Dog Exercise: How much?

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How Much Exercise Does Your Dog Need?

‘A tired dog is a good dog’ is a popular saying among dog owners. You will know if your dog has had enough exercise if he is tired at night and behaves.

If your dog does not get enough exercise he will bark, dig, annoy and run around inside in an uncontrolled manner.  Aim to have a tired dog in the evening when you set up your exercise schedule with him.

Exercising your dog on a regular basis will not only have him tired out, but it will ensure he stays strong and healthy and live longer.  A scary statistic is that one in three dogs has a weight problem – they are not exercised enough. If your dog is overweight he is more likely to develop joint problems.

An under-exercised dog will chew things, self-mutilate and generally be a nuisance.

If your dog is chasing his tail or shows restless behaviors like running back and forth in the yard or the house for no real reason, then he is under-exercised.  It is time to get your dog working out.

Most dogs need to be exercised daily, preferably twice a day – especially large dogs. Walking your dog should be restricted to young dogs, old dogs and small dogs.  Walking a large dog will not give him enough of an exercise session.  He needs to run.

Small dogs can be walked on a leash because their little legs will probably need to be running to keep up with your long strides.

What sort of exercising can you do with your dog?  Other than running and walking there are plenty of ways to exercise with him.

You can take your healthy bigger dog on a bike ride – he’ll be running while you are riding.  You will need to use a special harness attachment on your bike; taking your dog on a leash is too dangerous when riding a bike so equip yourself with the correct harness.

You can take your dog swimming.  Most dogs love going for a swim but check the water temperature – not all of them love freezing temperatures! Swimming is an excellent form of exercise for your dog as he uses all his muscles and it gets his heart pumping.

Games you can play with your dog in the park that involve lots of running are retrieval games with balls, toys and Frisbees.  Dogs love to play catch and fetch.  He will do this all day – or until he drops!

Watch your dog for signs of distress when exercising, especially in the heat.  Dogs can suffer from heat stroke and they do not have the same cooling system in their bodies that humans do as they do not sweat through their skin.

Your dog will enjoy the attention he gets from you while exercising. He’ll be happy and tired at the end of session and get to live a longer, healthier life.