Hi Folks

Please can anyone advise what amountof exersize a young lab of 11/12 weeks should be getting and how this is increased throughout the 1st year?

Hi...
the general consensus on here seems to be 5mins per month of age
i have a 15wk pup but dont actually walk him as he gets excersice running round the house and garden. i do take him out on the lead for about 10 -15 mins to get him used to walking on lead. but not every day, depends on how lively hes been at home :-)

im sure others on here will agree :-)

The general rule of thumb, especially for breeds prone to HD, is 5 minutes formal exercise per month of age. So a three-month pup would have have walks of about 15 minutes per session, with a good rest between. At six months these walks would have increased in duration to half an hour each. Of course you can take them out for a longer time if they're resting (while you're sat on a park bench, for example) in the middle.

Going out at least once daily for socialisation is vital.
:)

Hi sponge,

My lab puppy's is just coming up 14 weeks and I do take him out every day, sometimes 2 or 3 times, but only for very very short walks.  Mainly we go to the woods and just hang out by the gate, getting to meet everybody, and their dogs, on the way in and out.

What annoys me is the amount of explaining I have to do to people who ask ' why aren't you walking him with your other Lab,  That was a short walk!  I bet he needs loads of exercise!'

Because they all know my other dog they assume I should walk them together.  Molly has about an hour and a half, I take her home, and then walk the puppy.
and I know i'm going to have to do seperate walks for a long time yet, but I'm sure people think I'm mad not taking them together.

I have to say that is a great theory, however my lab spent a lot of time as a puppy in the car with me, as he came to work and I found that whilst as a small pup perhaps 5x5 minute walks per day worked, by the time he was about 6 months I was walking him quite a lot further than the half hour he should have had, just to keep us both sane :D But then he was a very lively dog and still is really even though he is nearly 9 and a friend with a dog the same age has trouble getting hers out the front door for a walk, Hook is always up for it and still occaisionally comes beating.  

Mrs mop, i had exactly the same problem when my goldie was young. People don't seem to understand when you explain why you are making more work for yourself by walking them seperately. Even if HD wasn't an issue its still a good idea to have seperate walks in order to train the pup. People don't understand!