Exercising prior to full vaccination

Hi there,

We have 2 Yorkshire terrier puppies 10 & 12 weeks. One has just received his final vaccination yesterday and the other has about 3 weeks before full vaccination.

We live in an apartment building on the 11th floor in a tropical city, the vet has warned us strictly no outside playing/walking prior to full vaccination + 15 days. The puppies have their own area 6'x15' in the apartment and romp around and run back and forth and play all day. They do get a lot of playtime but I`d like to know if you know a way to really tire/wear them out without a treadmill? Thanks.

Endless Energy,
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil






Hi
Your veterinarian is absolutely correct when he/she advises that these puppies should be kept away from other dogs or public areas until they've had all their puppy shots. The risks of them contracting one of the serious, contagious dog illnesses is fairly high until they are fully protected.

It is definitely difficult to wear puppies out in a small area, but your puppies are a small breed therefore need less space to romp. Plus they have each other to play with so can be more active than a single puppy would be. These are both positives.

Puppies are naturally full of energy and spunk, and terriers are noted for their vibrant personalities and boundless capacity for activity. In addition to letting them play and romp around you may want to also work on some basic obedience training with them, and some more organized play sessions (such as 'Fetch', hide-and-seek and so on).

If you challenge them mentally as well as physically they will be more relaxed... and more tired. I'd recommend taking a look at my How To Train A Puppy page as it has lots of tips and advice to help you.

Chewing is also a great stress-reliever for puppies and dogs of all ages, so make sure you have plenty of sturdy chew toys for your little guys to play with at all times. If you rotate the selection every couple of days it will keep them more entertained and increase the play value of the toys.

I know it's difficult to be patient when you habe two active puppies of this age cooped up indoors when they really need some walking and more space to play. But the benefits of keeping them safe far outweigh the frustration of having them bounce off the walls, so be patient just a few weeks longer :)

Best of luck with your puppies.