Exercise

For the health, longevity and wellbeing of your dog and puppy!

The proper foundation for your puppy's' future health begins with nutrition and exercise.  Canine nutrition is the primary building blocks.  Puppies need to exercise both their minds and bodies to grow into healthy adult dogs with the energy and stamina to meet  the daily requirements of activity and stresses placed on their bodies.

Exercise brings your dog to life!

 When you think of a puppy playing, what comes to mind?

A playful, active, rambunctious bundle of energy.  A puppy is fun!  They are full of playful surprises which amaze and amuse.  Everything and anything can and does become a game or a toy.  A puppy can be entertained with a shoe lace or plastic bottle for the longest time.  They play hard, sleep soundly and eat well.  Only to awaken to do it all over again!

Puppies grow fast!  Their body develops quickly!  In only 12 weeks they are becoming pre-teens, by 12 months young adults and depending on the breed, will be mature adult dog by 3 years of age.

Although puppies are pretty hardy, there are safety measures you which should be aware of to help your puppy become a pain free adult dog.  Since their little bodies are still forming, the joints can become damaged and you end up with an arthritic adult.  Puppies should not be forced into any activities which put stress on their joints.  While play is good, extreme pounding or force on the muscular skeletal structure can lead to years of pain and discomfort for your pet.  Don't let them jump off of surfaces even a few inches high. The sudden jar of landing can cause injuries to elbows, spin and shoulders.  Avoid allowing them to climb, where they are putting stress on their back ends such as climbing up on furniture, high steps, into cars or even standing up on you to be petted which will put stress directly up on their back ends.   The bigger the breed, the more careful you need to be.  The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals at http://offa.org has a list of the predominate breeds associated with hip and elbow dysplasia.  Some breeds are already more likely to have joint problems, but those pups out of OFA cleared lines can still develop problems if joints are stressed during formative times.  Let puppies set the pace but be mindful of those confident and courageous ones looking for adventures beyond their own abilities and safety limits. 

Avoid activities that cause your young dog to jump or climb. These can put too much stress on the joints. Speak to your breeder, Vet or trainer about suitable active for young dogs.

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