22/06/2021
Very interesting!! Those with puppies take note.
๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ก ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ are found in young dog's bones. They are a place where bone cells grow, mature and calcify. Their main job is growing the length and width of the bone. Closed growth plate (solidifies into bone) means that the bone is done growing. It is the weakest part of the growing bone and can be damaged (fractures, stress injuries), resulting in possible growth deformities.
๐๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ง ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ก ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ, so doing too much of the same thing is not good with them. It's better to strive for less repetitions/time and more diversity in exercise or training. This does not refer to not exercise pups at all, they need and benefit from various activities and exercises, but there are certainly some things we as dog owners can put some limits to in order to avoid putting excessive stress on their growing structures.
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โ Long walks or hikes, where your pup is not able to take some rest or go at his own pace
โ Repetitive starts and stops like running after and stopping for a ball
โ Jumping off objects (such as from the sofa, or down the higher objects in the environment), repetitive running up and down the steep hills
โ Repetitive tight turns around the objects, sudden stops (landing after jumps, or to pick up a toy), fast changes of direction
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Instead of doing a 5km walk do two half an hour walks where your goal is not the distance but rather the different experiences your puppy can get exploring different terrains, sniffing, playing, etc.
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Find flat or slightly varied terrain to prevent running up/ down the hill, jumping off things
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Playing gentle tug, food games; nose work games such as searching for a toy or a treat in the grass
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Working on puppy manners and useful behaviours you will need when the puppy grows up (recall, leash walking, settling...)
๐๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ: healthy puppies aren't made of glass, and shouldn't be kept on exercise restriction, but we should use a common sense when it comes to encouraged activities - for example instead of exploiting their natural instincts of chasing, by having them chase a toy until they drop down dead tired, spend rather some quality time with your pups with a variety of different lower-impact activities where you let your pup dictate his pace. This will help your dog grow in a confident, capable and fit young adult. ;)
