This article on appropriate exercise for dogs and puppies pertains to all dogs but is especially poignant for Bernese Mountain Dogs, given their large size and potential muscular-skeletal issues. This piece is written by Nash, a New Zealand physiotherapy and preventative care specialist. Visit her blog for more information.
I have recently been getting a few young dogs coming in for AMRT sessions for arthritic changes and joint pain. So, I decided to do a newsletter ‘series’ for dogs that will include exercises and care from the young dog through to the older dog. The purpose of the suggested exercises and care will be to support preventative care for joints while ensuring your dog stays fit, no matter their age.
“Exercise not only builds puppies' bodies, it helps build their minds” is the motto that has been ingrained in us, though exercise that’s not appropriate for a puppy’s age and development can cause significant and irreversible damage.
An exercise that resulted in a simple sprain for an adult dog could leave a puppy with a misshapen or shortened limb, so the subject of age-appropriate exercise is one that should be taken seriously.
The first concept to understand when it comes to puppy exercise is “growth plates.” Growth plates are soft areas that sit at the ends of the long bones in puppies and young dogs. They contain rapidly dividing cells that allow bones to become longer until the end of puberty.
Growth plates gradually thin as hormonal changes approaching puberty signal the growth plates to close. In puppies, this closure is normally completed by approximately 18 months old.
https://bmdccv.org/bits-and-bites#:~:text=Growth%20plates%20gradually%20thin%20as,soft%20and%20vulnerable%20to%20injury.
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