How much exercise does a dog need to do each day?

It is not uncommon that in rainy weather, in the evening when you come home from work, or even early in the morning, you do it as soon as possible to get your dog out. After all, he will have the opportunity to spend the weekend. Yet, according to veterinarians, every dog ​​needs a daily dose of physical exercise that is absolutely necessary to respect. Why ? To avoid possible damage to the house, make your dog happy, well in his skin and especially keep him healthy. But how much exercise does he need? In fact, several factors must be taken into account!

Although the exercise requirements depend, as you will see, on the age, health, breed and size of your dog, it should normally take 30 minutes to 2 minutes. hours to a daily physical activity. Over time, you will be able to determine the amount of exercise that suits your dog based on his level of energy during sports activities and his behavior during the rest of the day.

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1. The age of your dog

In most cases, younger dogs need more exercise than older dogs. Indeed, they usually require less exercise, especially if they have health problems.

A good technique to quantify the daily exercise time for a puppy under one year of age is to add 5 minutes each month to his life. For example, if your puppy is 6 months old, he will need 35 minutes of daily release. And even twice a day if he is in demand. But not more ! Indeed, too much physical exercise could impact its growth.

Note that a dog is considered to be aged from the age of 7 years old. Or 10 years for small breeds.

2. The state of health of your dog

If your dog's health does not allow him to take long walks or practice intensive play with him, do not hesitate to put the package on mental stimulation at home or outdoors. For that, buy him or make him some smart games. This will allow him to work his flair, his brain or his view.

If your dog has a medical problem (hip dysplasia, heart or respiratory disease ...), it is safer to talk to a veterinarian to learn the exercise routine that will help him stay healthy without causing him gene. On the other hand, for dogs with joint problems, swimming can be a great alternative to exercise.

Be careful, however, if you plan to resume physical activity to your dog, especially to lose weight, always speak with a veterinarian. In addition, make sure that the effort is always progressive!

3. The size and breed of your dog

As a general rule, the dogs that require the least physical activity in adulthood are the smaller breeds (Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier ...) and the giant breeds (Grand Dane, St. Bernard ...). Thus, smaller dogs will usually need 20 to 40 minutes of exercise per day. Against 40 to 60 minutes for the older ones. However, there are some exceptions, such as Jack Russell for example, which is often overflowing with energy.

In addition, the brachycephalic breeds, that is to say with the crushed nose (Carlin, Bulldog ...), also require less physical activity because of the breathing difficulties they are often victims of.

Finally, there are dog breeds that are particularly sporty and have a great need for exercise. This is the case of the Border Collie, the Siberian Husky, the Belgian Shepherd Malinois or the Labrador Retriever. To stay healthy, these dogs should normally spend 80 to 120 minutes a day.