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What age to start walking?
- Thread starter Mandy
- Start date
Ginger's Mom
Well-known member
I started walking Ginger as soon as I brought her home at 10 weeks. She hesitated at first but after about a week she got used to walking on leash and was loving it! So I say it is okay to start walking Charlie as he is already 12 weeks old. Just be careful where you take him as he hasn't had all his shots (and watch where he is sniffing too). You should be able to search this forum for tips on how to properly teach your dog to walk on leash (as well as any puppy training books you may have).
Good luck and congratulations on becoming a Cavalier owner!
Good luck and congratulations on becoming a Cavalier owner!
Most vets will advise not to walk your dog at all until 10 days to two weeks AFTER s/he has fully completed shots. Until this point the dog *can come down with parvo or distemper* and both are usually fatal to puppies -- the dog may well have absolutely no immunity to these dreadful diseases until the full series is done and about two weeks is needed to develop sufficient antibodies. Parvo is not something anyone would ever want to see in a puppy, it is a terrible, painful condition and in my experience nearly always fatal. Breeders dread it.
So the recommendation is to stick to your own garden and do some practice walking there or in the house. Aftre that point, leave walks to short 10 minute to 15 minute walks until your dog is over 6 months and no really long walks til after a year. Their joints are still forming at this time and haeavy walking can cause problems.
A flexi lead is not a good choice for street walking for a number of reasons (but are great for open areas like parks or beaches, well away from traffic and where you need less control). The reason why is it is unbelievably easy for the handle to pop out of your hand if the dog suddenly pulls (including puppies!). They also are hard to lock if the dog starts running and you may not be able to lock in time to prevent a mishap or accident. Also they sometimes do not fully lock and can pop open with tragic consequences if a dog shoots off into traffic for example. Flexis also give very poor control over a dog and the thin cord can be risky in some situations (one reason you should never leave a dog tied to something by a flexi).
Trainers recommend walking on a lightweight sturdy lead (for puppies a 4-5 foot lead is plenty long) with a comfortable handle. I like padded handles as it does make a difference even with a puppy!
So the recommendation is to stick to your own garden and do some practice walking there or in the house. Aftre that point, leave walks to short 10 minute to 15 minute walks until your dog is over 6 months and no really long walks til after a year. Their joints are still forming at this time and haeavy walking can cause problems.
A flexi lead is not a good choice for street walking for a number of reasons (but are great for open areas like parks or beaches, well away from traffic and where you need less control). The reason why is it is unbelievably easy for the handle to pop out of your hand if the dog suddenly pulls (including puppies!). They also are hard to lock if the dog starts running and you may not be able to lock in time to prevent a mishap or accident. Also they sometimes do not fully lock and can pop open with tragic consequences if a dog shoots off into traffic for example. Flexis also give very poor control over a dog and the thin cord can be risky in some situations (one reason you should never leave a dog tied to something by a flexi).
Trainers recommend walking on a lightweight sturdy lead (for puppies a 4-5 foot lead is plenty long) with a comfortable handle. I like padded handles as it does make a difference even with a puppy!
Mandy
Member
Oh my gosh! I didn't even think about the fact that he's not finished with his shots yet! Thank you for all the information! My Lhasa does very well with a leash attatched to a harness vs a collar (less stress on this throat and neck). Has any one found that Cavy's do well on a harness? I'd like to be able to walk both Winston and Charlie someday and have control of them. 
Mandy
Mandy