• Is it ok to have my dog run up and down stairs with me? He weights 25 pounds and is 6 years old. He is also in good health. How often should he run them with me?

  I’m not sure if you are talking about stairs in your home or stairs in an athletic stadium. I don’t see anything wrong with running stairs, but he should be allowed to do it (or not) at his own pace and in his own way.
  
  If you are doing multiple repetitions, I would be a little concerned about expecting him to complete the entire exercise with you. You also want to make sure that the stairs are safe and that he can’t fall (if they are open in the back) or somehow get one of his legs caught up and injured. I have seen dogs break front legs at the elbow by getting their foot caught.
  
  King Charles as a breed do have a little higher incidence of heart problems than other breeds so if you haven’t had him checked by your veterinarian in the last 6-12 month I would recommend you do so, especially prior to what could be quite strenuous exercise. Moderation and paying attention to how the dog is doing/feeling are the key.

Answered by:

John Smith, DVM
Veterinarian

Dr. John Smith is a graduate of LSU, Class of 1998. He has over 10 years of experience...

Tags

Behavior