General question re walkies lol

[Niber]

I'd never heard of the 5 mins per month bit, presumably this rule expires at some age!? I sometimes work up to 16 hour days. With 4 kids to sort out too, if really pushed for time i throw ball, play tag and tug o war rather than walk. Was also advised to throw a full handfulls of kibble for dinner rather than in a bowl for his meal. Was ceptical at first but it really does tire him out sniffing for them. Not worked long days like that for ages now though so usually an hour or so, and a long walk once or twice a week.

As long as the dog is happy, that's all that matters. They will let you know if they need more.

[Bec]

Besides there's no way a walk would tire my young pup out!

[Elyse]

Sorry to ask, I'm a new siberian husky owner. Beau is 13weeks . She gets 2-3 walks a day. Weekend she gets 1hr each day. She has access to garden all the time. I was recommended 5min per month of age. So they don't develop hip probs.

Is this true? And what did everyone else do.

Thanks xx

Yeah, its true. My dog, Suka, has arthritis (and has a chance of developing hip dysplasia). He was diagnosed with it at only 5 years old - 2-3 years before the average age of onset. It's very painful for him, and expensive and heartbreaking for us! He was adopted, and I suspect his first owners exercised him too much as a puppy.

I've heard the +5 minutes per month rule applies to EACH WALK. So, every month of growth you add 5 minutes to an individual walk. So, for example, if your pup is 3 months old...that would be a walk that is 15 minutes long. But that amount probably won't be enough to satisfy them, so you can have multiple 15 minute walks a day.

I'm not sure when this rule expires - I'm assuming when their joints are almost done/done growing (1.5 years of age???) then its safe to run them, have them pull, and do rigorous exercise.