by Girish
(Kalyan)
Hi sue.
happy new year
my query is about exercise to rottweiler pup this time.
8 months – big bones. but I feel muscle mass not enough specially thigh bones.
with more heavy bone, more muscle mass required to support the structure. specially considering my pup is being bought up in Flat and that have restrictions on him to play around at his will running around ground chasing flies etc and no facility for swimming too or beach sand to walk through.
current schedule- Daily
walking 3 km in morning
climbing up and down – 18 floors through stairs up and down.
twice (once in morning and once in evening)
is that enough or excess for a 8 month pup ?
he is willing to walk more and even after all this, keeps jumping around and keep pulling childrens dress to play with him. energy and stamina is there.
is one day work and another day complete rest will help him build better muscles ?
Hi Girish
Happy New Year to you and your family too :o)
At 8 months old Rocky is still a pup, and he will grow in ‘fits and starts’. I totally understand your point about pups with large, heavy bone requiring stronger muscles and ligaments to support that heavier skeleton, however the height/weight/muscle-mass increases don’t generally increase proportionally.
Walking up and down slopes such as hills, or walking on sand does help build muscle better than simply walking on flat ground, but the exercise regimen you describe is enough for a pup of this age in my personal opinion.
It’s difficult to find the balance between getting enough exercise, and overdoing it, and it’s better too little than too much – you don’t want to damage those joints. Be careful with him going up and down the stairs as the back legs (knee joint) on Rottweilers can be injured easily if there’s a slip or fall. Still, I’m sure that your pup is used to this activity by now so he should be pretty safe.
The most important thing in terms of giving him the ability to develop good muscle mass is the diet, so continue to pay close attention to his nutrition, it’s equally as important as how much exercise he gets.
Rocky is still a puppy and is now an adolescent pup, so he will be rambunctious and ‘full of himself’ for a while! I know that you have plenty of experience and knowledge of this breed, so follow your instincts as much as possible and just always err on the side of caution if you’re concerned.
Best of luck, looking forward to seeing more photos of your beautiful pup as he grows up!