We have a 21 week old springer spaniel who loves to run about in the fields near our house and chase the birds etc. She has 2x 1 hour walks(am and pm) most days.  She also likes to run along with my husband when he goes for a run (about 5 miles), which is usually done as part of her normal walking routine.  I have heard that we shouldnt really let her have long walks yet.  How long should she walk for and are we doing her harm by letting her out for as long?

I'd say 2 x 1 hour walks (most days) plus running along for 5 miles is way too much for a springer her age.  You would do better to do 2 or 3 15-20 minutes walks a day (no running along for 5 miles until she is much older), free time off lead if it's safe and she has a good recall within these walks and lots of training indoors and the garden to give her mental stimulation.

That's all I ever did with my springers and my springer cross that I have now - did them ok :)

Thanks for your reply.  I will bear it in mine.  My hubby takes Bramble to work with him and incorporates her morning walk as the walk to work.  I will have to tell him to take a shorter route!!  Are we doing her any harm by giving her long walks?

The harm you can do is that her bones are still soft and growing so it is possible to actually cause hip dysplasia. (Part of it is believed to be genetic and part environmental.) It's in a way similar to kids with growing feet, they too are soft and not fully formed and if you put them in ill fitting shoes youc an damage them.

HTH. :)

The general "rule of thumb" for exercise for young dogs, up to a year, is 5 mins per month per day - therefore for a 20week old springer, that equals 5 x 5 = 25mins exercise.  You are rather over-exercising her at the moment, and you could be putting down trouble for yourselves, and her, later.

Margot

OOPS.   THANKS FOR THAT.  I HOPE WE HAVENT HARMED HER ALREADY.  BEST PUT A STOP TO THE LONGER WALKS THEN!

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REPLIES.  I BEST STOP NOW WITH THE LONG WALKS THEN.
HOPE IT HASNT HARMED HER.

Think about what a reate they ae growing at.  The growth pl;ates at the end of the bones can be damaged from excessive shock, and also the bone density will not be at it's maximum to cope with the weight and strain of a fast gwowing pup being given excessive wear and tear to it's joints.

A puppy grows at a phenomental rate.  Fro example a pup of my breed would increase it's birth weight 10 or more times in 8 weeks and by 12 weeeks will be half the weight of an adult or close to it.  by 6 months they are 3/4 their adult weight.  #Can you imagin this rate of growht in a human?

The general rule of thumb is 5 minutes per month of age.  So at 4 months 20 minutes walk, at 5 month 25 and so on so that by a year you build up to an hour. :D  Now some people would say per day and others per walk.  With a springer I would probably say the latter.

SNAP!!!

Margot :D :D

Great minds think alike......