Could anyone tell me how far my 4 month old jack russel puppy can run?
I recently started jogging with him for short distances, 1-3 km or walking/sprinting intervals
This weekend I took him out 'running' with my bike, going rather slowly though, and was gona stop when he started panting. However, he never began to show any signs of tiredness, never panting, resisting or anything else, and I ended up stopping after 20 km
Then I googled how far he should run and I saw that puppies shouldnt be running anything close to these distances, not because of tiredness but rather because its bad for their growth
However, I cant seem to find any estimates on what is a suitable distance for him to run
tl;dr I would like advice/estimates on how far a jack russel puppy can run for ages 4-20 months
A FOUR MONTH OLD PUPPY SHOULD NOT BE GOING FOR RUNS OR JOGS. A DOG'S GROWTH PLATES NEED TO BE CLOSED BEFORE THEY GO RUNNING OR YOU RISK CAUSING YOUR DOG PERMANENT DAMAGE. THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS ZERO MILES
Talk to your vet. 8 months of age is the general rule of thumb, but they will be able to tell you for sure. Seriously do NOT take a puppy that little for jogs.
I see, thank you for your reply
Are there any limits on walking distances?
>>2166171
Very light if you want to be careful. 15 to 20 minutes a day or so, twice a day? No real hard answer beyond be careful. Low/lower impact exercises won't be as harmful though. Just wait until the dog is done growing before serious and sternious exercise.
Once your vet says he is good, then build him up slowly. Lots of dogs will push themselves really hard to please you and can hurt themselves on a run. Take it easy and just build up.
>>2166174
you're retarded. thst for house dogs. Hunting dogs for example are good to go for training at 2-3months. running? 1-1.5 months, go at their pace and make breaks. panting isn't an indicator for tiredness. dogs like running and need exercise. you can listen to this idiot but there's no real need. he's probably even afraid he'll hurt his dog if he pets him to hard.
>>2166179
No. Its true for any dog. Puppies need to grow and sternious, high impact physical activity can and will hurt them. No vet in their right mind would ever recommend running with a pup that young. Some might give different answers on exercise like walks, but you are beyond retarded if you think a 4 month old puppy can go for runs with their owner.
You can listen to this idiot and fuck up your dog's growth. Your choice really, OP. It's your puppy. If you want to damage your dog's growth, listen to this guy and you'll accomplish that.
>>2166179
This is what I hate about seeking advice on the internet regarding my dog
I truly appreciate the advice from everyone, the problem is that there isnt any real concensus on the issue at hand
The problem is some people love their dogs "too much" and pamper them like infants
The other problem is people like me and you that dont quite realize that they arent made of steel
I just want the scientific reasoning for a specific dog breed at a certain age. Its not a matter of gut feel or listening in to the cues the dog gives. A 4 month old Jack Russel's body will have a certain threshold for exercise in regards to its bones, muscles etc
In that caps-locked frenzy of a comment above I got what I needed. The phrase "growth plates" which I googled, and after I sifted through the crazy-dog people sites I ended up on a professional looking webpage with sound logic and explanations not built around the fact that the puppy is a fragile little baby
The only comments that seem to have merit based on actual facts come from >>2166174
and >>2166184
There is no way in hell that the species differ that much that a "hunting" breed can go running at 1-1.5 months while other breeds can at 8 months, hunting dogs arent the dog version of roided up marines
>>2166188
Glad you are convinced it isn't a good idea to run with your dog at that age. At your next puppy appointment with your vet, just ask what age is appropriate to run with him. Generally, smaller dogs stop growing sooner, so you might be able to start with him at that 8 month mark. Again, just defer to your vet.
And also again, build him up slowly... just like you were doing. Also, try to be consistent with running. Sometimes "weekend warriors" can have a higher chance of hurting their joints. I had a CCL injury scare with my dog because he only went on leisurely walks during the week, but in the weekend went full out. Thank God it was just a sprain, but my vet said that sort of activity pattern can predispose to that nature of injury. He is a larger dog than yours, but just sharing my personal experience just in case it is still applicable.
Just be patient and then work up slowly, and you'll have an amazing bro to run with. Last thing: do consider a joint supplement, as well as invest in a doggie water bottle. Running is tough on a dog's joints just like it is tough on a person's, and I am sure you wouldn't like to run for extended periods of time without a water bottle, right? Tldr give your dog similar care as to what you give yourself as a runner. The joint care will especially pay off as he gets up there in many happy years.
