Hi. Can anyone help me. I have a 5 month old retriever and get conflicting answers to appropriate distances or length of times to walk my pup - from 2 miles to 5 minutes per month of his life. What is normal?

Hi there! I've got two 5 1/2 month old rotties and as advised by my vet and research I've done, it's best not to walk too far for too long. As their little bodies are still growing and developing, you don't want to put too much stress on their muscles and joints. Two short walks at different times of the day are much better (and more enjoyable for the puppy) than one very long walk. I usually keep them limited to around 5 or 6 blocks. I'm not too familiar with retrievers and their energy level so he may need a few more/less depending. Also you can't go wrong with just reading how he is feeling. If he seems like he's starting to poop out, head home. It's always better to travel a short route a few times than go very far from home and end up with a long walk home when your pup is already beat. I'm in Texas and the heat gets EXTREME and sometime my pups are miserable just going out to pee. We walk in the morning and evening when the heat is much more tolerable. Never walk your pup when there is danger of him getting heat stroke/exaustion. Hope this helped and you can always consult with your vet if you're still unsure. Labman has excellent advise as well, I'm sure he'll reply to your question:)

I have considerable experience raising young Labs for a dog guide school. These are dogs that are a useless waste if not able to work a long, active life. Damage from over exercise would be a disaster. They really give us very little in limitations on walking the dog other than not pushing it beyond what it wants to do. They do say to limit its running and discourage jumping. So walk your dogs as much as you have time for as long as it is eager to go. At 5 months, it is well past where you can pick it up and carry it if it gets too tired as I have frequently done when they are smaller.

What they are very particular about is switching it to adult chow at 4 months and keeping it lean. This slows growth and puts less stress on developing joints.

In the heat please be considerate of their little pads on their feet. I have seen puppies walking on the hot pavement, and their owners oblivious to their discomfort.

bushg has a good point. When I take my dog for a walk, I wear aqua shoes (you can pick them up cheap at stores like Target, etc.) They are essentially mesh shoes with thin soles meant to be worn while at the beach, boogieboarding, etc. I like them because they are the nearest thing to being barefoot that I have found, and it gives me a good feel for how the surface feels to my dog. If I find it hot, prickly, etc. I can adjust the pace or where we walk to suit.