All dogs need exercise, but how much exercise does a dog need every day?
Your amazing animal loves daily exercise as it makes them feel happy, improves their health, and helps them to live longer.
Taking your dog for a walk doesn’t cost anything, so when thinking about how much exercise does a dog needs every day, you can rest assured that the answer doesn’t involve spending a whole lot of money.
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The benefits of exercise for dogs
Regular exercise is key to fighting obesity, which according to recent research can shorten your dog’s life by up to two and a half years.
As well as improving your dog’s physical fitness; exercise also provides your pet with much needed mental stimulation.
A bored pup can be a destructive one. Exercise helps negate behaviors like chewing, digging, and excessive barking.
It’s also a fabulous way to have fun with your dog and strengthen the bond between you. But how much exercise does a dog need every day?
Recommended reading: Brain-Boosting Exercises To Stimulate Your Dog’s Mental Performance
How much exercise does a dog need every day?
Every dog is an individual with their own needs to consider. Exercise needs for dogs differ dependent on their breed, personality, age, and health status.
Exercise needs by breed
- Low activity dogs include toy dogs such as the Chihuahua and giant breeds like Newfoundlands. Less than an hour of exercise a day which includes indoor fun should suffice to meet their physical needs.
- Medium activity dogs like utility dogs who were bred for a purpose other than sporting or hunting such as the Boston Terrier need 1-2 hours a day. You can split this into 2 walks a day and indoor fun.
- Working dogs and gun dogs need the most exercise. At least 30 minutes of strenuous activity in addition to their 2-3 hours of daily exercise each day.
- Shorter nosed dogs can find it difficult to breathe if they work too hard, so listen out for laboured breathing and slow down for your pooch if you see this happening.
Exercise needs by age
Puppies get tired fast, and they need lots of sleep so that they can grow. Puppies best suit short bursts of activity. It is possible to over-exercise a puppy, so the build-up to longer walks as they age.
As your dog grows older you might notice that they slow down slightly.
It’s still important to exercise senior dogs to keep them healthy but go for slower, shorter walks each day.
Exercise to help your dog lose weight
Weight gain is common in certain breeds and senior dogs. If your dog is overweight, it’s not usually necessary to change to diet food.
Start by reviewing portion sizes and how often you are giving them treats, as well as looking into their exercise routine to make sure they are getting out enough.
Introduce an additional play session like ten minutes of fetch. A combination of controlled portions using a measuring scoop and regular daily exercise should be enough to help your dog lose weight.