How much exercise does a Dog need?
How much exercise does a Dog need?
Exercise in dogs is a vital necessity. Like food, physical training should be a priority in caring for our pets. It allows them to maintain a healthy weight, avoid diseases such as obesity or stress and anxiety behaviors.
Aspects to consider
Age. Younger dogs need more exercise than older dogs. However, puppies, although they have more energy, also tire easily. Therefore, below, we will tell you some estimates about the recommended exercise time, depending on the age of your pet.
Puppies: Several short exercise sessions throughout the day (5-10 minute sessions).
Adults: Generally, a 30-90 minute exercise session is most acceptable. However, it will always depend on the breed of your pet, as this greatly influences it.
Senior: It also depends on the breed, but usually 30-60 minutes of exercise, divided into two or three sessions throughout the day, is recommended.
In the case of senior dogs, exercise can be walks or swimming, if they suffer from joint problems.
Race. Some breeds are more vulnerable to gaining weight more easily and suffering from certain health problems. Similarly, due to their characteristics and physical needs, there are breeds of dogs that will need more exercise than others.
For example, an adult herding or sporting breed dog needs between 60 and 90 minutes of exercise, spread over different activities.
On the other hand, other dogs like the Shnauzer, which are usually smaller and have a calm character, with 20 or 30 minutes of walking is enough.
In this sense, you will have to assess whether you have an active dog, with moderate energy or very active, and based on this, determine the amount of exercise he needs.
Health Condition. Your pet’s health status will also determine the amount of daily exercise he should get, as well as the type of training. If your dog suffers from bone and joint problems, swimming is an excellent activity.
We recommend that you consult the specific case of your pet with a veterinarian.
Benefits of exercise in dogs
The regular practice of moderate physical exercise helps prevent overweight in dogs, as well as the diseases associated with it. It also allows the development of proper muscle tone, strong bones and thickening of joint cartilage. [1] In addition, performing activities that stimulate our dog’s mind using positive reinforcement will allow us to keep his cognitive and social skills active, while improving our bond with him.
It is also essential to point out that dogs with behavioral problems will greatly benefit from this practice, as it helps channel accumulated stress and thus improves anxiety, depression or destructiveness, among others.
Types of exercises for Dogs
Jogging: running at a constant pace is a good way to exercise with our dog. It can be interesting in adult dogs that have high levels of activity. It should be combined later with mental stimulation exercises.
Canicross: it is the professional modality of jogging with dogs and it is generally practiced in mountain environments. There are regional, national and international championships.
Bicycle: the benefits are similar to those of jogging, however, it is an activity that requires a prior initiation time in which the basic commands to communicate with the dog and be able to move safely and comfortably for both of us will be practiced. It is not recommended for dogs with behavioral problems such as fear or aggressiveness.
Search for the ball or fresbee: before practicing this type of exercise we must teach our dog to search for and fetch the ball. It is a complete activity that allows the dog to exercise actively, however it can generate stress and anxiety if there are no breaks during the exercise.
Swimming: it is an option that allows us to fully exercise our dog, while providing an enriching environment full of stimuli with which to interact.
