Puppies can be difficult to take care of. They need constant attention and care. People need to maintain a routine for their puppies to attain optimum growth. Regular exercise is part of that daily routine. Today, we are going to discuss and find out how far a 6 month old puppy can walk.
6 month old puppy walking distance
It is believed by animal experts that a six month old puppy can be taken on a thirty minute walk per day. But the walking exercise comprises two different sessions each containing fifteen minutes. However, there is no exact walking distance given for a six month old puppy.
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A six month old puppy needs regular exercise for optimum growth and development. However, it can not engage in heavy physical exercise due its fragile bone structure. But a six month old puppy can be taken on long walks as an exercise measure.
According to animal experts, a six month old puppy will need to have a thirty minute walking exercise per day. The walking exercise will have to be divided into two equal sessions. It means you will be able to take your six month old puppy on a fifteen minute walk per session.
There is no exact limit for how far you can walk a six month old puppy. Different breeds and sizes of puppies will be able to cover different distances in the given time period.
A vet should be consulted to find out the exact walking distance for your six month old puppy as there is no formula available to determine the distance.
How often to walk a 6 month/24 week old puppy?
It is important to remember that you will need to walk your puppy two times per day irrespective of its age, breed, and size. This is the general thumb rule when it comes to walking your puppy.
So if you have a six month old or twenty four week old puppy, then you will need to take it outside for a walk twice per day.
The number of times you can take your puppy out for a walk per day will always remain until it hits adulthood. But the crucial factor to remember here is that your puppy will have to be fully vaccinated so you can start walking it.
A non vaccinated puppy should not be taken outdoors for a walk.
A puppy can be taken out for a walk when it reaches the age of four to four and a half months old. So it is important that you get your sixth month old puppy vaccinated before you take it outside for a walk twice per day.
How much exercise for 6 month old puppy?
It is very easy to calculate how much exercise your 6 month old puppy needs. The first thing you will need to remember here is that a puppy will require 5 minutes per month of exercise.
It means your six month old puppy will need to have an exercise period of 5×6=30 minutes in a single day.
The calculation does not end here. You will need to take out your six month old puppy for exercise twice a day. This brings the total exercising time per session to fifteen minutes. So a six month old puppy will need to do exercise for half an hour per day.
But six month old puppies should not be given the burden of heavy exercise and should be taken on long walks only.
But there are some other factors that impact the exercising time of a six month old puppy. For example, some large breeds of puppies will be better at handling long walks than short breeds of puppies.
Smaller size puppies should not be taken on long walks as it can hurt their body and bone structure.
You can contact a vet and discuss the exercise routine of your six month old puppy. A vet will be able to tell exactly how much exercise your puppy needs based on its size, breed, and daily diet.
The exercise routine of your six month old puppy needs to be flawless to give it the best chance to reach its optimum growth and have a healthy adolescence and adulthood.
Why 6 month old puppy doesn’t want to walk?
Sometimes your six month old puppy might not seem to like walking. There are a number of factors that could be responsible for this behavioral pattern. Let’s discuss in detail about some of the reasons why a six month old puppy might not want to walk.
Sickness:
One of the most common reasons why your six month old puppy might not feel like wanting to walk is because of sickness. When the puppy does not feel up to the mark health wise, it will refrain from engaging in any sort of exercise.
So if your playful and happy six month old puppy suddenly does not want to go on a walk, then it would be wise to get it examined by a vet.
A vet will be able to provide you with the right set of instructions that will cure the sickness of your six month old puppy and make it cheerful again.
Overwhelming:
If your six month old puppy is used to walking indoors, then long walks can be an overwhelming experience for them. Every puppy is different in its own way. So your six month old puppy might struggle at first to get used to the new experience of long walks.
But if the puppy is given the time, it will get used to it.
The transition between indoor walk and outdoor walk needs to be seamless. You should not take your puppy far away on its first day of long walk.
In fact, the distance will have to be increased slowly and gradually. You will need to complete the thirty minutes mark per session without taking your dog too far in the initial days.
Problem with harness and gear:
If you have very recently put your six month old puppy in a new gear and harness, then it might need some time to get used to the feel of the gear and harness. Your puppy will be hesitant about going on long walks in the new gear and harness.
The trick you can use here is by leaving the gear and harness on all the time so the puppy can get used to the overall feeling of the harness and gear.
Problem with weather and environment:
Sometimes your six month old puppy will not want to go on a long walk if the weather is not good enough. A puppy will avoid going on a walk when it is burning outside. Cold weather can be another turn off for your six month old puppy when it comes to going on a long walk.
What happens if I walk my 6-month-old puppy too much?
Walking your six month old puppy too much is not recommended. Because it has a number of negative consequences. Let’s discuss in detail about some of the consequences that walking your puppy too much could bring.
Problem with bone structure:
One of the major problems over walking a six month puppy causes is damaging its bone structure. It is true that your puppy needs daily exercise to develop its bones and joints. But over walking the puppy is just as harmful as under walking it.
You should not break the thirty minutes per session walking routine in order to fasten the six month old puppy’s growth. The shift from indoor walks to outdoor walks should not be so drastic that it breaks down the body of your puppy.
Causes arthritis:
Another problem that can be caused by over walking the puppy is arthritis. Your six month old puppy might develop arthritis in the future as a result of over walking in puppyhood. Arthritis can ruin the normal life of your puppy.
So you will need to be careful about how much walk your six month old puppy can handle.
Causes hip dysplasia:
Hip dysplasia is another medical condition that can happen due to over walking your six month old puppy. Puppies that develop hip dysplasia later on due to over walking and over exercising do not get to have a healthy adulthood.
Causes lethargy:
Another effect of over walking your six month old puppy is lethargy. Puppies that are over walked on a consistent basis develop an indifference towards exercise as their body starts to give up due to extra pressure.
Lethargy can be detrimental to the optimum growth of your puppy.
Final Thoughts
A six month old puppy can walk as far as a thirty minute walk allows it to. A puppy might find it difficult to adjust to long walks at first. But it will slowly adapt to the physical requirement of long walks. A vet should be consulted if a six month old puppy is hesitant to go on long walks.