Update!

[Sequoia]

Hi guys!

You probably don't remember me, I basically joined and posted one thread on my new red Siberian Husky puppy, Sequoia. I have been so taken with her this past month 1/2 that I haven't had time to go on the internet really! So I've decided to re-join the forums, and hopefully be a little more active. Sequoia is AMAZING. She picked up on potty training so quickly- at almost 15 weeks old, she hasn't had an accident since our first week. She's also begun holding it in all day, not just peeing on the newspaper I give her.

She is however, quite the escape artist! Being a Husky this was bound to happen. I started off with her having her "den" (crate, bed, toys, food, water & newspaper) gated off with a 4-foot high wooden baby gate. She learned to scale it in 3 weeks. Then I blocked it off with my couch. In another week, that too was not an obstacle. And so, she now stays either zip lined in the yard with her big sister Olive, or in the crate for 1-2 hour intervals while I am at work. I pay my neighbors to let her out and play with her a few times during my shift. She gets runs, bike rides, and hikes every day. She is very good at loose-leash walking and I trust her off-leash with Olive. We work on recall every day! She knows now to stop and check on me once she's gone further than 20 feet away. I whistle and she comes and sits, and occasionally on her own initiative stops and sits in the middle of the trail to wait for me. Such a good girl.

I will post pictures soon. She has already grown out of her first collar!

[Andy]

Hi, Welcome back.

I hate to rain on your parade but your pup sounds too young to be getting such vigorous exercise.

It should be average of 5mins per month of age, a couple of times per day.

Bike rides and hiking may be too much.

Why ??

She will happily do all of that and moree if you let her however. . .

Too much exercise at a young age can lead to early hip and joint problems.

Years ahead of when you would expect to start seeing it.

Because you are stressing the joints and bones while they are still growing and forming.

This sort of exercise shouldn't really be happening until at least a year old.

As a pup she's going to be running around at home and in the garden etc.

I'm not trying to ruin yours and your pups fun, just trying to safeguard her good health into old age.

[Sequoia]

Our bike rides are just around the block, then into the crate so Olive and I can really go for it. The jogs are the same- just getting her used to keeping pace with me and not crossing paths. The food she is eating, Acana, provides glucosamine & chondroitin... I believe it is really good for her to get exercise and socialization, but I absolutely understand where you come from and appreciate your good advice. Our hikes do not surpass 2 miles, but is even that too much? 15-20 minutes of walking time simply doesn't seem like it would cut it for her. In all honesty, I adopted Olive at 6 months and the last dog I raised from a pup was my aussie, Roxie, who is now 11 years old. She is in great health but I was definitely younger and a good deal of the initial exercise was provided by my mother. I definitely don't want to compromise her future health and will call my vet about what she recommends tomorrow. Thanks Andy!

[Elyse]

Good to hear that (some things) are going very well!

I agree with what was said about the exercise being too much. I think 2 miles is way too much exercise for a pup - I do just over 2 miles with my boy and he's an adult (7 years old, though, so he doesn't need as much exercise as a younger adult). I know it may not seem enough, but if you don't want her to develop hip/joint problems at a young age...then you have to put up with it until she's at least 1 year-1.5 years old.

That '5 minute per month' rule is for EACH walk...so you could have 3 separate walks (morning, afternoon, evening, for example) each consisting of 15-20 minutes each.

She'll run around on her own in the backyard, she'll play with your other dog, and those 2 things alone will help to tire her out. IMO, there's no need for structured rigorous exercise just yet.

I think Suka was exercised too much as a puppy (he's a rescue), because he started showing symptoms of arthritis (in his hips) at 4 years old. My vet says the 'usual' age for arthritis to set in is 6-7 years old. So, he's been in pain for an extra 2 years...and we just started him on expensive joint supplements (the amount in dog kibble is barely anything) to help him get through the day.

I don't believe in pain relievers for him, because they mask the pain and they 'forget' they are hurt...so they run/pull like crazy and end up making their arthritis worse. My vet agrees with me too, and then recommended I put him on the supplements. The supplements, as well as a rigorous diet (to maintain a weight slightly below 'healthy') has all helped to reduce his symptoms to almost nothing and has reduced the occurrence of flare-ups.

[Sequoia]

I talked to my vet today and was informed that 1 mile was okay, but 2 miles is too much. At 6 months they said I could start exceeding 2 miles. She does have a huge yard to run in, and I will forgo the bike rides & jogs all together... for now.

I am an incredibly active person, and I want my dogs to be active for a long, long time. So I will be very respectful of Sequoia's limits and developing puppy muscles & bones. One day she and I will be cross-country skiing together though!