Consider following our newly created Facebook page, where the articles will be published too! Click here! Ensuring even growth is vital for the dog to grow into a healthy body that will support him for the rest of his life. Although most dogs already look like mature adults at 8-10 months of age their bodies are still developing, their bones are still growing, and some parts are still soft cartilage that can easily be damaged. Parts such as the spine, tibia, iliac crest, and hip bone can develop up to 15 or 17 months of age.
An overworked, poorly kept and fed dog will have joint problems. His ligaments can stretch, the cartilage does not develop or wears out and arthritis develops, as well as small tears appear.
What can we do about it?
Adequate and healthy nutrition: The puppy needs steady and slow growth, one of the cornerstones of this is that the puppy is not obese and does not receive too many reward snacks (if he gets he needs less food for that day). On the other hand, obesity puts extra weight on the developing skeleton. As a puppy, it is worth sticking to only one type of food and not mixing them. If we want BARF, we only feed the dog with it, if we want to use dry dog food, then only with dry food. Always make sure they get the right amount.
Joint protective preparations: Giving a calcium-containing "bone strengthener" to a well-fed dog is forbidden. This is the worst thing an owner can do. Excessive calcium consumption removes phosphorus from the bones, so a deficiency develops, and the opposite is also true, excessive phosphorus consumption (plenty of meat-based food as a reward snack in addition to a balanced meal) removes calcium from the bones. Only joint protectors containing Glucosamine and Chondroitin are recommended, which I love, such as Aptus Apto-Flex syrup.
Walking and Movement: Concrete, asphalt, paving stones and other hard grounds are the place for a slow, balanced walk, while grass, rubber pavement, and soft sand are the place for running and playing. Just like humans, dogs' joints deteriorate when they jump, play, and move on hard ground.
They don't jump on the couch, they don't run up the stairs: It is mandatory to teach the puppy that only the owner puts him on the couch/car/bed and other high places, and he also takes him down from there. The sudden arrival causes permanent damage and wear and tear, especially on the elbows and shoulders. This is recommended for at least 8 months of age. The stairs are not the place for running and playing! It is recommended to carry the puppy by hand until the age of 5 months, and then to teach him to walk carefully and slowly and only when necessary. They can not rush up or down the stairs.
Avoid slippery floors: Tiles, wooden floors, linoleum, and other slippery floors, where the dog's feet are unstable when walking, or if he sits down and slips, destroys the developing dog's joints. The slippery floor puts extra force on the ligament, which can stretch it. As a result of the stretched ligament, the joint does not grow where it should, so hip sprain (hip dysplasia) can also develop.
Excessive walking: The 5-minute rule must be followed. The age of the dog determines the length of the walk, every month is plus 5 minutes. So a 3-month-old dog can walk for 15 minutes at a time, but no more. This must be followed until one year of age. So at the age of three months, you can go for a walk even 5 times a day, but the length of one walk should not be more than 15 minutes.
Brain-tiring games: The dog can be physically tired, but mentally gets tired more quickly and more effectively. If the dog uses its nose, it will work his brain and tire it. That's why it's worth planning activities where they have to work and where they can learn. It can be command training with a reward snack, scent tracking, truffle hunting course, wild animal scent tracking course, man trailing, or anything else you like. Bone closure:
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