How much exercise is safe for a growing puppy?
Puppies need movement, not boot camp.
Their bones, joints, muscles, tendons and coordination are still developing, so exercise should match their age, size and stage of growth. Larger puppies need particular care because they often keep growing for longer. Puppy health guidance should always be individualised rather than treated as a one-size-fits-all programme.
Think short, varied and puppy-led: sniffy walks, gentle play, little training games, exploring safe surfaces, puzzle feeding and plenty of rest. Avoid turning your baby dog into a marathon intern with long forced runs, endless high-speed fetch, repeated big jumps, stair-blasting or spectacular skids across slippery floors.
The aim is healthy movement without repetitive strain. Let your puppy stop, sniff, flop down or simply declare the expedition over. Rest is part of development too.
If you notice limping, bunny-hopping, stiffness, reluctance to exercise, trouble getting up or soreness after play, stop the activity and speak to your vet rather than trying to “walk it off.”
A good puppy exercise session should finish with “That was brilliant!” — not with four tiny legs submitting a formal grievance.
How much exercise is safe for a growing puppy?
Puppies need movement, not military training.
Exercise is important, but so is remembering that your puppy is still under construction. Bones, joints, muscles and coordination are all developing, especially in larger pups who may take longer to mature. The goal is not to wear them out — it is to help them grow strong, confident and well-balanced.
Think short, varied and puppy-led. Sniffy walks, gentle play, little training games and supervised exploring are all excellent. What growing puppies do not need is long forced walks, endless fetch, repeated big jumps, road running or any fitness plan that sounds like it came with a whistle and a stopwatch.
Good exercise should build the body without overloading it. Let your puppy stop, sniff, wobble, sit down or declare the mission complete. Rest is not laziness. Rest is part of the programme.
If your puppy seems sore, stiff, reluctant to move, starts limping or looks unusually tired after exercise, ease up and speak to your vet.
A happy puppy workout should end with “That was fun!” — not with your dog looking like they need an ice bath and a union representative.
What should I do if my puppy cries at night?
First: don’t assume your puppy is being difficult. They have just swapped littermates, familiar smells and everything they knew for a new house full of strange noises — including your apparently suspicious refrigerator.
Check the basics: toilet, temperature, hunger, thirst, pain and comfort. Keep their bed close enough for reassurance at first, create a predictable bedtime routine and take them out for a final toilet break before sleep.
If they wake overnight, keep it beautifully boring: toilet, quiet reassurance, back to bed. No games, bright lights or 2 a.m. cuddle festivals unless you would like to accidentally launch a nightly entertainment programme.
Never punish crying. You are teaching your puppy that nighttime is safe, predictable and for sleeping.
If the crying is intense, persistent or comes with vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, bloating, weakness or signs of pain, call your vet. Sometimes a midnight complaint really does require management.
Your goal is a puppy who thinks “bedtime means sleep” — not “excellent, the night shift has arrived.”
Are reward-based training methods really better?
Yes — and this is where being kind and being scientifically sensible happen to be on the same team.
Reward-based training teaches your puppy what works. When sitting earns a treat, checking in earns praise or dropping the stolen sock earns something better, the behaviour you want becomes worth repeating. That is learning theory, not puppy bribery.
Research comparing reward-focused training with aversive methods such as electronic collars has found reward-based approaches can perform as well as or better on training outcomes, while avoiding unnecessary risks to welfare and the human-dog relationship.
That does not mean your puppy gets diplomatic immunity because they are cute. Good positive training still has rules: manage the environment, prevent unwanted behaviour being rehearsed, reward the choices you like and teach a clear alternative to the ones you do not.
So instead of asking “How do I stop this?”, ask “What do I want my puppy to do instead?” Then teach that behaviour so well it becomes the obvious choice.
Treats are not corruption. They are information with flavour — and puppies are remarkably enthusiastic students when the textbook tastes like chicken.
When should I call the vet instead of Googling?
When it comes to puppies, “let’s just wait and see” is not always a wise life choice.
Puppies are small, fast-changing little creatures, which means problems can escalate quickly. Call your vet promptly if your puppy has repeated vomiting, watery diarrhoea, blood in the stool, won’t eat, seems weak, coughs, struggles to breathe, has pale gums, a bloated belly, painful crying, limping, seizures, suspected poisoning or a sudden behaviour change.
Google can help you gather your thoughts. It can help you spell diarrhoea. What it cannot do is check hydration, listen to lungs, feel an abdomen, test a stool sample or decide whether your puppy needs urgent care. That part belongs to an actual vet, ideally one with a stethoscope rather than a search bar.
The golden rule is simple: if your puppy seems genuinely unwell, act sooner rather than later. Young bodies have very little time for dramatic plot twists.
Use the internet for questions. Use your vet for answers. Because “I read something online” is not nearly as comforting as “your puppy is going to be okay.”
