Can a husky get too much exercise

Husky Puppy Exercise: Everything You Need To Know

Theres not a whole lot of information out there about exercising husky puppies specifically, yet its a crucial thing to get right! This article has everything you need to know.

Husky puppies need 5 minutes of exercise per day, per month of age they have. So when a husky puppy is 3 months old, they need 15 minutes of exercise per day, at 4 months, 20 minutes per day, and so on.

Ill run through this in more detail, as well as other frequently asked questions.

How Much Should Exercise Do Husky Puppies Need?

The 5 minutes per day, per month ratio.

You may be thinking 5 minutes in one whole month!? Not quite This is a ratio rule which is widely accepted as a safe way to bring almost any puppy up without injuring their joints or overstraining their muscles.

This method works by only walking your puppy for 5 minutes per day, per month they have of age.

For example, when your pup is 2 months old, they will be at 10 minutes of exercise per day. 3 months old, they will be at 15 minutes of exercise per day, and so on.

This is a slow build-up that will keep them healthy and injury-free. Some great information from The Kennel Club

How Far Can Husky Puppies Walk & Run?

To start with, husky puppies are better off walking and trotting than running. While its okay for a husky puppy to engage in the occasional sprint, this should not be something they do for the entire walk.

The chart below gives a rough guide on how far a husky puppy can walk for their age (slow casual pace).

For those that walk fast, these distances wont be accurate. But when we walk a young puppy, we need to slow it down a little.

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How Husky a Puppys Growth Effects Appropriate Exercise Levels

In the first 6 months

Your husky will be growing the quickest during this stage. Therefore, their bones and ligaments are at their most fragile, so extra caution must be taken when it comes to exercise (stress and pressure).

The next 6 months to 1 year

This is when the growth will slow down a little and your husky should be at their full height by their first birthday.

Just remember that further development of their joint and ligaments will still be happening, just at a slower pace. Caution is still needed, but gradually increasing the exercise is okay at this point.

1 Year to 2 Years

By the second year, your husky would have now filled out and have gained the required strength and body mass ready for their adulthood.

In the males that are destined to be bigger huskies, its not uncommon to be 36 months until your male husky is fully grown. Source

Exercising Your Husky Puppy Directly & Indirectly

Indirect exercise for a puppy can be as little as climbing the stairs (which should be kept to a minimum), running across the room, jumping up at you, or playing with his toy.

Dedicated exercise is when you put the harness and leash on and take him for a walk, whether it be inside or outside of your home.

Your puppy must understand the idea of dedicated exercise early on.

Before your puppy tires himself out through indirect exercise, be sure to go through dedicated exercise early in the day.

Getting your husky puppy accustomed to the leash and harness early on (as well as going outside) is crucial for their overall learning and behavior. This can be the difference between a husky thats sensible on the leash and one whos crazy on the leash!

Related article: Leash Training a Husky Puppy (The Best Method)

I will cover below when puppies can safely go outside.

When Will Your Husky Puppy Need More Exercise?

Its best to follow the 5-minute method up to around 10-12 months, meaning 50-60 minutes of exercise per day. Once your husky is over 1 year old youll be able to increase their exercise up to around 60-90 minutes, depending on how your husky handles it.

Please keep in mind, even though the most important growth and development stages are over by 12 months old, its still necessary to proceed with some caution and consideration.

Because of the huskys reputation, many owners often get carried away and over-exercise their husky too young. Potentially injuring their joints.

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How Much Can You Exercise Your Husky at 2 Years Old

The 2-year mark is when exercising your husky becomes a different thing altogether.

Huskies require high volumes and intensity of exercise in order to be happy. One adult husky could easily keep your whole family fit, they really do have that much energy and desire to play.

If owners are not prepared to give their adult husky at least 2 hours of activity, jogging, hiking, and running then it would be better to consider a different breed requiring lower activity levels.

Ideally, owners should take their adult husky out for two 1-hour walks per day.

Related: Exercising an adult husky (what owners must know)

When Can You Take Your Husky Puppy Outside?

