Are stairs good exercise for German Shepherds? Is it safe for hips?

The biggest concern we have with puppies is repetitive pounding on concrete, so I don't recommend any running on concrete until their growth plates are closed (around 12-18 monhts). Walks are fine on any surface, so you can walk Pharah for as long as she is able to walk as she is growing without any concerns. And running on soft grassy areas is fine. I have not seen any studies on stairs with growing puppies, but it certainly can't hurt to train her to go down the stairs slowly to minimize the repetitive pounding on her joints as she goes down the stairs. I wouldn't worry about going up the stairs, or jumping off the couch or out of the car. We don't know if any of these things affect hips, but we do know that keeping a dog lean is very protective of hip problems, so keep Pharah thin. Congrats on your new baby! I hope that helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes, it is fine for Laila to use the stairs throughout her pregnancy. In fact, it's good for her to have some moderate exercise to keep her in shape throughout her pregnancy, but not intensive exercise.

If you can find a safe, enclosed area where he can run free, that would be ideal. Walks are wonderful, of course, but you cannot go fast enough to work him into a good, sustained trot or even suspension gait, which is typical of German Shepherd Dogs. There are bicycle attachments whereby you can ride a bike with him running alongside, without the danger of his crossing in front of or behind you, or getting away. Before you embark on any serious exercise regimen with him, as the vet to look at his hips to be sure they can tolerate it. The vet cannot certify him free of hip dysplasia, but can spot a poor hip joint.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. If her mobility is back to normal, then it is fine for her to go up and down stairs. If this exercise seems to cause her any discomfort, then I would avoid it. However, it should not cause her any problems. I hope this information helps!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Hip dysplasia is a genetic disease. Some dogs are born with that problem and they are prone to show discomfort or difficulties to walk even from young age. Walking up and down the stairs does not cause dysplasia, but dogs with dysplastic hips should avoid stairs.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You can start doing this at anytime. It is all about not over doing it so perhaps keeps this limited to once daily. Also, I would consider relying more on walks (perhaps longer walks) than using the stairs at least until his bones are more developed (at least after 1 year of age). Good luck and have a nice day!

If she is whimpering when trying to do an activity that should be easy for her, she is in pain. Even though you have examined her, you may not have palpated all of the areas that could be causing her pain or discomfort in the same way that a trained vet would do. I would recommend that you have Wendy checked out by a vet to see what is going on. It could be a sprain but it could also be a fracture or an issue elsewhere in her body.