Exercising a German Shepherd Puppy Health

I think the whole exercising puppies thing is a minefield.

With my latest GSD pup, I took him for very short onlead walks around supermarket carparks/train station that kind of thing for socialisation. I think onlead, repetitive paced walking especially on hard surfaces is the worst kind of exercise.

But he had much more offlead, he is from working parents and would have just gone crazy in the house without offlead running.

I don't agree with the 5 minute rule though, as I have seen just as much research to suggest that dogs have problems from lack of muscle and exercise as the opposite. The muscle holds the hips in place better.

I wouldn't walk a very young puppy for an hour either but I think there needs to be some middle ground.

I saw a lot about that too when I first got my latest pup, and that's the sole reason I played it by ear whenever we were out and she was free running, I wanted her to build up those muscles, so sometimes our walks with stops, with training, with chatting went well over that 5 minute rule. I think a lot of common sense is needed, but when your puppy is running around offlead, it has a darn site more chance of telling you it's knackered than when you're walking it on a hard surface and dragging it on a lead imo! In fact, I'd go so far as to say, my puppy never actually got a lead walk until she had been speyed at 11 months old when I had to do it! Thankfully, all the offlead heelwork training I'd done on our daily run arounds then paid off when she had to stay onlead on the pavement.

There isn't BUT you also are a lot less likely to buy a dog that has come from parents with very bad hip scores as they are more likely to have hip problems.

You here are contradicting yourself. You made the presumption that Trouble was walking her pups for 2hr but you say you take your puppies everywhere with you. People could therefore assume your puppies are continuously on the move.
Many people would also criticise you for socialising your puppy that has not been vaccinated as to properly socialise a dog they should be sniffing each other. Many dog illnesses can be passed on like this.
I think people should be finding out the full situation before they jump in to insult others.
My friend said about taking puppies out for 2hrs and no way would they lie on the floor while older dogs play. I pointed out that my GSD would do that, she has springers which can tend to be more boisterous and maybe wouldn't sleep. You may have springers that do. I think an owner can only truly know their own dog, their habits and personality type.

When Kirah was checked up at the vets they were saying about her muscle as to get her a bit more active. The person i got her from hadn't let her out of their kennel and she therefore was still quite weak. The only way to build up muscle is a bit of exercise. No i am not saying go run your tiny puppy for hours BUT they do need a bit of exercise.

Omg you surely didnt think she had the puppy hip scored. Anyone in their right mind knows that was worded incorrectly. She meant the parents had good hip socres and theoefore she hopes that the puppy will. And what on earth would be the point in making sure dogs are hip scored if it doesnt reflect on the puppies. Why pay out all the money for the test if it didnt matter. IT DOES and puppies are more than likely to have better hips with parents with good hip scores than the ones with bad ones.

I dont understand why you are getting so bang out of order on here. There is no need for it and to be honest its being a bit childish and getting a bit boring now

We have one GSD Esme.

We got her at approx 12 weeks old. She has wandered about on walks with the other dogs since then. To start with up until about six months we did cut down our walk time or walked her with our old dog seperately to the collies long walks. No more than 30/40 minutes. We didn't let her chase the other dogs running but did let her play with them.

She hardly had any pavement walks at all. Either slow meandering walks on soft ground as above, or socialising trips to specific places ie. to meet livestock or to look around shows.

Now at a year old she is muscular, happy and healthy - and can keep up with the collies on long walks no problem.

She comes from well scored parents and we're certainly not anticipating any problems.

I don't like the five minute rule in general to be honest it doesn't take into account all the different circumstances. Fifteen minutes lead walking round the streets is different to a half hour spent sniffing about, meting and greeting, and sitting/lying down whenever it wants!

Did you miss this

My dogs are titre tested & I know the level of antibodies they have. Are you suggesting that puppies should be kept in total isolation until they have a proven antibody levels(& if you do not titre test how do you know ?) ?? After all my other dogs or even me could give my puppies those very same diseases just as much as a dog of unknown antibody levels they see at club or anywhere else.

Socialization is as much about meeting humans as meeting other animals & with dogs like GSDs & BCs being socialized with humans is equally important.

I have working bred BCs who are totally different to my GSDs energywise whilst young, my BCs do not need to be taken for walks to get fit, all mine are in hard dry condition & have naturally developed muscles(including 2nd thigh) & unlike my GSDs do not need road walking when old enough to finish their body condition development.

You are being very naive the wording she posted would to anyone who knows little about hip assessing would intimate that the puppy was known to have good hips-unless the puppy is over 4 months & Penn Hipped there is no way of knowing.

Hips are only one part of a dog & over exercising a puppy will not worsen hips, but damage the growth plates & the joints related to them ie the elbows & front & rear pasterns.

Im not being naive at all. So are you saying that you are one of these people who know little about hip scoring. If thats the case why dont you ask about it instead of being childish and trying to correct peoples wording. I know over exercising will damage the growth plates and joints, why are you repeating what the thread has been about?