Its recommended that you keep your husky, and any other breed of dog, safe inside your home and private yard/garden until around 2 weeks after they have completed their last vaccination round.

By this time your husky pup will be around 16 weeks old before its safe for them to spread their paws in the local parks and public places.

Your private yard vs local parks

You can safely take your puppy outside in your own private yard before this 16-week mark. Just be aware of whats in your yard and make sure you do not have other animals using it as their chill-out zone or worse, bathroom! Keep your puppy away in this case.

What about socializing with other dogs?

7-18 weeks is the ideal stage for your pups first socializing experiences to begin. Invite your friends and their dogs over to play in the safe control of your home, as long as those dogs have had their vaccines and are puppy-friendly.Socializing and familiarising your puppy with other dogs and people from this young age can help avoid any future social or aggression problems!

After 16 weeks have passed

After this 16-week period, your pup can venture out into the big wide world.

Your puppy will absolutely love their first experiences outside, at the local park, field, or beach.

Unlimited smells will have your puppys nose on the floor like a vacuum!

The sights of other dogs will spark their social energy and curiosity. The sounds of birds, other animals, and background noises will awaken their hyper-alertness.

Enjoy this moment of development with your fluffy friend.

Thank you for reading! Like always, please make a comment below with your thoughts on exercising husky puppies. Let us all share experiences and stories to help each other be better husky owners!

You should definitely check out the best harness for a husky article I have. This will help you understand all about the best harness to invest in.

Top FAQs About Husky Puppy Exercise

How often should I walk my husky puppy?

Husky puppies should receive some form of dedicated exercise/walking every single day. A husky puppy at 2 months old can be walked every day for 10 minutes, increasing by 5 additional minutes every month. This is known as the 5-minute method.

How much can a husky puppy run?

Husky puppies under 10-12 months can run a little, but should not be made to run too often or long distances. Husky puppies must reach full physical maturity before receiving strenuous exercise like running. General playing and light exercise is sufficient for a husky puppy.

Whats the best way to exercise a husky puppy?

The best way to exercise a husky puppy is mostly through general interaction, especially while still very young. Command training, playing fetch inside the home, and gentle games of tug of war will all suffice. Its important to refrain from strenuous exercise with a husky puppy.

When can husky puppies go to the dog park

Its advised to keep your husky puppy indoors or in your own private yard until 2 weeks after their final vaccine. For most puppies, this will be around the 18th week mark, although this varies depending on when they receive their first vaccine.

Are dog parks safe for husky puppies?

Dog parks are generally safe for puppies but you have to be ready for encounters with other dogs. Socialization is a healthy and crucial learning process for their development so interaction should be encouraged when owners inform you their dog is puppy friendly. Always be ready to remove your puppy from a dangerous situation though.

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5 Signs Your Dog Is Getting Too Much Exercise

Exercise provides your dog with physical and mental benefits. It keeps joints limber, promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, decreases the risk of obesity, strengthens the human-animal bond, and reinforces your dogs need for routine.

However, this isnt an invitation to overwork your dog. One misconception I sometimes encounter is that if a dog is overweight or obese, then the pet parent must suddenly erupt into a rigorous exercise plan for the dog, says Dr. Robin Downing, hospital director of The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management in Windsor, Colorado.

But how can you tell if your dog is getting too much exercise? Here are some signs of overextension to look out for.

Signs of Overextension in Dogs

1. Wear-and-Tear on Paw Pads

For some dogs, playing is more important than painful feet, says Dr. Susan Jeffrey, a veterinarian with Truesdell Animal Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Some dogs will run until the pads on their feet tear and will then run some more.

Pad injuries can be extremely painful, and Downing describes it as like walking on a ruptured blister on the bottom of your foot. This makes walking painful for them.

Look at the bottom of your dogs paws. Overworked pads may have tears with visible flaps of skin present, and they may appear red, worn away, or thinner than normal. If the dogs pads are infected, you may see swelling or pus.

