Once your puppy is fully vaccinated, the general rule of thumb, is to exercise them for five minutes per month old – so if your fluffy bundle is 12 weeks old they can be walked for 15 minutes a day. When to start walking your puppy? You can start walking your puppy after 1-2 weeks of them being fully vaccinated.
Very young puppies don't have much endurance. They shouldn't be walked too far. A rule of thumb is a puppy can walk five minutes for every month of age starting at eight weeks.
From 1 week after the first C5 vaccination (at 12-14 weeks old) – puppies can start going for walks on sealed surfaces but should not go onto public grassed areas especially dog parks. They may also start socialising with adult dogs that are fully vaccinated (and up to date).
Don't crate your 8 week old puppy for more than 2 hours during the day. As she gets older you can increase the amount of time she spends in the crate. Associate as many positive experiences with your puppy and the crate as possible. Feed your puppy her meals in the crate.
At 8 weeks of age, your puppy's primary focuses are basic needs like eating, drinking, sleeping, eliminating, and playing. At this point, a puppy can remember which behaviors are allowed and where and when they are fed. They can even begin housetraining and start feeling comfortable with being groomed.
A two month old (eight week old) puppy can hold her bladder for three hours. That does not mean she knows she should hold it, though. You have to teach her to wait three hours. Puppies also need to go outside after sleeping or eating their delicious and nutritious dog food.
It might make more sense to limit your puppy to five minutes of playtime per month per play session. You might play for five minutes in the morning, a few times during the day, and once before bedtime.
According to the American Kennel Club, puppies younger than 10 weeks cannot be left alone for more than an hour. From 3-6 months, they should not be left longer than their age in months (for example, 3-month-old puppies cannot be alone for longer than 3 hours).
Ignoring them at night won't help them build confidence and may make them worse which isn't what anyone wants. They need to be taught how to be independent slowly. We would never recommend ignoring your puppy when they cry at night, especially in their first few nights.
8-10 Weeks Old
This is around the age that many new puppy owners bring home their new puppy. During this phase of your pup's life, they should be learning the basics such as their name, good manners at home, introducing some commands, and some early socialization.
Parvo can be found in almost any environment. It is transmitted when a susceptible dog comes in contact with the virus. This includes contact with the feces of an infected dog, or objects that contain the virus (shoes, clothes, bedding, bowls, grass, carpets, floors, etc).
On walks, keep to paved surfaces like sidewalks and parking lots. Stay off of grass or dirt trails where the urine or feces of unvaccinated dogs are harder to avoid. Puppies who have had their second round of vaccinations can also visit the beach, just stick to locations or times of day that are less crowded.
Vets recommend waiting until 10-14 days after your puppy's last vaccination booster – usually at around 14–16 weeks of age – before introducing them to the wonders of local parks, beaches and walking trails. Don't resist this time in your puppy's life – embrace it!
A general guide for exercising puppies is to allow them one to two sessions of five minutes walking for each month of age, so for example, a four month old pup could enjoy walks of 20 minutes at a time, once or twice a day.
Puppies and dogs can become frustrated and bored if they don't get enough exercise, so it's important that they go out for exercise every day.
Puppyhood is an important stage of development for dogs, so you need to keep puppy entertained — whether you are indoors or out. Keeping your furry buddy working is also important for training and keeping damage to a minimum. A bored puppy is absolutely a puppy who's getting into trouble!
Setting a Bedtime Schedule
There is no set time you should put your dog down to rest. Puppies can and will fall asleep at any time of day. However, it's important to take your own sleep schedule into account when training your puppy. It's a good idea to ensure that your puppy's waking hours align with your own.
According to the AKC, puppies at 7-8 weeks should get 18-20 hours of sleep per night! Most puppies are weaned from their mother and brought to a new home at this age. This schedule persists until about 20 weeks of age. As the dogs get older, sleep time is reduced to 13-15 hours.
A huge part of teaching your puppy to sleep on their own is to encourage their confidence and sense of independence. Sleeping with your puppy can inadvertently perpetuate their anxiety at being left alone and not allow your puppy the ability to build resilience.
Having a pet sitter or someone you know, such as a friend or neighbour, spend time with your puppy when you're working is a great way to lower the risk of boredom or separation anxiety. If possible, have someone stop by every couple of hours while you're gone if your puppy is younger.
Young puppies under six months shouldn't really be left alone for more than two hours. And it's a good idea to build up the time they spend alone gradually to prevent separation anxiety from setting in. When you do leave your puppy alone, it's a good idea to crate train them, or leave them in a puppy-proofed room.
Your puppy can remain in her crate for the same number of hours as her age in months plus one. That means an eight-week-old puppy can stay in her crate for a maximum of two and one-half to three hours at a time. Here's how to make crate training your new puppy an easy, enjoyable process.
But in all honesty, there's no 'right time' for a puppy to go to sleep, as long as it's the same every night. While this may be the case, do note that your puppy will need, on average, around 8-10 hours of sleep per night.
AFTER MEALS
Most puppies eat three to four meals a day while they're growing and they'll have to pee and poop after each meal. For younger dogs, wait about 20 minutes after a meal to take him outside to potty.
It typically takes 4-6 months for a puppy to be fully house trained, but some puppies may take up to a year. Size can be a predictor. For instance, smaller breeds have smaller bladders and higher metabolisms and require more frequent trips outside.