We could then go on to say about training methods. What kind of detrimental effect would it have on puppies being carried around. Dogs socialise by sniffing each other and that kind of interaction. Human socialisation should definitely not be done with someone holding that dog. Are you saying that you carried all 3 of your 3 year old dogs around when they were puppies? Are you thinking through what you are implying? You are trying to find fault in everyone elses wording but are not looking at your own.

You are also talking about people doing their research, well a vet would tell you not to take the dogs out until they have had both their vaccinations, they say you should keep them in isolation. YOUR decision is to get them titre tested and to then risk them by taking them out, that is your decision as is how we exercise our dogs our decision.

Just to point out that if a puppy 'passes' it's titre test like Joedee is saying then it's antibodies are high enough to go out without great risk...

but there is still a slight risk? Is it something specified of show dogs?

No the titre test literally tests the level of the antibodies in the blood. Dogs do not always need to be vaccinated every year. I do it (titre testing) because my dog Felix had a very bad reaction to his vaccine and we nearly lost him. Since then we have titre tested and as of yet our dogs have never needed boosters as their immunity levels are already high enough without them.

Young puppies have immunity already provided via their Mums milk. I believe what Joedee is saying is that she had her pup titre tested and the immunity was in place therefore it was perfectly safe to take the dog out.

(Please correct me if i'm wrong about what you meant Joedee).

In my opinion alot of people over vaccinate their dogs because that is what the vet recommends. Out of our dogs for example, Dillan an 8+ year old Springer Spaniel was titre tested for the first time instead of having a vaccination nearly five years ago. His immunity has never dipped low enough to need another vaccination.

I won't pump my dogs full of drugs just because it's the accepted thing to do. Felix' puppy vaccinations made him ill and his first booster nearly killed him. At the vets recommendation he has a medical tag on his collar advising against vaccination just incase of an emergency.

Titre testing is nothing to do with show dogs, anybody can request to have it done instead of a vaccine, though your vet may put up a fight to start with! If the level of a particular antibody is low they can then have the booster. Like I said though for our six dogs they have never needed boosters since we started testing.

Some people prefer to just vaccinate as it is often cheaper.

Hope that helps.

H x

Is it true the test is between £25 and £36? I used to work at a vets and we never once discussed it or offered it, even when people commented on vaccines.
I have friends who have never vaccinated their dogs and they have never caught anything.

It depends on your vet to be honest, the Glasgow lab fees for the actual test were around £25 last time I checked, but it depends how much your vet will charge for the consultation and drawing blood etc.

We paid approximately £180 to have five dogs titre tested but I know we didn't get charged a consultation fee as our vets prefer people to titre test before vaccinating (very rare for vets, most try to put you off!), plus that price included five sets of wormers, Glucosamine and some ear wash as well!

Most vets will not discuss titre testing because it could reduce their income from the overpriced vaccinations.

I had a BC from a shepherd who was never vaccinated during his 14 + years, his mother had never been vaccinated either. The Proffessor of Immunology advised me that vaccinating him could have badly affected & even produced a fatal reaction.

I was advised to titre test way back in the early 1980s by a vat who was concerned at the number of his patients had advrse reactions after their vaccinations

My father lost his first Cavalier to a vaccine reaction which 3 hours of having a booster, before that he was perfectly fit & healthy.

I would never put a puppy at risk & no vet will advise a puppy owner with other dogs to isolate their puppy from their other dogs until the period they believe the vaccine requires to give protection.

Did you keep your puppy totally in isolation, disinfecting your clothing etc after being out of the house before touching your puppy ?

I only have 1 3 year old dog & yes I did carry him out & about until his post vaccination titre test showed he had protection, he was only 12 weeks old by then & I did exactly the same with Roodee & Keewee who are younger than him, when they were small puppies

Please tell her not to walk the pup for that long ,, I have a gsd pup also and I did the wrong thing walkin my pup for long periods and am payin the price my pup at 16weeks was told he had hip and elbow displasia not all pups are the same but I no walkin him didn't help the matter so a lesson to be learned never walk a pup for longer than 10 mins that young.

I didnt see this thread the first time around - I for one do not subscribe to the 5 minute rule and from around the forums I know many who have strictly adhered to this myth have had GSDs with severe hd.
from 8 weeks old my GSDs have plenty of off lead exercise on soft ground HD & DJD start at development in the womb, it is primarily genetic with more than one alleles involved ED again the primary factor is genetics not exercise
too little exercise is just as detrimental to having good hips as the gluteal muscles which help to support the 'ball' in the 'socket' without support you will get wear and tear
the Highest hip score I have had is 2:4 and the Lowest is 0:0
With a pup in the morning I will go out for 1 hr part of this is being carried part resting and the rest is running around which in turn develops good forereach and rear drive, then later on there will be at least 2x 20mins off lead, at weekends I then spend time getting the dog used to traffic different modes of transport including trains etc, visiting markets and because i vacinate at 7 week & 9 week the pup attends dog club from 11 week old