Hi everyone (no judgement please, I already feel guilty enough). Something came up today and I had to ask a family member to pop in and look after my 10-week-old Australian Shepherd puppy. This evening, they told me they'd taken him for a 90-minute walk (and that he was carried 'a bit' along the way)... I'm usually so careful (never more than 20 mins). I've read online that this can lead to hip dysplasia and I'm really stressed about it. Is it a big deal if it only happens once? Could there be any long-term consequences? Is there anything I can do to balance things out? I feel so bad about this...
Thanks in advance for your help.
Translated from French
The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.
Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.
I’d like to second what’s been said already. The recommended 20-minute walk is really just a guideline. Some pups will be knackered after only a few minutes, while others need much more time to let off steam.
Regarding dysplasia, the high-risk situations are when a puppy regularly does sharp, high-impact movements (like jumping or going up and down stairs). A walk at a normal pace on soft ground should be absolutely fine, so don't worry.
If a puppy is very active, you shouldn't hold them back too much for fear of them developing dysplasia. In fact, regular, low-impact physical activity helps build up muscle mass. Having good muscle tone helps stabilise the joint and therefore reduces the risk of dysplasia.
Exercise also helps prevent obesity, which is a factor that makes dysplasia worse.
So, exercise shouldn't be avoided entirely for puppies at risk of dysplasia. You just need to manage the activity to make sure it isn't high-impact (for example, walking on soft grass or swimming).
20 minutes several times a day, mind you, not just the once :)
(Just thought I'd better clarify ^^)
There are some things written in the pet health record that are a bit dodgy to be reading nowadays, so... yeah, don't take everything in there as gospel.
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your replies.
He didn't seem to be in pain or limping this morning, so I'm really relieved.
As for the 20-minute rule, I’ve read about it everywhere and it’s also mentioned in his vaccination record... I’m not watching the clock to the second, but I do try to stick to it as much as I can.
Thanks again for the feedback.
Hi LeaCare,
I’m actually more concerned about a 20-minute walk than an hour-and-a-half one.
20 minutes is just a quick toilet break.
Regardless of how long the walk is, what matters is following your puppy's lead and watching their behaviour so you know when to head home (which can be a bit of a problem if you’ve gone too far) or when to take a breather.
I’ve often taken my pups out for a whole afternoon. However, I spent much more time sitting down taking in the scenery while the pup rested on the ground than I did actually walking.
Where you really need to be extra vigilant is during playtime, because some puppies just don’t know how to settle themselves down in those moments.
Thanks docline... that's very thoughtful of you...
Leacarre, it’s important not to overdo it with a puppy, but you don’t need to go as far as using a stopwatch to time their walks down to the minute. Don’t forget that the type of terrain is very important, as is the pace of the walk. I think 20 minutes of non-stop walking on tarmac is more harmful than 30 or 40 minutes on grass at the puppy's own pace :)
If they’re off-lead on soft ground and don't have to stick to a human's pace, there won't be any issues at all.
(And that 20-minute rule is just for clueless or oblivious owners: normal people are perfectly capable of recognising when a puppy is getting tired; and a pup knows how to take a breather when they’ve had enough, as long as some nutcase isn’t stopping them.)
I don't think there’s anything too alarming to worry about. At most, they might have a bit of a limp (though if the limping lasts for more than a few days, I’d definitely recommend booking an appointment with a vet or an osteopath).
What more commonly triggers environmental dysplasia is things like taking your puppy on walks that are too long every day, or if they’re going up and down stairs all the time...
Hi there! To be honest, it really depends on what they mean by a 90-minute walk ^^
Was it a brisk walk? A gentle stroll? Did they stop for a rest every now and then?
Anyway, whatever the answer, unless your puppy starts limping tonight or tomorrow, there's no need to worry about a one-off ^^
