Do these pretty little pups golden retrievers have an exercise limit? They look so adorable in that picture, don’t they? But yes, of course, I think every puppy has his limit and too much exercise could potentially be a problem. The amount of physical activity golden retriever puppies need mainly depends on their age, health, and personality. Nevertheless, puppies must have daily physical activities. But, when it comes to exercise limits, remember that every dog has a different spirit, and no two puppies are equal. Puppy number one is super athletic and puppy number two is focused on watching the birds and the bees.
As a dog owner, you will have to adapt to your new addition. You need to know that this dog’s breed was developed as a sporting breed able to handle a day’s hunting routine, they are strong and tough athlete. But it would be best if you started with slow and low-impact exercises.
Here’s a great explication from Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer
“Walking a puppy isn’t the same thing as walking an adult dog. A puppy is much more easily distracted. You may need to stop, press the “reset” button on her attention, then start again before she gets into the rhythm of it. Using a scented toy, palmed treat, or bully stick to redirect the nose is a great way to distract a wandering puppy and get her attention back on you. But a puppy also has built-in limits as to how far from home it’s okay to wander.” You as an owner have to be sensitive to your pup’s limits. You need to keep challenging her, but you shouldn’t push her past what her instincts tell her is comfortable. Instead, add a few extra feet every day to your walk. Increase the distance gradually.1
If you invite a golden retriever into your life, you must be ready to engage in an active life with your canine. Remember that your puppy is a living soul, he will tell you when it’s too much, and when it is not enough, you need to be patient and listen.
Golden retriever puppy exercise limits or how many minutes should you walk a puppy?
A rule of thumb for exercising puppies is to allow them one to two sessions of five minutes of exercising for each month of age, so for example, a three-month-old puppy pup could enjoy walks of 15 minutes at a time, twice a day. Puppyhood will last from birth to 8 months. At that point, if you follow the 5 minutes rule, your dog should be able to do 40 minutes of exercise. This general rule gives you an idea of the number of minutes to exercise your young dog but it is just a guideline.
Add “walking the dogs” to your daily routine
My dog Happy, the rescue puppy, has so much excess energy that she always finds it hard to stay still. So for her, I started programming a new daily routine with two walks a day, and pretty soon it was three walks a day. For her, the five-minute rule was not enough physical activity.
The most important limit is to respect your dog’s energy and personality. Of course, you need to care and be gentle to a new puppy. You don’t want to hurt their growth plates by jumping too high or walking too long distances. I believe my readers are good pet parents and you will find the right amount of exercise for you and your puppy. With puppies short and sweet is always the best option for exercising.
As soon as you adopt your new dog, the first type of exercise you will probably do is go outside for potty. It’s a good place, make it count. Put your dog on a cute baby leash. And start walking on regular walks. Remember to be the leader and lead the way. When walking through the doorways, always walk out the door ahead of your dog. Then start your short walks on the grass with it. Potty time is a great time to learn about your dog. Is he super curious, or does she want to eat everything, or like my big dog Zaku a little walk, do your business, and go back to sleep?
It won’t take long for the short walks to turn into long walks and play time will get in the mix. As a pet parent, it is important to get involved in the relationship with your dog and soon understand the cue of tiredness just like new parents will learn their kid’s limits
Find your golden retriever puppy exercise limits
Golden retriever puppies are active dogs. They were bred to be hunting dogs and play hard in the field. These puppies are good at swimming and running. They need enough exercise or they will start exercising on their own, which is commonly called the zoomies. They will start running in circles, super fast, a couple of times and then they collapse. If they don’t do enough exercise they could also be destructive and chew your stuff because of the boredom. A great way, to avoid the zoomies, and destruction of your property is to do enough physical exercise. The exercise will also have to fit into your schedule. One daily walk is mandatory. You can probably fit one in the morning before going to work. It doesn’t have to be long, it just has to be your routine every day with your best friend.
Here are a couple of ideas for exercising your puppy and finding your golden retriever puppy exercise limits
Walking with your puppy on a leash
Like Cesar Millan says: “I usually start introducing them to the leash at about eight or nine weeks. Just five minutes, twice a day. I’ll do short little stints with a treat held close to their nose to encourage them to move forward.” 2
As an exercise routine, start walking regularly. You can walk or you can train your dog to lose leash walking. Meaning that your dog is walking by your side and not pulling on the leash at any time during your walk. It is still my favorite kind of exercise with older dogs. When your golden retriever is little, it is easy to train him to do it because these puppies want to please you and follow you everywhere. Exercise your pup and show him how fun it is. Here is a training session by Kikopup an online trainer that I like a lot.
