All about German Shepherd Dogs
by Dennis Fisher.

Note:  This article is one of many dealing with every aspect of the German Shepherd Dog - breeding, training, bloodlines, famous German show winners, and a great deal more, that appear on the author, Dennis Fisher's website. Visit  http://www.allaboutgermanshepherddogs.com or http://www.freedogadvice.com to see these articles.

Question about too much exercise.

Question:  My six month old pup is very lively and loves exercise.  When we take him to the beach he loves to chase a ball or a Frisbee.  He also likes to follow me on my bicycle and doesn't seem ever to get tired.  But I am worried that perhaps I am doing him harm by exercising him too much.  Can too much exercise be harmful?

Answer:  Large breed dogs grow very rapidly and you must be careful not to tire a rapidly growing  young dog with too much exercise.  Following you on the bicycle is not a good idea at this stage of his development,  Apart from the fact that it is a definite safety hazard there could be damage to the dog's feet pads by running on the hard surface of the roads.   There is also the danger that he may be become too lean and stringy.

If you are perhaps thinking of showing your dog one day, don't be in too much of a hurry for him to get fit, firm and tight.  This is something that only maturity can bring.  Exercise   him by all means, but in moderation.  Do not overdo the exercise. He needs time to develop.

Later when he is mature you can certainly exercise him by making use of  the  bicycle but it will not be a case of him following you, it will be done by  training the dog  on leash to run next to you while you are in the saddle.   When he is mature there will  also be less danger of damage to his feet.