I overwalked my mini

[AnK88]

Hello all!

My Mini is my first dog, and I wasn't aware of the walking rule. Since the last vaccine, I've been walking him a lot (at least 1 hour with short stops, and even more on days off). I recently discovered that this could be dangerous for his bones. I feel terrible and a bit concerned. I wanted to go to the vet, but the breeder mentioned that the vet might not be able to identify anything until the dog is an adult. Currently, he shows no signs of illness, walks properly, runs, and plays. Starting today, I'll use a bag to take him to the park and limit walks to a maximum of 20 minutes a couple of times per day. He's 4 months old now—should I be concerned? He has never shown any signs of tiredness during walks; he just sleeps immediately when we get home.

Forgot to mention that The dog has a good pedigree so shouldn’t be exposed to genetics issue.

[Dawnspell]

A lot of it depends on the where you are walking. If it was an hour on concrete surface then that would be a lot harder on joints compared to an hour in a field or on a beach where the surface underneath acts like a shock asbsorber to the joints.

To be honest walking is good for exercise but he would benefit just as much from sitting and watching the world go by on a bench in the park or at a cafe if you are wanting to be out and about. Mental stimulation tires them out far more than physical exercise. Also dont feel that you have to stick to the 2 walks a day thing. Do what fits in for you and your dog. Jasper for instance gets one walk in the morning. In the afternoon we just play games in the garden or house in this wet weather and just gets let out for wee breaks when he wants them.

Dont worry yourself about it, everybody wishes they'd done something different with hindsight

[zeta1454]

As said above, it is not exercise itself that can cause a problem to developing bones /joints in a puppy. Free range walking, running, sniffing etc. in a garden or safe outdoor space is good for puppy muscle development but controlled walking especially on a hard surface is what you want to limit. Don’t fret about what has been done, raising puppies is always a learning experience

[AnK88]

Thank you all for your replies. Usually, he's on a hard surface for about 10 to 15 minutes (the time it takes to reach the park). Then, he mostly walks on the grass, followed by another 10 to 15 minutes to get back home. I'm considering buying a harness since I can't stand the sound he makes with a collar. The breeder said a collar is better, but I feel like I might be hurting him (or he's hurting himself). The roads here are very dirty, and despite teaching him to leave things, he can't resist sniffing or chewing on garbage, so I'm forced to pull. I'm training him outdoors as much as I can, and while there have been improvements, since yesterday, he seems to have forgotten everything, and our short night walk was quite stressful.

[zeta1454]

There is a link here regarding harnesses which explains why they are a better option than a lead fixed to a collar:~

https://www.bestbehaviourdogtraining.co ... s-harness/

You do need to get a good harness though which will allow the dog free movement and does not restrict their chest/shoulder area. We have used the Perfect Fit harnesses for our dogs for many years now but if you cannot get this brand, look for something similar if you can:

https://perfect-fit-dog-harness.com/

Puppies and dogs will always sniff and try to eat all kinds of things they come across on walks. This is a natural instinct and you will probably not be able to stop it altogether and it can actually help to build up their immune system. You will have to make sure that your pup doesn’t eat anything if you can and move on from anything you think could be really harmful but the best way is to try and lure the puppy with a tasty treat rather than pulling on a lead. Call their name, try to sound excited rather than anxious as if you have found a wonderful treat that is better than whatever they are sniffing. You will need extra special treats though - something tasty and smelly

[AnK88]

Thank you for your reply, your time, and suggestions. Unfortunately I read your post too late. I stopped at a shop this morning, and the seller suggested the harness you see in the picture. Now, I've searched online and read that those ones are more harmful. Did I just throw away money?

[zeta1454]

Oh Andrea - sorry that you have paid out for a harness already. I am not sure but looking at the picture it may have a band across the chest area(?) It is less of a problem if your mini doesn’t pull and put pressure there and also if there is room for the shoulders to move freely so it could be OK to use once your puppy is walking well beside you, but while he is still growing, try it out and see. The harness should be better than the pressure from a collar round his neck for sure and he is likely to outgrow it anyway as he matures so you are likely to need another in a few months time.

We have more than one harness for some of our dogs so it is always useful to have a spare one but the Perfect Fit type are definitely the best from a health and safety viewpoint. I notice that they do ship worldwide but I am not sure of the costs involved. It is a good company and we have had harnesses last for many years - our Magic is nearly 14 years old now and still has the same one from well over a decade ago. You might want to wait until your puppy is nearer adult size before paying out for an expensive harness though.

[AnK88]

Oh Andrea - sorry that you have paid out for a harness already. I am not sure but looking at the picture it may have a band across the chest area(?) It is less of a problem if your mini doesn’t pull and put pressure there and also if there is room for the shoulders to move freely so it could be OK to use once your puppy is walking well beside you, but while he is still growing, try it out and see. The harness should be better than the pressure from a collar round his neck for sure and he is likely to outgrow it anyway as he matures so you are likely to need another in a few months time.

We have more than one harness for some of our dogs so it is always useful to have a spare one but the Perfect Fit type are definitely the best from a health and safety viewpoint. I notice that they do ship worldwide but I am not sure of the costs involved. It is a good company and we have had harnesses last for many years - our Magic is nearly 14 years old now and still has the same one from well over a decade ago. You might want to wait until your puppy is nearer adult size before paying out for an expensive harness though.

Thanks for your reply. I'll definitely buy the one suggested; I just need to check if they ship worldwide. I have some updates! I bought the one you see in the picture, and I just had the best 15-minute walk since the 9th of November (day I started to walk him). The dog didn't pull as much as when on a collar, he was so happy jumping around, and there was no stress at all for both of us.

Now I'll wait until he's an adult and buy the perfect fit. My only concern now is: I walked him for almost one month on a collar, hearing him panting and making bad sounds, getting shock stress on the neck when, for example, he was running towards another dog and the long leash length wasn't long enough. Doing stairs and walking for a long time on hard surfaces. Did I damage the dog? Should I wait until his adulthood to discover it? At the moment, he walks normally and doesn't show any signs of illness. Thank you a lot for your suggestions!

[zeta1454]

I would not worry too much about what has happened in the past but just keep going with the harness and shorter walks. If you have a canine chiropractor in the area where you live, you could take your mini for an assessment to see if there is any sign of a problem. Here in the U.K. you would need a vet referral for a dog to be examined /treated by a chiropractor but they are amazing for any small or large spinal or muscular issue. We have all our puppies checked by our local canine chiropractor as well as regular treatments for our elderly dogs to keep them moving as well as possible, relieve stiffness and any pain. The following link is just to give you an idea of how canine chiropractic works as this is one that is local to me but you may find similar near your home.

https://www.yorkshireanimaltherapy.co.u ... -treatment

[AJCBruce]

I'm sorry for all you're going through with walking your mini pup, but it does bring back memories of my first mini as well! I overwalked her at one point and felt so guilty afterwards, but she just had a long nap and then was as mad as normal. I've tried leads and harnesses of various types too over the 6-7 years I've had her. A slip lead (no collar involved), which slackens when they walk well with you, and a step-in harness, which doesn't hurt her ears in slipping over her head, are where we are now and is working well for us both. I have back problems so a harness is better than a lead, and I hate using her collar as a restraint mechanism considering her wellbeing.
It has all been a learning process, so don't worry, just keep leaning what's best for your fur baby and you...enjoy!