Are you the owner of an adorable little pug puppy looking for its perfect exercise routine? If this is your first time owning a small dog like a Pug, you may not know how long you can walk a Pug puppy? These small dogs will love walking right beside you, but they need special attention and care during their walks, unlike other breeds.
How Long Should You Walk a Pug Puppy?
Ideally, a 20 minutes’ walk every day will keep your little Pug Puppy active and healthy. However, if you like to have fun and play around with your Pug, too, keep the total exercise time from 40 minutes to one hour (as recommended by the UK Pug Dog Club and the American Kennel Club).
Cute little Pugs, with their funny flat faces, big sparkling eyes, and curly tail, are so fascinating and attractive, but they stay low-key most of the time.
They show only short bursts of energy, hence enjoying shorter playtimes and leisure walks rather than brisk marches. It is essential to know that long, fast walks would result in severe breathlessness and even joint problems for your Pug.
Avoid Strenuous Walks With A Pug Puppy
Long walks, running up and down the stairs, or jumping around excessively is considered a strenuous activity for them. Their activity should be strictly monitored and controlled. After long, high-speed walks, you will most probably find them snorting and short of breath.
If you try to walk your puppy too much too fast, they may sit down and refuse to walk. So be prepared to carry them as this breed can have a stubborn streak.
Walking a Pug Puppy; The Do’s and Don’ts
- You must avoid excessive exercise for the pug puppy under the age of 10 months. Vigorous exercise during this time can negatively affect the soft areas at the end of the bones where the cells continuously divide for the growth of limbs.
So, it is very important to keep the walking to a minimum and avoid running at all costs during the first ten months of your puppy’s life if you do not want a puppy with deformed limbs.
- There should be no walking until at least 1 hour after eating, as this can cause your puppy to suffer from bloats, which is a serious medical condition for pugs. Their stomachs fill with gas, leading to cutting off the blood supply to the stomach.
- Observing their activity closely when training them is quite necessary because pugs won’t give up easily when tired during a long walk. Instead, they will keep struggling to match your pace, ending up tired and breathless. It’s better to keep travel water bottles and bowls along, which are useful when training for longer walks.
- Since pugs do not have a perfect breathing system, they end up in heavy breathing even after a short period of walking. Using a harness while walking can help reduce any stress on the throat area of the pug puppy. This allows them to breathe freely, which can lead to a longer walking duration.
- Always keep an eye on your Pug, especially when they are outdoors with you. Try to keep them comfortable and cared for.
Walk Time and the Effect of Weather
Pugs have a short snout which hinders their breathing rate, causing problems in extremely hot weather conditions. So, refrain from taking your puppy out in the heat. Even letting them lie in the sun may cause it to overheat and the breathing issue to aggravate.
Since regular activity is required to keep your pup healthy and fit, do not restrict its activity even in summers. Just alter the timings and walk your Pug a little earlier in the morning or late in the evening.
Do not let it wander away while walking or playing, as it may run excessively and warm up too much.
Pugs do not enjoy rainy weather and moisture either. Here are some tips to make walking your Pug in the rain, easier, especially when they refuse to go.
You may prefer to walk your dog in shady, sheltered areas on such days. Winters may also not be favorable for your Pug, but avoiding walks may make your puppy a couch potato.
While planning to have a stroll in such weather conditions, simply make sure your puppy has a warm, cozy coat on.
Windy and rough weather conditions may significantly damage your Pug’s eyes – avoid walks on these days and try to indulge more in indoor games or activities.
How to Start Training Your Pug for Longer Walking Duration?
Start with giving your pet access to a small open area – a garden at your place can initially be an ideal strolling spot. It is soft for the short limbs of your Pug and gives better practice before moving onto the harder surfaces and pavements.
It will stay under your observation in a garden and yet will have the freedom to walk the way it wants. Let your pup play and walk itself first, followed by a lead-walking practice. Moving gradually from a slower to faster pace would lead to building up of the stamina.
Make sure to start training your furbaby at a younger age, or the stubborn nature of this affectionate little puppy won’t allow proper training at a later stage. Setting up a reward system to train your puppy to walk for longer durations of time may prove to be very beneficial.
Learn the Nature of Your Pug and Train it Accordingly
Pugs live to love and to be loved in return. They are fond of your love and affection. Their playful nature makes them great family dogs. This breed is extremely loyal and will bond quickly with its human family, making them a kid-safe breed.
Though small in size, they possess an enormous personality. Not only are they fun-loving, but extremely smart, observant, and fast learners too.
They tend to learn and develop habits at a very young age. Therefore, training at the initial stages of your puppy’s life is extremely crucial. Be sure to check out these Pug training secrets that dog trainers use on all breeds of dogs, even stubborn breeds like Pugs.
Final Word
A young puppy should walk no more than 20 minutes at one time until they have built up their endurance. Don’t force them to walk too much as they are still young, and strenuous exercise can damage their developing limbs and muscles.
After every walk, ensure they are not showing signs that you’ve overexercised them. Most dogs will let you know when you’ve walked them too long, but others will just try to keep up with you and you won’t even know they are struggling.
Pug Puppies are not ideal dogs for long walks and need exceptional care and attention when taken for a walk.
A loving owner would nonetheless find it highly amusing to train their pug puppy for walks- your Pug will make sure to stay at the center of your attention and will never let you feel frustrated or tired!