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How Often Should I Walk My Puppy?

January 27, 2020 by Mary Telesz

Man walking new puppy on bridgeWhile you may be excited to take your new puppy on a walk, there are some things you need to know before you do. It is often assumed that you can walk your puppy as soon as you bring it home, and that walking a puppy is as simple as putting the leash on them and walking outside.

In fact, that is not true, and there are many things that you need to consider before you walk your new puppy. Follow this guide to ensure that your walk you and your puppy both enjoy your walks.

At What Age Can I Start Walking My Puppy?

We know it is tempting to leash your new puppy and take it for a walk right away. Watching a puppy explore the neighborhood, learn new smells, and see new sights is always fun, and the exercise is good for them.

Walking them right away can be very dangerous, though. A puppy’s immune system is not fully developed, so they are very vulnerable to disease. It is unlikely that your puppy has been fully vaccinated, since most puppies are sold or adopted when they are around eight weeks old. While their vaccinations should be up to date, they cannot complete their vaccinations until they are 12-14 weeks old.

It is highly recommended that you wait until two weeks after their final round of vaccinations to take your puppy on walks. That means you should wait until they are 14-16 weeks old to walk them.

How Often Should I Be Walking My Puppy?

Golden retriever puppies running and playingOnce your puppy has been fully vaccinated and it is safe to walk them, go for it. Walking a puppy is great exercise, it keeps them stimulated, and it helps to socialize them with other dogs and other people. In other words, it is good for their body and their mind, and they love it.

Every puppy is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all answer to how often you should walk your puppy. It depends on each puppy’s needs. High-energy breeds like Australian shepherds and Labs, or high-intelligence breeds like Border Collies, will need more physical and mental stimulation, and therefore more or longer walks, than other breeds.

Likewise, the size of your puppy, both now and their predicted size as an adult, should be taken into account.
Smaller puppy’s should go for shorter walks, and you can lengthen the walks as they get older. Giant breeds like Great Danes and St Bernards should not be taken for long walks until they are eight months old. Their joints and bones mature more slowly than other, smaller breeds and long walks can harm their development.

How Long Can I Walk A Puppy For?

The rule of thumb for puppies is that a walk should last five minutes for every month of age. So, a five month old puppy should be walked for twenty-five minutes, and a six month old puppy for thirty minutes. That balances the need for exercise with the need for rest and the need to be gentle on growing bones and joints.

That does not mean, though, that your five month old puppy should only get twenty-five minutes of exercise per day. It means that that is how much they should get on one walk. They can handle more than one walk per day, provided that they are spaced out enough to allow for rest in between.

In fact, you can walk your puppy as often as three times per day at five minutes per month of age. Multiple shorter walks in between are fine, too, since your puppy will need to go outside six to eight times to go to the bathroom. Just be careful not to over exercise, as this can exhaust them and damage their joints.

Should I Consider Hiring A Dog Walker?

Puppy wants to walkOften, when people ask how frequently they should walk their puppy, they are troubled to learn that their puppy should be walk not just every day, but in fact two or three times per day. In our busy world, many people can only walk their dog a few times per week.

If you have a new puppy, giving them proper exercise is important. It is good for them, of course, but it is good for you too. Puppies that are not given proper exercise and stimulation become destructive and hard to control. They will chew things and tear up household items and they will be unbearably hyper at times.

The key to a happy, well-behaved puppy is making sure that they are sufficiently stimulated and get enough exercise. If you have doubts about your ability to walk your puppy enough, hiring a dog walker is a great idea. Professional dog walkers can ensure that your puppy gets its exercise and spends time socializing with other people and dogs, even on your busiest days.

Speak To A Professional Dog Walking Company

If you think you may need the services of a dog walker, speak to a dog walking company today. Paw Pals dog walkers are professionals who will know how to keep your puppy exercised without overdoing it, and they will treat your pup like family.

Filed Under: Dog Walking, Pet Adoption, Pet Advice, Pet Care, Pet Exercise

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Centreville – 20120, 20121
Chantilly – 20151
Clifton – 20124
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Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
4.9
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith
21:22 03 Oct 21
I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
Michæl Silva
Michæl Silva
21:38 01 Jul 22
Mary at Paw Pals Pet Sitting is the greatest! She has helped me train my pooch Chico how play nice with other dogs and for that I am extremely grateful! A+A+A+A+A+A
Kwi Kim
Kwi Kim
22:37 17 Jun 22
I hired Paw Pals based on my sister’s referral. Meet & greet was very thorough and detailed. I was surprised that my finicky cat came to check the sitter out. Subsequently, a sitter watched my cat over several separate visits, and it was clear through the visit reports that my cat loved the sitter. All the visits were completed having followed my directions & with professionalism.I would highly recommend Paw Pals to anyone who’s looking for a dependable, personable, & professional sitter.
Joseph Walter
Joseph Walter
19:55 13 Jun 22
Paw Pals provided a large number of photos of our pets along with a personalized message on how our pets were doing with every single visit. I would highly recommend using Paw Pals, we'll be continuing to use them whenever we go on vacation.
Ashley Manning
Ashley Manning
09:50 11 Jun 22
Highly recommend as pet sitters!Initially, a sitter from the company will visit the house to meet the pets and learn where everything is. Tatiana took careful notes and we got her some spare keys.While we are away, Paw Pals sends sitters to come and look after our boys. They feed them, scoop litter, bring in mail and packages, and they will even manage trash, recycling, blinds and lights so that everything is comfortable for our kitties. Each time they check in, we receive an email message with updates and pictures, which is so comforting when we are on the road.Also, if you don’t let Paw Pals know when you are home, they assume something has happened and will continue to care for your babies. If something were to happen, I know they would be okay.Five stars for Paw Pals!
Brian Wood
Brian Wood
04:08 22 May 22
We have used Paw Pals for a number of years now and would highly recommend to anyone looking for help with their pets. Great communication from owner Mary and flexibility to make adjustments in schedule as life changes over time. Have had a consistent set of walkers who have gotten to know our pup and the various walking routes around our neighborhood quite well.
Lesley Bush
Lesley Bush
13:58 18 Mar 22
We can't rave enough about Paw Pals. They took care of our 18 year old Cat and 20 year old Chinchilla while we were away and when our flight got cancelled, they were so accommodating and available last minute for an extra day. We worked with Jen to coordinate visits from Miko and Danny. I loved the pictures and updates on how our Lil geriatric guys were doing. Thanks a million, Paw Pals!! Our special pets were so well cared for.
Sebastian Barnes
Sebastian Barnes
01:06 17 Jan 22
I have used Paw Pals for several trips over the last few months, and they have been phenomenal every time! Mary is extremely kind and responsive, and she makes sure that my cat and dog have the care that they need every time I am out of town. All of the pet sitters that I've had have been incredibly sweet to my pets, and they treat them like their own! Will gladly continue using Paw Pals every time I need a sitter.
Julie Shildt
Julie Shildt
17:45 14 Nov 21
It has been a pleasure doing business with paw pals. We have used this company for several trips we have taken over the past 6 months. They have been wonderful caretakers for our 2 cats. Anytime there is ever a question they don't hesitate to give us a call and they leave the best notes and pictures in the emailed report of each visit. We are so glad have found such a great company.
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Katie McCune
Katie McCune
19:19 15 Jul 21
I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!
Alexandra Hill
Alexandra Hill
22:43 23 May 21
I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
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