When can my puppy start agility training and long walks safely?

Question

At what age can a puppy begin doing agility/going on longer walks and such? I know you can't do that with a young puppy due to them growing and developing, I was just wondering when they would be safe to start that kind of training. Pet's info: Dog | Multi-Colored Standard Poodle | Male | unneutered | 10 months and 27 days old | 53 lbs

Dr. Kristin DVM · Accepted Answer

At 10 months, Phoenix is old enough for this type of activity. I recommend no "forced" exercise, such as on-leash running until after a year of age, but he is definitely old enough to start some basic agility training. I recommend starting with short training periods, for a few minutes at a time. If he is doing well, you can increase the duration of training periods. If he loses interest, then keep the sessions short. Trying to force him to stay focused for longer will take the fun out of it for both of you. As far as leash walks go, start with a mile and if he still has lots of energy, you can increase to 2 miles. At this age I would have no issues with him walking a few miles, as long as you increase the distance slowly and give him chances to stop, sniff, and take breaks. Every dog is a little different, and the most important thing is to watch Phoenix and make sure he doesn't seem to be getting too tired.

When can my puppy start agility training and long walks safely?

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