Walking a 5 month old puppy over a mile?

[Lbull]

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Hi I have a 5 month old springerdoodle.

I’m sure I’m overthinking but I wanted some other opinions, I’ve seen a lot of different info about walking pups (5 minute rule etc.)

There is a woodland trail (mostly grass or gravel) near my house, I’ve timed one of the tracks and it’s just over a mile and it takes about 20-25 mins.

He’s off his lead for the whole time, he always stays infront of me, there’s plenty of stuff for him to stop and sniff and his tail is always up and wagging.

I take him twice a day and while he never seems to tire out on the walk usually within 10 minutes of getting home he wants to nap.

Am I alright doing this? There are a few other tracks that are slightly longer (one is 2 miles the other 3), when could I possibly start doing these? And how would I know when he’s ready?

 

[Hemlock]

This sounds fine to me. A nice steady walk rich in smells. I'd hold off the longer tracks for now.

A rough guide of when he's ready is when the wrist and hock joints no longer look big in relation to the leg bones. Better to err on the side of walks a little too short than a little too long. Like children, dogs don't realise when they have done a bit too much, so his being keen to do more doesn't mean he should.

 

[lurcherman]

You’ve just got to be sensible and not overdue it, a lot of people do to much to early, for best results I always take it easy for 7 to 8 months, it’s a personal thing and I don’t listen to fact in books I just take the first year carefully, I had running dogs doing 30 mph catching game so i wanted good results, if you let a puppy run it will run, the bones growing correctly is what I want, like I say it’s a personal thing.

 

[JudyN]

I might encourage a bit of a sit-down-and-enjoy-the-view halfway round just to be on the cautious side - and it's not a bad skill to encourage anyway.

 

[CoCo2014]

You have to bear in mind that the growth plates don't close until after puberty which in dogs usually occurs after the dog is 12 months old, the bigger the dog the later this happens.