How much exercise does a dog need
Dog exercise is essential for the animal to have a healthy lifestyle and to grow properly. Puppies and young dogs accumulate a lot of energy that they need to burn off during the day. Not doing so can cause the animal to behave inappropriately and do things like biting plants and destroying furniture, plus it creates anxiety and stress. Not all dogs require the same amount of exercise, it depends on their age and race. If you want to know how much exercise a dog needs, read this OneHowTo article and find out.
Steps to follow:
The amount of exercise that your dog requires depends a lot on the breed of the dog. Most dogs do not have enough with a walk around the block, they need to run free and burn all their energy. To do this, you need a walk that lasts between 30 and 60 minutes depending on the breed and age of the dog.
Puppies, because they are growing, are very motivated and need to burn a lot of energy. It is best to start with 2 walks per day of 20 minutes each. Start slowly so that your dog gets used to the exercise. It is not advisable to start with very long walks, gradually increase the time and the number of walks. See this article to learn when you can walk your puppy.
You can take balls or a throwing toy for your puppy so you can play fetch. This way your puppy will exercise while having fun and begin to prepare for his training. Do not forget to bring water to hydrate your puppy after exercise and treats (especially for puppies) to reward good behaviour.
For older puppies and dogs, it is recommended that you take your dog for a walk 4 times a day. Walk and exercise are two totally different things, if you only take your dog for a walk without any kind of exercise the dog just burns energy. You must devote most of the walk to exercising your dog. The time and intensity of exercise is determined largely by the race of your dog.
Working dogs, such as Labradors, German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers, require more exercise than other breeds. They are dogs that need to run a lot and they need 2 walks of 1 hour each day in a spacious place. Ideally complement these walks with 2 other quieter different spaces for them to exercise the mind and senses. Nordic dogs, such as huskies, are also part of this group but with a difference, they were bred to be sledding dogs and, as such, they need to run quickly at least 2 times per week. One way is to put a harness on your back with a chest with wheels so you can take it for a walk on your skates or bike.
Hunting dogs such as beagles, or greyhounds, need walks that allow them to run to keep the muscles and exercise smell. These types of canines have a highly developed tracking instinct and as such need to continually exercise it. They need 2 intense walks of 1 hour in a field or forest, and 2 other quieter ones. Bring a ball or throw a toy for your dog and make him run.
Small breeds such as Yorkshire, French bulldog or Chihuahua don't get enough exercise just running at home. They also need a walk around spacious place and to run free, only they need less time than previous races. 2 walks of 30 minutes with exercise included and 2 other quieter and shorter walks are enough to burn all their energy. Be especially careful with dogs with respiratory problems such as French bulldogs, as they quickly run out of breath and need shorter but more frequent walks.
It is very important that you consider how much exercise your dog needs before adopting one. All indications above refer to daily walks, not weekly. So, you should pick the breed of your dog according to your level of activity and not assume that you will meet your dog's active needs if you aren't normally active.
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