How much exercise does your dog need?
Updated on October 2nd, 2018
As a dog owner, you are likely to know that your dog needs to be exercised regularly in order to keep them fit and healthy, this is just part and parcel of owning a dog and taking care of them.
However, what you may not know is just how much exercise a dog needs each day.
To help you to understand more, we have put together a guide to how much exercise a dog needs, hopefully to ensure that your dog is at just the right level of exercise for them.
Why is exercise important for dogs?
The first question that you may find yourself asking is just how important is exercise for a dog?
The answer is very.
Of course, the main aim of exercise for dogs is that it helps them to stay fit and healthy, as well as combat any weight problems too
However, there are other benefits for dogs that get regular exercise.
This includes helping improve their physical and mental wellbeing, as well as help them to relieve any stress or boredom that they may feel during the day.
How much exercise does your dog need every day?
The amount of exercise that your dog may need will really depend on the age and the breed of the dog that you have. As well as their fitness level and their personality too.
A simple Google search should help you to find out more about the level of exercise that your dog needs every day.
However, here is a rough guide to some of the most popular dog breeds and the level of exercise that they are going to need each day.
Remember though that every dog is different, so while one Yorkshire Terrier might be happy with 20 minutes exercise a day, another one might need over an hour.
20 minutes per day
- Pugs
- Chihuahua
20-40 minutes per day
- Yorkshire Terrier
- English Bulldog
- Miniature Dachshund
- Shih Tzu
40 to 60 minutes per day
- Cocker Spaniel
- Great Dane
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Toy and Miniature Poodles
60 to 80 minutes per day
- Bassett Hound
- West Highland Terrier
- Whippet
80 to 100 minutes per day
- Siberian Husky
- Golden Retriever
100 to 120 minutes per day
- Border Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
120 minutes + per day
- Border Collie
- Boxer
- Dalmatian
- German Shepherd
- Rottweiler
- Labrador Retriever
- English Springer Spaniel
As you can see there are quite a few breeds of dog that require a high amount of exercise throughout the day.
Some owners may decide to do this all in one longer walk, or they may split it down into smaller walks throughout the day.
The thing to remember is that no matter your dog, they are going to need to go for a walk every day.
If you don’t think that you are able to meet that commitment, then you may want to rethink whether or not having a dog is the right choice for you.
