Conventional wisdom is that is the puppy free-play (he is instigating it) and is not on an elevated surface, he can do what he likes but to limit “forced exercise that is pounding.

When I have puppies in class, the guidance I follow is not to have a puppy do repetitive concussive motions under 18 months. Repetitive being defined as anything over 3-5 times in a row.

A 2012 study of a few large breeds puppies under 3 months showed that daily stair use (repetitive and concussive) resulted in a higher incidents of hip displaysia. That same study showed the free play on varying terrain decreased the risk.

 

From what I understand, it’s paced, distance running that is not good for puppies under about one. Like you don’t want to take her on a 5K. I don’t think she will naturally run so much it will hurt her joints, like during play. Just don’t push her past when she naturally starts to wind down.

My Doberman ran like crazy when he was that age, but, like your dog, he would last about ten minutes. I wouldn’t worry about her joints.

 

That is helpful. Thank you.

 

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It is important to have your dog slow down chill before eating and after 30min some say longer after to prevent twisted stomach. Even if you playing fetch and he runs over get big drink of water his stomach is heavy twisting could happen if he’s running playing fetch

 

I think as long as she's telling you when she's done she's not going to keep going as a young puppy longer than she should, or faster. It's more like running with your puppy or biking then. Even light jogging and walking with a bike I did with my last puppy just up to the stop sign (front of our yard) and back to get her used to going next to me at a young age. Though I did get yelled at by someone who didn't realize that was my front yard and that was just a tiny ways for training purposes going very slow 😆 They thought I was taking her miles lol.

 

Everything in moderation. I keep my pups activity on softer ground (grass, dirt, sand) instead of asphalt or concrete whenever I can.

You can tell when they are tired, just pay attention and cut things short just before that happens.

I wait an hour before feeding them if they were doing physically demanding tasks... I can’t do it with water but I do reduce the amount of water they can drink if they were running around like crazy. In many ways I’ve been lucky bc I had two Dobers who would throw up after heavy activity if they drank water so I have a pretty good idea of how much they can take in.

Another thing is to incorporate a “cool down” before you get back inside. If my dogs just ran 5-10 miles we will walk a mile or two for their cool-down.

 

AFL ......good post and great question. What you have read is correct as most other DT members will also attest to.

Excuse the seeming redundant employment of math 101 🧐 nevertheless the relevance lies in the 10 minutes of 30 ft. of chase and retrieve, that translates to as many as 4 or more repetitions per minute X 10 minutes equates to 40 to 50 reps of sixty ft return trips — which means intense activity in excess of 1/2 mile non stop.

If much of that is at sprint speed to chase then needless to write that is beyond what an 11 week old wolf cub ( first cousin to the dog) would experience in its native environment. There is relevance in the comparison. Therefore at that stage of development then similarities in a wolf cub and canine cousin pup then one would observe pack behaviour of far less intensity compared what your pup is exposed to — meaning low intensity impact activity in romping and play 'fighting' with light intermittent sprinting. The human tendency to provide an outlet IMO should be governed by the level of intensity as would naturally. As long as a mock prey stimulus is engaged the pup endowed with such innate drive will engage until it literally 'drops'.

Therefore in very young pup I would scale back duration from what you outlined if sprinting is of high intensity as it most likely will during games of fetch.

The fact that your pup engages enthusiastically to the seeming meaningless stimulant of a ball indicates prey drive and 10 minutes of high level engagement is an indicator of high drive. Is high drive good or bad ??? — ironically it can be both depending on handler recognition of it and channelling of it to a useful behaviour or neglecting to channel it resulting in bevy of unwanted obnoxious behaviour.

One measure that I use to channel high prey drive and that still provides a less harmful impacting means to exhaust drive in the overly rambunctious pup is to incorporate tug into the retrieve games — meaning that high repetitive sprint activity impacting delicate developing bones and joints will be cut down yet the expending and satiation of drive will serendipitously occur.

