As you probably know, young dogs have cartilaginous areas where bone elongation occurs known as "growth plates", which are major weak points on the bone until they calcify or "close" at maturity (12-18 months of age, or later in dogs that have been spayed or neutered). Too much or too intense exercise can damage growth plates causing many joint problems and bone fractures in young dogs. Because of this, most veterinarians recommend limited exercise in until maturity. On the flip side, if you restrict exercise completely, your dog could develop behavioral & other physiological problems. So how do you know how much to exercise your pup?
Labs (and pretty much all canines) are people-pleasing animals. They know their limits, but will push past them if they think their human wants them to. Because of this, it's best to refrain from throwing a ball more than a few times, playing an endless game of tug-of-war, or walking more than a few blocks with your puppy. A leisurely swim, sniff around the yard, play session with a similarly-sized dog, or short walk will do the trick for most puppies. Usually when you see him start to slow down, sit down, and chew on things, that means he's had enough. Never encourage a puppy to perform strenuous exercise or high-impact activities. As un-fun as it sounds now, you will thank yourself later when you have a sound adult dog. Once your dog is mature, let the retrieving, hunting, agility, dock diving, and shenanigans commence. As always, consult your veterinarian if in doubt! -Claudia Love these fun loving puppies! They’re so entertaining to watch! Here’s their 5 week video! ❤️ The weaning process has started and they are loving their puppy food!! All very active and mobile now, starting to play with each other, and react to humans! Love them!
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Stay up-to-date with your puppy's growth and development! When we have a litter, we use the blog to post weekly photo updates, as well as occasional videos!
If you own a Revelation puppy, feel free to send updates! We love to share the great things our past puppies are up to, also! Litters
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