How much is too much exercise?

[madisonremy]

I'm unsure where this post fits but...

I've been running a lot lately since the weather is nice here in FL right now. I don't run fast and I almost always do intervals (walking, running, walking), etc, anywhere from 2 to 5 miles a day total. I've been taking my 6 month old puppy, Remy, with me but I'm worried it might be too much for him.

I know boxers need a lot of exercise but is this too much for a young puppy? Sometimes he gives me this look like "are you crazy?"

Thing is, I brought him to the dog park after our 5 mile run yesterday and he was so wild that all the other people took their dogs and left because he was jumping on them and their dogs. I kept leasing him back up but they were like "oh no, it's ok" but then they left rather quickly when he wouldn't stop.

Is this too much for him? Should the exercise be more play than walk/run?

I don't know if this belongs in this section at all, but I don't want to hurt my puppy but he is crated all day long while I am at work for sometimes 10-11 hours only let out maybe once by my boyfriend to go potty. Does anyone have any ideas/knowledge about what they can handle?

 

[whiskers]

It sounds like a bit much for a growing pup, especially if it is on pavement. If it were split up into multiple outings that would be better, but 5 miles in one go might be pushing it IMO.

Jumping and being wild is pretty typical boxer play (esp. for puppies), I would say he'd have to be downright exhausted in order to give that up. It's not so much that a 5 mile run is too tiring - he could probably go 100 miles! - it's just a lot of stress to put on their still-developing joints.

Generally, play and other "non forced" activities are better for puppies and their joints because they determine their own speed, they can take breaks, etc. Not to say you can't do walks/runs but I'd keep the distances a little shorter.

 

[Jan]

Way too much, IMO. I would think that 2 miles is too much, never mind 5 miles. Jogging is forced exercise. His desire to keep up with you, will keep him going when he normally would take a break. You shouldn't go jogging with your dog until they are at least 18 months old, otherwise you risk damaging bones and joints.

 

[madisonremy]

Wow, I'm so glad I asked then.

I guess I'll have to go solo for a while and only walk with him to the dog park. It's so tempting because the dog park has a health track next door and its only a few blocks from our house.

I don't want to hurt my puppy for sure!

 

[MNboxerdad]

You could always do short runs for training. When mine was that age, I never ran with the idea that I was trying to get a workout. I always looked at it as training the dog to run. I kept the runs short (much shorter than you are doing) with lots of breaks and sprints. I also stuck to trail running, as it's way easier on joints- both dogs and people. As far as playing rough at the dog park, Boxers do have there own "special" way of playing!

 

[madisonremy]

That's exactly what I'm trying to do now. What I do is I take puppy with me for a warm up walk and then a short warm up run and then I walk him home and put him away and then go for my actual run. Holidays kind of screwed up my schedule a bit though.

 

[sboricua]

I see you are from Pompano! I live in Coral springs. What a small world!