Puppies that run around and play too much can place a lot of stress on their growth plates. This stress could lead to bone deformations, which will cause long term issues. That's why it's important to split up exercise sessions, so your pup can have some time to recover.
Your puppy needs exercise, but walking too much can be harmful for growing dogs. Too much exercise, or “forced exercise,” can overtire your puppy and potentially damage developing joints. So, what counts as “over-exercise?” According to vets, anything beyond what your puppy would engage in with puppies their same age.
According to The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, a good good starting point is to aim for 5 minutes of exercise, twice a day, for each month of age. For example, 3-month-old puppies should have 15 minutes of exercise twice a day, then 20 minutes twice a day at 4 months, etc).
Your puppy needs active playtime with you every day. Aim to get at least an hour of playtime and exercise a day for optimal health. However, bear in mind that puppies are like small children, and do need some downtime and naps as well.
Unlike the crate where you can't leave a young puppy for long periods; the puppy will be fine in the playpen and you can go out for longer periods. Just make sure your dog is ready before you leave for a long period so the puppy does not feel left alone form the start and associate that with the playpen itself.
If your puppy is 5 months old for example, then they will be needing 25 minutes of puppy exercise at a time, and up to two to three times daily. Continue following this guide depending on how many months old your puppy is until they reach adulthood (12-18 months old).
Your puppy may nap every hour or so, sleeping from 30 minutes to as long as two hours. All of this sleep is perfectly normal. Recognize overtired behavior. No matter how much fun you're having, don't let him get overtired.
'Puppy blues' is a term used to describe the negative experiences and feelings that some people experience after bringing home a puppy. After the immediate euphoria of the fluffy bundle of fun wears off, many puppy owners (and particularly first-time dog owners) are left feeling overwhelmed and without support.
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.
Just like a human child, your puppy's bones and joints need time to mature. If you over-exercise your puppy while they are growing, they might damage their growth plates and joints, which can lead to conditions such as early onset arthritis and hip dysplasia.
Stage 5: Adolescence (6 – 18 months) This can be the most difficult time during a puppy's development – adolescence. Your cute little puppy is becoming a teenager and will start producing hormones which may result in changes in behaviour.
Where Should Your Puppy Sleep? While you may eventually want to let your dog sleep in bed with you (or your kids), it really is best if your pup starts out sleeping in a crate — you can always let them in the bed later, once they're fully potty-trained, sleeping soundly, and happily acclimated to their crate.
There is an old saying that couldn't be truer: "A tired dog is a good dog." Just like with people, when dogs receive a healthy balance of physical and mental stimulation, they will be happy and well-adjusted.
What time should the puppy go to bed? Going to bed one hour after meals and an evening potty walk is advisable. Specific times don't matter; you have to build a schedule to suit you. Although tiny puppies can't sleep as long as humans, after 16 weeks, you can train your puppy to go to bed and get up with you.
In conclusion, it is very normal for puppy owners to feel overwhelmed in the first weeks and months with their new addition. The vast majority of overwhelming issues are related to puppyhood and are able to be resolved with training and time.
How long do puppies have high energy for? Generally, most puppies will start to settle between 6 - 12 months, but as mentioned above there are a few other factors that can impact puppy energy levels.
One of the best ways to manage over-excitement is to direct your puppy's energy toward something healthy like an activity or toy. Structured play like Fetch, plus access to mentally stimulating puzzle games and toys, are all super useful tools to help your puppy maintain activeness. Do reward calm behavior.
You should have a pee pad inside the playpen, which if you're lucky the first couple nights, the pup will pee on it instead of on the floor. Don't lock them in the crate until you've given them time to love it by following the advice below. Keep everything super positive.
My preference is to allow your dog to sleep out of a crate around 4-5 months and to be free completely before a year. Your dog should be housetrained; which means you know how long your dog can hold his bladder and he knows how to ask to go outside to go.
In general, crates work well during the night. You want your puppy to sleep then (not potter around) and confining him to a small space will make it likely that he wakes you up if he needs to go potty. During the day however, a puppy pen works best.
Undesirable behaviours such as barking, chewing, counter surfing, house-soiling and jumping up commonly begin to occur at around 3-6 months of age. Your puppy will not grow out of these behaviours. On the contrary, it is more likely that these behaviours will worsen if not addressed early on.