09/14/2024
Everyone should see this. This x-ray is of a 2-week-old puppy. When you get your 8- to 10-week-old puppies, remember this image. Their bones donât even touch yet. They walk around so cutely with their big, floppy paws and wobbly movements because their joints are mostly made of muscle, tendons, and ligaments, covered by skin. Nothing fits tightly together or forms a true socket yet.
If you let them run too much or donât limit their exercise during this time, youâre not giving them a chance to grow properly. Every big jump or excited, bouncy run makes their bones hit each other. In small amounts, this isnât a big dealâitâs normal wear and tear for any animal. But when you let your puppy jump up and down from the couch or bed, or take them on long walks or hikes, youâre harming those developing joints. Letting them scramble on tile with no grip also damages the joints.
You only get one chance to help them grow. A strong, healthy body comes from both good breeding and a proper upbringingânot just one or the other. Once theyâre fully grownâaround 12 to 18 months, depending on the breedâyouâll have plenty of time for more intense play and exercise. But for now, keep things calm while theyâre still little, and give them the gift of a healthy body that can only be given once.