Possibly the overused hype of the dangers of employing tug will cloud the discussion. Tug is a double edged sword as it cuts both ways — intentional and unintentional. Intentional in the sense that tug can be a +R as a conditioner & a reward for compliant behaviour. Therein lies the good side of tug. Conversely tug when willy nilly used indiscriminately for no other purpose than to expend the pup's energy leads to a multitude of problems that can range from diminishing confidence as might be encountered in overly active teens rough housing and tug games whereby the teens are always victorious. The negative flip side is when the pup is always victorious with no underlying structure as to why tug is being used and indiscriminately willy nilly allowed to always win as will evidence in keep-away. Toy possessive behaviour leading to possible if not probable aggressive behaviour can result. Those are the caveats to never be ignored.

Incorporate tug using a ball on a rope into your 10 minute daily regimen of obedience training using the ball on a rope as both a stimulus to lure basic OB behaviour; and also most importantly as +R and reward to condition behaviour for compliance. For non compliance then -R and negative punishment need be employed. Negative punishment conjures up visions of what it is not. Ironically it is 'punishment' through the withholding of reward for non-compliance to the instructive verbal cue to sit, stay, here etc. That is in essence the simplicity and scientific reliability of operant conditioning employing the quadrants of +R and - Punishment.

If keep-away evidences as it most likely will then a secondary ball will need be presented therefore be prepared in advance with the second prey inciting stimulus tucked away and hidden in a pocket. Animating any prey inciting stimulus will heighten greater interest in the newest/latest presented stimulus. Incorporate the recall verbal cue at that point. Opposition reflex in drive theory suggests re-interest to the latest stimulus presented.

Therefore with all said and done the need to exercise daily obedience during the current formative behavioural puppy stage as well as the need to provide a safe outlet to expend pent up energy and prey drive (in a prey drive endowed pup) will be met. The outlier hope is that the annoying yet common puppy nipping behaviour to the movement of hands and feet will subside as the prey drive has been provided satiation within controlled outlet of a structured training regimen. One caveat regarding tug and use of a ball, I would avoid abrasive — on teeth— felt tennis balls and rope tugs that fray into threads that can entangle in teeth especially during the pup teething stage. A French linen bite roll and solid rubber ball on a rope are my preference for incorporating such training tools into the daily routine. Ensure care when utilizing tug especially during the 6 month period pre-adult teeth.

Good luck and hopefully there is content within that will be useful in addressing your initial issue.
In the common bond of Dobermans.......Mike

 

Very informative post! Thank you for taking the time to reply. We have a kong ball...no felt and no fuzz. I hate those fuzzy tennis balls.

 

If keep-away evidences as it most likely will then a secondary ball will need be presented therefore be prepared in advance with the second prey inciting stimulus tucked away and hidden in a pocket. Animating any prey inciting stimulus will heighten greater interest in the newest/latest presented stimulus. Incorporate the recall verbal cue at that point. Opposition reflex in drive theory suggests re-interest to the latest stimulus presented.

this worked really well for Anouk at 6 months. We did use little kong balls but I know a lot of people disagree. She started catching them, which she prefers to fetch. She won’t retrieve, but she will stay a distance because her goal is to catch (not retrieve). So, I still need a few balls, then we trade places. We play catch just a little bit with tennis balls and with little flying squirrels. I should just remove the tennis balls so the only opportunity for her to catch are the mini squirrels (better on teeth etc and won’t get lost in the snow!).

Tug we only use a nylon (or some poly whatever) horse rope. If I don’t leave it to her to chew on, which I don’t, it’s really gray resistant. I cut into halves, knot it, tie to other toys too. She likes to shake this thing around too. Another thing some people would disagree with since it’s a kill kind of play. Just means they will kill a rabbit with no pain to the rabbit, most likely or more likely than anything other than kid dog play. Or, that’s all I know so far of seeing dogs play like this. My older dog killed a couple raccoons but I’m honestly glad he wasn’t terrible at it or scratched in the face. But it’s just prey play like practically all forms of dog play. But these activities also made Anouk loonie at 6-8 months within just minutes. Over-excited or burnt out her fuse. So, switched between high activity and quiet still ones/training etc. still kind of the same routine with longer walks and more independent time for her.

 

Those joints need to last them a long time.
Let them develop and mature in strength.
Easy does it till Later.