For adult dogs, I recommend a minimum of at least a thirty-minute walk twice a day, to drain pent-up energy and for the primal bonding ritual that it signifies.3
Free Play
Athletes scoring goals often elicit loud, primal howls of excitement and glee. But, out of context, it can sound aggressive. For dogs, play growling means they are having a good ol’ time with other dogs or people, and they want to keep going! When playing with another dog, the body language is loose — bouncing around each other, running, and wrestling. While playing with people, they may growl while playing tug-of-war or waiting for you to throw a ball. You might even playfully growl back at them!4
Playing outside
No matter what the weather brings, playing outside is good for dogs. There is evidence that playing outside improves health, and dogs of all ages love it.
When my son was young, my husband and I would play with him outside whenever we could. My husband would play hockey in the driveway with him in the morning before school. I would take him on a bicycle ride after school and we would do errands while biking. Was it too much? No. He turns out to be a calm and mature young adult and still plays or works out outside almost every day.
I have the same mentality with my dogs. Rain or shine we go on a minimum of two walks almost every day. Of course, when they were young dogs it was a shorter walk than now. And still sometimes, if one of them doesn’t feel well, we will turn around and go home. I use my gut feelings and common sense! I often say that my dog keeps me young, and the exercise part is a huge gain for my health.
Swimming
If you have access to a swimming pool or live near water, you have at your disposal a wonderful tool to challenge your puppy, drain his energy, and help him get much-needed exercise.5
Scent games and Mental puzzles
There are a few options for dog owners with active pups that need to have mental stimulation. Dog puzzle toys that have treats inside can help keep puppies busy as they smell something good inside the puzzle and determine how to get it. · Mental exercise games can also be set up around the house. I place treats in a doggy pool filled with plastic balls and my dog uses her sense of smell to discover where the treats are. In addition to keeping your dog busy, scent games may appeal to your pup’s love of sniffing.
Barn Hunt For Golden Retriever Puppy exercise
Golden retriever playing the game of Barn Hunt
When your pup is vaccinated and ready for the whole world, you can start training in Barn hunt. It’s great exercise for high-energy dogs with a good sense of smell. My goldens love it!
Barn Hunt is based on the traditional roles of many breeds in ridding farms, barns, crop storage areas, and homes of destructive vermin. It is also open to any dog of any breed or mix who wishes to play the game and can fit through an 18″ wide by a bale-height tall tunnel. Barn Hunt is an independent sport, but titles are recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), the United Kennel Club (UKC), and the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC). The Barn Hunt people holds rat care at the highest level of consideration. The rats used in Barn Hunt are beloved family pets. They jump eagerly into their safe, comfortable aerated tubes and truly enjoy interacting with the dogs. We’re a great sport for older dogs and older people too! Tripod dogs can compete, and so can deaf dogs. Blind dogs and dogs in wheeled carts can compete in Line Drive. To get started first read the rules, then find a club near you. You can also find events on the event calendar. We hope you try it, we think you’ll like it!6
Conclusion
Please, go play with your puppy. Don’t worry too much about the rules and what people tell you. Have fun exercising and discovering what your puppy is good at. Yes, there will be some limits at the beginning, but I promise you there is no limit in the fun ride you are embarking on with your pooch!
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BOOKS:
- Millan, Cesar; Melissa Jo Peltier. How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond (p. 173). Crown. Kindle Edition. ↩︎
- Millan, Cesar; Melissa Jo Peltier. How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond (p. 166). Crown. Kindle Edition. ↩︎
- Millan, Cesar; Melissa Jo Peltier. How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond (p. 170). Crown. Kindle Edition. ↩︎
- https://k9basics.com/play-growl-vs-real-growl-how-to-tell-the-difference/#Play_Growling ↩︎
- Millan, Cesar; Melissa Jo Peltier. How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond (p. 186). Crown. Kindle Edition. ↩︎
- https://www.barnhunt.com/index.html ↩︎
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