My 4-month-old puppy has too much energy. Am I walking her too much?

Question

How long should I walk my 4 month pup? We're currently taking her on 2 one hour long walks daily. She always has energy afterwards. Is this too much? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 4 months and 6 days old | 14 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

At 60 minutes twice daily, you are doing a little more exercise than Sammi needs at the moment. Puppies do not require as much [exercise](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-start-an-exercise-routine-with-your-dog) as adult dogs. Over exertion may lead to lifelong [orthopedic issues](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-common-orthopedic-conditions-in-dogs). The general recommendation is 5 minutes of exercise per month of age twice daily until fully grown, which for most dogs is about 1 year of age, although larger or giant breeds may not be fully grown until about 2 years of age. I recommend cutting back to two 20 minute walks per day, increasing it by 5 minutes each when she is 5 months, and so on. Because she has a lot of energy, you can work on [obedience training](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-obedience-commands-every-dog-should-know) with her (teaching her to sit, stay, lay down, etc.). That will use up some energy, and have the positive effect of [training](https://www.petcoach.co/article/new-dog-survival-guide-tips-for-training) her.

My 4-month-old puppy has too much energy. Am I walking her too much?

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