping 9pm - 7:00am with 2 toilet breaks) so I don't know if that week was just a fluke or... ?

 

[gypsysmum2]

Lighter dogs can, physically, take longer walks than heavier dogs. This is to do with the pressure on their growth plates. The rule you are using is a good one.

Listen to your dog. If she is whimpering then she is not happy for some reason. This could be tiredness, sensory overload etc. Try to stop before she whimpers as otherwise you will teach her that whimpering is the way to get what she wants.

By far the most important thing at this age is socialisation. This means taking her to a variety of places to meet a variety of people and dogs. This may mean driving to be near a school, playground, old peoples home, football field etc. Make sure she enjoys each experience by giving her time and using distance to lessen the impact of more challenging scenarios. As she is being socialised in the summer do try to let her experience wet days which are much noisier than dry ones. Also people dress differently and carry scary umbrellas etc.

Try to think of the next fifteen years of her life and show her all the things she may encounter. Bus/train travel, vets surgeries, open fields, water may all present themselves at sometime in her life. She may go through a fear period. Do not push her during this time, just consolidate the things you have already done.

 

[Lilycrumb]

So I have realised she only whines when my partner isn't there. If we both take her out then she is fine. If its just me (in the mornings) then she whines. My partner hasn't taken her out alone yet so not sure about that.

Any tips for helping this along because I'm going to be taking her on most of her morning walks alone!

 

[gypsysmum2]

Perhaps she gains more confidence from having more people around? You cannot, of course, always walk her together so you will have to just concentrate on building her confidence on walks.

Perhaps she just misses your partner and is trying to gain his attention (even though he can't hear her!).

Try to give her lots of encouragement and attention when she is being bold and just ignore her when she is whining. Keep an eye on where it starts to see if it is a distance thing. May be she is not comfortable, yet, too far from the safety of home?

 

[Lilycrumb]

Thanks,

I have been trying out the advice but with no luck. When she goes out with my partner she is happy, when we are both there she is happy, but when I take her out I can't get her past the front step without constant coaxing, and then I can only get her to the edge of our small estate, which is about a 3 minute walk usually.

She doesn't appear to be scared or tired, she just stops and sits down every few steps (she isn't whining anymore). Then as soon as I turn back she is off like a rocket. I've been praising and treating her when she is walking along nicely, and using treats to coax her when she is stopping. I am giving her plenty of time to have a good smell of everything and meeting people/dogs.

She is usually a bit better when we go out in the car somewhere, but obviously we can't do this every time!

I just don't know what to do. I am starting to dread having to go because it is really exhausting just getting her to the end of our street.

 

[JoanneF]

She is still very young. If it takes ages to get to the end of the road, is that so awful? At her age she is absorbing so much from ger environment you dont want to rush her and scare her. You could try picking her up, walking on a few metres while talking to her encouragingly, and setting her down again. Or 'what's this?' in an excited time to encourage her forward. If you just pull her along (I'm not suggesting you do) it would make the walk unpleasant for her too and put her off more.

 

[Lilycrumb]

Honestly, at the moment it *feels* like it.

I can appreciate, logically, that she is young and that it will all take time. And of course I don't pull her along.

Of course I will use your advice and thank you for taking the time to post it. In fact its all stuff I've read before and have been doing. In my head I know I just need to persevere. I know there are know quick answers.

 

[JoanneF]

You know, in a few months you will have forgotten all about this. She will be dragging you out. That of course will be in November when it's pouring rain, freezing cold and blowing a gale!

 

[JoanneF]

Just another thought - how is she off lead, obviously in a safe place away from roads? Could her lead itself be a problem? Do you use a harness? Is it rubbing ?

 

[gypsysmum2]

Another thought. Have you, inadvertently, trained her to sit? Is she sitting waiting for you to produce a treat? In other words does she think you want her to sit all the time? Try luring her along but only release the treat after she has walked and before she sits. Some puppies become obsessed with sitting for treats.

If it is a fear thing. It is possible that she has made some sort of association between you and whatever is making her anxious. Did she have a scare when out with you alone? Can be something really silly but it is affecting her when she is out with you.

A neighbour's dog has noise phobia and will not walk with her because guns have gone off when she has walked the dog. The dog will, however, quite happily go out with her son.