You may be excited to take your cute puppy for a walk to meet your friends and neighbors. But before you decide to take your puppy out, it’s important to know how much walking is good for the puppy and also if he is of the right age to go out for a walk or exercise.
3 month old puppy walking distance
A 3 month old puppy can walk for 15 minutes, twice a day. You shouldn’t let him walk more than that as he is still very young. If your puppy gets tired even before that, stop walking and come back. Too much walking or over-exercising can be damaging to his still-developing bones and joints.
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Walking is important for both puppies and dogs. But in the case of puppies, balance is crucial as they are still very young. You need to know the right amount of walking or exercising that your puppy can handle.
As for a 3 month old puppy, he is too young for long walks or any intense exercise. At this age, short walks of 15 minutes, a maximum of two times a day, are enough for his physical and mental stimulation.
Also, building up the habit of walking from a young age can be beneficial to the puppy. It will help him get used to the world outside his home. However, you shouldn’t take your puppy to areas where there are other unvaccinated dogs before his vaccination.
Usually, a puppy’s vaccination starts at the age of 8 to 12 weeks and continues every 3 to 4 weeks till the puppy turns 16 weeks old.
It is wise to walk your puppy around your property before that. This way, he can get habituated to the walking time and you can monitor his health till he’s fully ready to walk outside with other dogs.
Some things you can consider when walking your 3 month old puppy is to teach him to walk on a leash properly, avoid the coldest or hottest parts of the day, walk only on safe surfaces, and not make him over-exercise.
Is it safe to walk a 3 month/12 week old puppy?
Some vets don’t support walking a 3 month old puppy, while some do. Eventually, it all depends on your puppy’s age, size, and strength. A rule of thumb is that it is safe to walk a 3 month old puppy for 15 minutes no more than twice a day. But nobody knows your puppy better than you.
You should decide whether your puppy can take this much walking or not.
Some puppies mature quickly, while some take time to reach the age where they can walk or play a lot. It depends a lot on their breed as well. However, it is considered safe to walk a 3 month old puppy, but with caution and not for a long time.
As a 3 month old puppy is still developing, he shouldn’t walk any more than 15 minutes as it can be tiring and harmful to his health. As the puppy ages, his body develops and starts to gain more strength to walk longer.
A 4 month old puppy can walk for 20 minutes, a 5 month old puppy can walk for 25 minutes, and so forth.
How much exercise is for 3 month old puppy?
Exercise is good for puppies but over-exercising can have adverse effects on their little bodies. A young puppy’s body is still developing. His joints are weak, and so is the whole skeletal system.
You should never push your young puppy to walk or exercise too much as it can lead to early arthritis and harm the growth plates.
Generally, it should be safe to make your 3 month old puppy exercise for 15 minutes, two times a day. But remember that walking is also an exercise. If you’re taking your puppy for walks every day, two times a day, it should be enough exercise for him.
You can also try playing small fun games that your puppy may find interesting. This will help remove his boredom and stimulate his mental health. This will also improve his sleep cycle. A happy puppy is a healthy puppy.
No matter what other people say, you should always listen to your heart and your veterinarian’s advice when it comes to your puppy.
How often should a 3 month old puppy walk?
According to the general rule of thumb, a 3 month old puppy should walk no more than 15 minutes at once. It is also considered that the puppy should go for a walk twice a day. This means, 15 minutes walk two times a day, a total of 30 minutes.
You can divide the walk time into morning and evening.
However, it all comes down to how much your puppy can take. Every puppy is different, their capacity varies a lot. You need to monitor your puppy to find out if he’s ready to go for walks and if you should take him out twice a day.
If he gets tired too soon or does not enjoy the walk, you should not force him.
This is why it is better to start with strolls for just a few minutes around the garden. This way, you can closely monitor your puppy’s response and also slowly introduce him to the world outside.
You need to stop for breaks as your puppy can be thirsty or need to go for the potty. You can continue doing this for a few weeks to test and improve his endurance.
How to determine how much walking a 3 month old puppy needs?
Your puppy’s good health should be your priority. You should always be careful when you make a decision for your puppy so it brings the best outcome for both of you. Now, some things can help you determine how much walking a 3 month old puppy needs.
Your puppy’s breed:
The breed of your puppy is a very important fact to determine how much walk he needs. It’s amazing how much impact the breed of a puppy has on his capacity to walk or exercise.
For example, large breed puppies may seem big enough to handle a lot of walking. But in reality, their counterparts mature much more slowly compared to their growth. Too much exercising can lead to arthritis and orthopedic in larger breed puppies.
On the other hand, sporting, herding, or working dogs like golden retrievers, border collies, and labrador retrievers require much more exercise even when they are just puppies.
Dogs like pugs and Shih Tzu as puppies need very little walking as their tolerance for exercise is quite low.
Your puppy’s age:
A useful rule of thumb is that a puppy should be walked for 5 minutes for every month of age starting from 2 months of age. According to this, a 3 month old puppy can walk for 15 minutes and no more than that.
Since this calculation is based upon practice rather than theory, it is still better to consult with a veterinarian from the very beginning to discuss your puppy’s health, vaccination, and how much he can walk.
Vaccination date:
Vaccination has an important impact on a puppy’s health and his adaptability to the outside world. A young puppy needs the protection of vaccines before he is exposed to the outside world and meets other dogs and puppies.
Generally, a puppy can be fully vaccinated at the age of 4 months. After that, it is safe to let your puppy play and run with other similar aged puppies.
You can still allow your puppy to walk around your property so it can enjoy some time out and get accustomed to the idea of walking outside.
Your puppy’s capacity:
Being the owner, you will know your puppy better than anyone else. So observe your puppy’s behavior. A puppy, especially at its young age, should not overexert itself. A young puppy’s body and counterparts are still developing.
They need proper rest and only an adequate amount of exercise to stay fit and healthy.
Final Thoughts
A 3 month old puppy can walk for 15 minutes, a maximum of two times a day. However, it is essential to let the puppy set the pace so he can enjoy the time all he wants. But you have to be careful so that he doesn’t overexert himself as his body and joints are still developing.