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Saffirre8
07-29-2010, 08:46
i just got my 1st hiking dog, he is a 5 month old lab and he is pretty giant compared to other pups his age, he is about 55 lbs already.
The issue i am having with him is that when we hike more then 2 days, by the time we get home, the poor guy is so tired and sometimes walks funny, like he is a old man. I dont know if his paws are hurting him from all the rocks, or his muscles are sore?
Guess i was wondering should he were doggy socks for his paws or it is just his muscles are sore???

mattack
07-29-2010, 09:56
I would bet it's a combination of both. Check his paw pads carefully! Both of my pups easily blister and I have to keep the dog shoes on them regardless of walking 1 mile or 15 miles. Although we hike regularly, they don't get a lot of exposure to concrete or cement (just the backyard grass and trails) so I suppose it lends to softer paw pads. If you have the ability to get some mileage on concrete or sidewalks, walk him there often to toughen up his paws as well.

Baby buffered (81mg) aspirin is good for pain. My two dogs are about your dog's size (between 50 and 60lbs) and they get 3 pills for pain after a long hike, but I would check dosage with your vet just to be sure since he is still a puppy. They might even recommend scaling back the strenuous activities until he is a bit older... I've read it's not a great idea to do push them before they are about a year old as their bones and muscular system develop and grow.

Just my $0.02 though, I claim no expertise, just personal experience...always check with your vet if you are unsure of his wellbeing!!

Phreak
07-29-2010, 11:15
How many miles are you hiking per day? Dogs under the age of 12 months should not be on any structured/strenuous exercise as it can adversely affect their joint development. The exception is any of the 'bully breeds' which can begin structured exercise at 6 months of age.

Saffirre8
07-29-2010, 12:09
Well i can do about 15 a day, but i know he cant so i only do what he can do which is about 10 miles. He is wonderful on the trail, keeps up pace. Stays right by my side, but when we are done he is tired and done. After 2 days on the trail he is great but when we get home, he is done for at least a day. i dont hike more then 2 days with him.

Phreak
07-29-2010, 13:03
10 miles a day is way too high of mileage for a 5 month old puppy. Seriously, postpone the hiking until he has fully developed. Its not worth the risk for him to damage his muscles and/or joints.

The vets I've worked with over the years have recommended 5 minutes of structured exercise for each month of age (i.e. 25 minutes per day for your puppy).

I have a buddy who ignored my advice and refused to wait to take his 7 month old puppy on the trail and unfortunately she sustained extensive injuries to her hind legs. She's now about a year and a half old and unable to do any hiking, running, etc. It's sad to watch her struggle to do simple things like playing with other dogs or even a short walk around the neighborhood.

Saffirre8
07-29-2010, 13:53
its not like i do 10 miles a day daily, once when i backpack which is about once a month or so. I try to walk him everyday for an 1/2 hr or hr.
thanks for the advise, i will def check with my vet and see what he says.

hellomolly
07-29-2010, 14:26
its not like i do 10 miles a day daily, once when i backpack which is about once a month or so. I try to walk him everyday for an 1/2 hr or hr.
thanks for the advise, i will def check with my vet and see what he says.


Yeah, that's a problem too. So you take him for a walk on flat ground for 30 or 60 minutes once a day... then suddenly and randomly expect him to keep up with you over mountainous, difficult terrain for 10 miles, or basically the entire day? Seriously, think about it for more than two seconds.

He won't act like he's tired while hiking because dogs are stoic. They don't tell you they hurt, and they can't show it really well either. The owner has to have common sense.

He's far too young to be doing that sort of strenuous exercise. I'd say no more than 3 or 4 miles at a time. He is also growing very quickly, as you say - imagine the toll that takes on his joints and muscles. Then throw a long hike he is for SURE not conditioned for on top of that. It's not going to work and in fact may hurt his development. Please stop before you seriously hurt him.

You also should not medicate him with aspirin, because you should not be doing activity strenuous enough to cause him to need it.

Dirty Nails
08-02-2010, 00:37
I think if he is that tired/sore, and needs time to recover you are definitely working him too hard. Pay attention to the signals he is displaying. You won't hurt him by doing less!

Remember his body is still developing, particularly his joints.
Labs are notorious for having hip and joint problems. Also, dogs that grow too fast and/or are over-weight are even more prone to joint and bone trouble.

I think if he's hurting, the problem is not a lack of booties. I would definitely consult a vet and go easy until at least 18 months.
Good luck!

cole
08-02-2010, 01:02
I would agree about cutting back his milage. Dogs can often be over zealous about the whole outdoors thing as they dont tend to be in that kind of environment for that long when they do go outside.
My dog was much the same way after a few small backpacking trips when I first got him(5 months) and we were only doing about 5-6 miles a day. They are much like any other creature in that they need time to acclimate to those types of conditions and as a puppy the owner must be extra careful.
Hope this helps.

Country Roads
08-05-2010, 18:44
Be careful about mileage. Your dog will do whatever miles you do, just to be with you, even if it is too much for him. I know my dog will follow me to ends of the Earth even if she has to do it with 2 broken legs just because she wants to be with me. Watch your pup; Pups will give subtle signs when they are nearing their limits: lagging behind some, just plain looking at you as if to say "are we there yet" and total crash and burn after a hike.

My vet recommends no more than 5 miles for pups under 1 year (a few breeds are the exception); after that, just conditioning to build up endurance. Most adult dogs in "Truhiker" condition, carrying about 10 to 15% of body weight can pretty much hike steady all day. Watch foot pads and for joint/muscle soreness.

Bama Jack & Sadie
08-05-2010, 19:13
Sadie says "Too young, and too many miles so soon". Wait for his 1st birthday for longer/multi day hikes and build up to it. Find a local trail where you can work up to higher miles too as that is always a good way to review stamina and paw conditions while still being close to home. You have found the best hiking partner in the world. Congrats and it is great that you are sharing the hike experience with your dog. Now you have to post a dog pic!

shelterbuilder
08-05-2010, 21:08
Yeah, I agree that this sounds like way too much for a dog this young. There's too much of a chance for unseen damage to occur - damage that can LITERALLY hobble the dog in his middle and later years.

My sled dogs don't begin serious training for mushing until they are over a year old - and then the training is largely light loads for short distances, just to get them used to the idea of pulling weight. The same type of concept can apply to hiking your dog - light (or no) loads for short distances, just to get them used to the idea of hiking. Larger breeds are still growing (structurally) up to 18 months of age, and damage to the growth plates of the dog's bones can seriously limit his ability to hike with you.
BTW, the "standard" dosage for buffered aspirin for a dog is 5 mg. per pound of body weight - a 60 pound dog should be able to tolerate 300mg. per day. But remember that, while aspirin will reduce pain and inflamation, it can also mask the underlying cause of that pain. AND NEVER GIVE A DOG IBUPROFEN - THEIR KIDNEYS CAN'T EXCRETE IT AND IT QUICKLY BUILDS TO TOXIC LEVELS.

solstice
08-05-2010, 23:32
Your puppy - a larger breed - is 5 months old and growing at a very steady rate. Please, PLEASE let his bones finish this stage of growth before bringing him on those hikes! You might be hiking 10 miles, but I can confidently say that your puppy is walking 12-15 miles to your 10, and that is a conservative number.

I understand you might be new to hiking with a dog and you're excited about your new bond. But for the dog's sake, leave him home until he's at least a year-and-a-half. Instead, enroll in some serious training classes and work on behaviors that you two can apply to the trail experience. #'s 1-3, in no particular order: STAY, COME, and LEAVE IT!