how much walking?

[gilda25]

I have a 9 month old Maltese/Poodle and he's about 13-15 lbs. I just wanted to get opinions on how much (or how little) exercise to give him. I walk him about 25 - 30 min a day, and then we also play fetch with him inside the house (he loves it!) ... for his size I would think that amount of exercise is about right. I'd hate to over-exercise him in fear of injuring his joints too early in his doggie life
Just wanted to see if you guys think thats ok ... does he need more... is that enough etc?
Thanks!

[calgal]

Walking strengthens the muscles, and that in turn takes pressure off the joints. Walking is great exercise. Just keep an eye on those little pads that they don't become sore from walking too much at first. Gradually increase the length of walking.

[igi-man]

i have a doberman , he's 8 month 85 pound's , if i dont give him an hour of walking , he's goona be hyper..

[Cassiepeia]

Little dogs don't have to worry about their joints as much as large dogs do (with large dogs their weight is a factor). I think you could walk him for twice as long as you are now and he'd be fine. But what you're doing now sounds fine to me.

Cass.

[mulroony]

Exercise to me is always one of those things you play by ear. If your dog is not overly tired after the walk, and not bouncing off the walls completely then you probably have the right amount of exercise.

To me the biggest sign of not enough exercise is behavioral problems, so if the pup starts acting out then upping the exercise is sometimes a quick fix (ofcourse not always).

[Novel]

Like mulroony said, exercise is a play by ear for your particular dog. All puppies, which is to about 18 months, or a bit younger for a smaller dog, should be allowed to exercise as much as they want, note: how much they want, not how much you want.
If it's a slow pace of walking, I would think what you are doing now is fine. If he's panting by the end, then that may be too much.
Playing fetch is great, but just remember, the dog may be so geared up about the ball and the game, that he may overdo it.
As Cass, said, it is more important in larger dogs, where you worry about joints, but, many small dogs also have joint problems too. Just be careful, enjoy exercise, but keep it to small sessions several times a day. Weight of the dog is probably an even larger factor on joint health than exercise. Make sure your puppy is at the optimum weight. Puppies should be kept light, and on the very best nutrition possible.
13 - 15 pounds could be too heavy or too light. Without seeing the dog, it's hard to tell, and even then, placing your hands on the dog is the best way to gauge proper condition. You should be able to feel but not see ribs. If there is too much flesh over the ribs that you are not able to feel them with some ease, then the pup could probably lose a bit. The best way to accomplish that is to adjust the diet, not necessarily increase or decrease exercise.