When is it safe to start running with my puppy to avoid joint issues?

This is impossible to predict as the bones and cartilage are very soft at 11 weeks and repetitive impact could cause pressure and wear but a once off would be unlikely to have any on going effects if it did not create lameness within the first 3-5days. I would recommend he is fed a high quality puppy food up until at least 12-15months to optimise bone and joint development and promote healthy cartilage

At this age your puppy can walk a couple miles but not run, you will be able to introduce him to distance running at the age of 6 months, you should do it very gradually though (every week increase up to half a mile.

Let him rest, make sure he has plenty of fluids, and feed him normally. If he gets worse, not eating or drinking, then please bring him in for treatment right away. He could be dehydrated, just exhausted, or have some muscle or bone pain from the run. Puppies shouldn’t run with their owners until their bones are fully grown, usually about 18 months old, depending on the breed. They can run around plenty on their own, just not a run at a steady pace for miles until they are grown up. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for puppy.

The concern with running is the amount of pounding her joints will take and potential damage to them as she grows. The general rule we use is not to allow any running on concrete until the dog is fully grown and all growth plates are closed (which will likely be around 1 year of age in an Australian Shepherd mix). Before that time, she can run on soft surfaces (like grass or dirt), but not any hard surfaces. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

What a cutie! I would follow his lead in the amount of exercise he needs. You are correct in that going running or prolonged jogging in a young dog is not a good idea, as their growth plates are still developing, so we recommend waiting until they are over a year old. Walks, however, and playtime outside with you are fantastic. If he is seeming like he is overly tired or not enthusiastic to continue walking, this would be a cue to slow down/stop. As he gets continued exercise his endurance will increase, just like a person starting to exercise.

The rule of thumb for vigorous exercise in puppies is five minutes per month of age. At four months of age, Diesel should not run more than 20 minutes up to twice a day. If you do run him, then I would cut down on the play time. This is because too much play and exercise can be detrimental to his growth. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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.