2. Sore Muscles

Muscular pain and stiffness are also signs your dog may be getting too much exercise. This typically shows up after the dog rests following excessive exercise, Downing says.

Signs of sore muscles in dogs include:

• Struggling to rise after lying down

• Refusing to walk up or down stairs

• Reluctance to jump, such as up onto the couch

• Whining when moving

You can help reduce soreness and stiffness by unsubscribing to weekend warrior syndrome, says Jen Pascucci, a rehab therapist and veterinary technician at Haven Lake Animal Hospital in Milford, Delaware. Many pet parents work all week and try to fit in a week's worth of exercise into two days off, she says. This is not good for the dog because they are usually not properly conditioned but will push through warning muscle and joint pain and fatigue for playtime.

Some dogs have such a strong drive to work and play that theyll push through severe fatigue and potential injury, Pascucci says. That is the real danger. It is up to the pet parent to set boundaries and limit the high-drive dog to avoid over-exercise-related injury and exhaustion.

3. Heat Sickness

Heat exhaustionand heatstroke are especially a concern during warmer months when dogs can overheat, Jeffrey says. If the body temperature increases to above 106 degrees, it can be life-threatening. Aside from causing potentially life-threatening hyperthermia, dogs can also become dehydrated or have difficulties breathing.

Brachycephalic (flat-faced) dog breeds like Boxers, English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Pekingese, and Shih Tzu, are at even greater risk because they cant cool off as efficiently as dogs with longer snouts.

Your dogs age is also a factor. Very young and old dogs have difficulty regulating their body temperatures, so too much exercise can cause them to overheat as well, Jeffrey says.

Pet parents should always use caution when exercising their dog during summer months, especially when its humid or hot. Consider short activities during the cooler parts of the day.

4. Joint Injury

The impact associated with extreme exercise can cause strain and sprain in various dog joints. Toe joints are particularly susceptible, but the wrist and elbow are also at-risk, Downing says.

Dogs carry about 60% of their weight on their front limbs, which puts quite a bit of stress on those joints, she says. In dogs with very straight rear legs, excessive exercise can lead to problems in the stifle (knee) joints, including strain, sprain, meniscal tears, and tears in thecranial cruciate ligament.

Some dogs are at greater risk of developing joint injuries. Breeds that are long and low to the ground (like Basset Hounds and Dachshunds) have unusually shaped joints, which puts their limbs at risk for easy injury in the face of excessive exercise. Back problems are also common in these breeds.

If an older dog has osteoarthritis, over-exertion can cause immediate pain and accelerate the ongoing degeneration of joint tissues. Young puppies (especially large and giant breeds)need some exercise, but too much high-impact exercise like running can result in joint issues as well.

5. Behavioral Changes

Also be aware of behavioral changes. For example, if your dog normally likes to run with you but plops down on the pavement and refuses to go farther, this is something you might want to investigate with your veterinarian.

Inconsistent conditioning can contribute to this behavior and to injuries, Pascucci says. Playing off-leash for one hour does not mean [its] one hour of exercise, she says. Most dogs will have bursts of activity and then rest when off-leash and left to their own devices. Being free to run and play in the backyard five days a week and then expected to jog with a pet parent 10 miles one day is a recipe for injury.

She says a good conditioning plan for active pet parents and their dogs is to alternate days of cardio exercise (consistent exercise for 20 minutes or more) and strengthening with one full day of rest, which is a free day with no planned activities.

How Much Exercise Should I Give My Dog?

Dogs need exercise to maintain peak physical and mental well-being, but the type and length of that exercise depends on their condition, health history, breed, and age. Some dogs, like Labrador Retrievers, are built to be heavy exercisers while others, such as French Bulldogs, are not.

Moderation is key, and time spent exercising isnt as important as the intensity of that exercise. For example, going on a walk is much less likely to overexert a dog than running, jumping, or harder play.

Its good to know the signs of over-working your dog, but its even better to prevent issues. The best way to do this is by working with your vet to create a sensible exercise plan for your furry pal.

By Paula Fitzsimmons

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