puppy exercise

Question
QUESTION: What is the appropriate distance for Labrador puppies to walk.  I have a 13 week old lab and am concerned that he is not getting enough exercise.

ANSWER: Pups at that age are fine with the running around in the house and the yard that they do on their own or when you play with them.  At 13 weeks, pups have not had all their shots, so I would be hesitant to walk them in the neighborhood where they could pick up illnesses.  Once they have had ALL their shots (usually around 16 weeks), 1/2 mile to a mile of walking should be fine.

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QUESTION: I heard once that if you walk them more then about 1/4 mile before they are 8 months old it can be hard on their joints.  How concerned should I be about joint or bone damage while they are growing so fast?

Answer
In my opinion, it's not the distance but what the exercise is like.  We did leisurely walks, allowed the dogs to sniff and play.  This was not a person's POWER WALK for human exercise that the pup was forced to follow on.  There is a difference.  I think jumping in and out of a car, or down from stairs, or running and slipping on tiled floors is harder on joints than a leisurely walk.  But this walk is for training on a leash more so than exercise.  I still feel that a pup can get sufficient exercise by playing at home at this age.