Exercise

[felakuti]

Is it harmful to walk our basenji puppy, 4 1/2 months old, more than a mile a day at a brisk pace?

[JazzysMom]

When Jazz was that age we jogged her through the woods for about a mile every morning. Thanks for reminding me that we need to start doing that again. LOL

I figure I'll go as fast and as far as the puppy can. I'll plan a trip I think they can handle and go for it. If they seem too tired part way, I'll carry them home and shorten the next trip.

[felakuti]

Hi Jazzy's mom…the reason we asked was at Fela's puppy obedience class this morning the trainer said puppies that age shouldnt be walked up to a mile yet, it was bad for them. was wondering what you folks thought of that?

[Quercus]

@felakuti:

Hi Jazzy's mom…the reason we asked was at Fela's puppy obedience class this morning the trainer said puppies that age shouldnt be walked up to a mile yet, it was bad for them. was wondering what you folks thought of that?

I think that probably applies more for bigger dogs, who may injure their growth plates with excessive exercise. Also, jogging is much more likely to be damaging than walking.

It is always best to seek your vet's advice in situations like this…but I would definitely walk my puppies of that age a mile or more regularly. They will usually let you know if they want to rest, and you can carry them for a while.

[YodelDogs]

Would you be able to divide the distance into two or three shorter walks per day? Balancing out exercise will keep your puppy tired out (and better behaved!) throughout the day.

[felakuti]

thank you very much for the suggestions about excercizing FelaKuti, this forum is wonderful isnt it? You know though, dont you? that we are all nuts to be so passionate about basenjis? :)

[basenjishunt]

I would say your are setting up a great base fro a well excercised, and happy "B". Enjoy the "short" walks now, because you'll find out as adults they can go and go and go, without getting tired.:D

[mahendra_suri]

The Basenji is still used by hunter/gatherers. It has incredible stamina and is excellent at solving problems.

When I got my first Basenji, she would eat everything and escape when she could. After I took her mnt biking (or hiking in the snow) she mellowed out. She knew every weekend she could go out and run, dig, wallow in dirt, sniff other dog's butts and just be a canine. This gave her an outlet and her destructive and nomadic behavior really slowed.

I trained her to follow me in the summer. I let her know I had water and let her loose (outside the city, of course) she would take off and do whatever it Basenjis do. Eventually she would get thirsty and find me. Everytime she came back I would giver her water. This conditioned her that I have value. The first couple times were harrowing.

Now its no big deal. She trained my other Basenjis how they whole mnt biking/hiking thing works.