Taking your Pug puppy out for a walk is a great way to stimulate their senses. Introduce them to the bigger world, and get a little exercise in for the both of you. It’s also an essential daily routine for your puppy’s potty needs to keep them from having any accidents around the house.
With that said, too much of any good thing can have the opposite effect.
What are the Dangers of Overwalking A Pug Puppy?
Overwalking your Pug puppy can compromise their health. It can affect their breathing, causing them to overheat, experience sore muscles, and even causing them joint injuries.
Despite the seemingly endless amount of energy that a Pug puppy has. It is important to remember when you take them for a walk that they can be walked too much.
Overwalking your Pug, whether it is a puppy or an adult, can lead to complications in their health. Below is a list of but a few of the dangers of overwalking your Pug puppy:
It Can Compromise Their Breathing
Pugs are notoriously known for having breathing problems associated with their short snouts and mushed in faces. One such common disease found among the breed is Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS).
This disease was once thought to be solely because of the shape of their face. But recent studies suggest a specific gene may also cause the disease in their DNA.
Talk about a double whammy against outdoor excursions! Whether or not your Pug is diagnosed with the above mentioned disease, Pugs, in general, are considered a brachycephalic breed.
With narrow nostrils, a small windpipe, and a soft palate, overwalking your Pug puppy can result in heavy, labored breathing and put stress on their respiratory system.
It Can Cause Them to Overheat
Pug’s do not handle heat very well. Temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit posing as a serious threat to your Pug puppy’s health.
In hot weather, dogs will regulate their body temperature by panting. Pugs, however, have difficulty regulating their body temperature due to their facial structure and breathing difficulties. Unable to adequately regulate their body temperature, Pugs are especially vulnerable to heatstroke.
Overwalking your Pug puppy even in warm temperature can risk them developing heat sickness or even death from heat exhaustion.
For hot and humid temperatures above 90 degrees. It is better to allow your Pug out only for short bathroom breaks and to allow them to get their daily exercise indoors somewhere nice and cool.
It Can Make Their Muscles Sore
Pug’s don’t require a lot of daily exercise. And overwalking them can make them just as sore as when you push yourself that extra mile on the treadmill.
Pushing your Pug puppy (or any canine for that matter) to walk longer than they are physically capable of can result in sore muscles that can negatively impact their overall health.
If your puppy has been on a lengthy walk. It could result in their muscles feeling so sore that they will refuse to move even for food and water.
Going for a walk should never compromise your Pug’s ability to eat and drink. As a decrease in water and food consumption can negatively impact their growth and health.
They may also seem lethargic, wobbly when they stand, or even cry or whine when moving around. In extreme cases, overwalking can result in muscle tissue death, which is a painful condition known as rhabdomyolysis.
It Can Cause Joint Injuries
Overwalking any breed of dog can cause joint issues that can otherwise be easily prevented.
Although joint issues related to overwalking are less common in smaller breeds of dogs. Pugs are prone to certain joint issues that should be taken into consideration when walking them.
Pugs are prone to joint problems such as a luxating patella or hip dysplasia. Much of the time, the signs of these conditions will show up around the same time it becomes safe to start taking your Pug puppy out for a walk.
As a result, lengthy walks can exacerbate joint conditions and cause more harm to your Pug’s ability to walk by amplifying the stress placed on their joints.
If you notice your Pug doing the bunny hop or limping after a walk, it is important to have it addressed by your Pug’s veterinarian as these conditions may need surgical intervention.
How Long Should You Walk A Pug Puppy?
Pugs are a breed of canine that have been bred through the centuries to become the perfect lapdogs, requiring little exercise to keep them fit and healthy. An adult Pug needs only 30-40 minutes of exercise a day. And even though your Pug puppy may seem to have more energy than an adult Pug. They require even less exercise time.
When you start taking your Pug puppy for walks (this is typically around three months when they finish their booster shots), they will likely be overwhelmed, excited, and seem like they are ready for a five-mile trek.
Who can blame them? With all those new sounds, sights, smells, and things to touch and (unfortunately) try to eat, keeping the excursion short and sweet is in their best interest.
When it comes to how long of a walk your Pug puppy should be walked, a good rule of thumb is to use their age as an indicator.
For every month that your puppy is old, add five minutes to the walk. And always remember to take weather conditions and any existing health conditions into consideration.
How Often Should You Walk A Pug Puppy?
Rather than getting your puppy’s daily exercise out of the way all at once. It is recommended to split their exercise time into two or more sessions. It can prevent them from experiencing any of the adverse health effects associated with overwalking them.
By keeping a Pug’s walking sessions short and spread out over multiple walks through the day. They are less likely to overexert themselves into a panting or labored breathing frenzy.
They will also be less likely to become overheated in warm or hot weather. So it’s important to give their muscles and joints some time to relax between walks.
Final Word
Pugs are amazing pets. But a small puppy can’t walk for long periods at a time.
Pugs are not the best walking dogs. But with daily practice, your pup will look forward to walking right beside you on your daily morning walks.
You’ll love the companionship and feel better knowing you’re not endangering their life!