Is it bad to always carry my puppy? Will it hurt his bone development?

Winton is adorable! I have heard this recommendation about the stairs as well. That being said, I have not seen significant research backing up the recommendation. I think it is reasonable to limit stair use as it is practical for you. I feel it is more important to limit hard running while the bones and joints are developing. If your dog is going to be your running partner, it is best to wait to until 15-18 months before allowing running on concrete sidewalks. Keeping your puppy lean as he grows is very important in protecting the joints as well. It sounds like you and Winston are off to a great start!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to PetCoach. Congratulations on the puppy! It can be overwhelming to start caring for a new pup. Rather than depend on weight, we will determine if a dog is at a healthy body condition score (BCS) by using a chart that gives a dog a BCS anywhere from 1 to 9, with 4-5 being ideal. This website helps explain this system: https://www.thedrakecenter.com/services/pets/blog/fit-or-fat-your-pets-body-condition-score-bcs I recommend feeding Leo whatever the recommended amount is on the puppy food bag. Leo should be eating a kibble dog food that is formulated for puppies or "growth". As much exercise as he wants to get is perfect! Puppies are very high energy, so this is nothing to worry about. He will eventually settle down, so enjoy the energy for now! I hope this is helpful!

I would not recommend these for any long periods of time (15mins max) as the posture in the carrier is very different to a normal, standing dog and I would be concerned both about the spine and pressure on internal organs. Dogs should be encouraged to walk and stretch normally in order to maintain bone, muscle and ligament strength and core fitness in order to reduce the risk of injuries

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Bone is SUPER cute!! I do not recommend calcium supplementation. Once Bone is 5-6 weeks old start feeding him a commercial puppy food, like Purina puppy chow. If you are bottle feeding him with a puppy formula you can start mixing that with puppy food now. All commercial puppy foods are nutritionally balance. Over supplementing calcium can cause harm. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! That will not necessarily stunt his growth. As long as you continue him on a good balanced diet and you continue the good job you are doing, he is likely going to be ok and be back to his normal expected growth. He looks at an appropriate condition for a 2 month old puppy. Good luck and have a great day! He is super handsome!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If your puppy is on a leash and sitting on your lap I think it is fine, if it is legal, to take Taffy on the bus. In the US we have to follow the laws and most dogs would have to be in a pet carrier to ride on public transportation. Bring water with you and food if the trip is a long one. But I think Taffy will be fine. I wish you the best!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In general, I'm not concerned about an otherwise healthy puppy doing stairs and small jumps. If the couch is particularly high, try to discourage this but otherwise I'm not terribly worried. That being said, I do occasionally see puppies who land too hard from a jump and are now limping with an apparent strain or sprain. Usually, a few days of rest and pain medication is all that is needed but it can still be scary. Of course, if there is an underlying problem, Coco would need to be more careful. Hope this sets your mind at ease. Best of luck to you and Coco!