How much exercise does a dog need?
There is no general answer to this question. Nevertheless, I think it's important for dog owners to have a certain point of reference. What is too much or too little?
Relevant factors
There are several factors that play a major role in whether a dog needs a lot or a little exercise. One of the most important is the energy level. And not, as many have probably thought, the breed or size of the dog. On the one hand, there are large dogs that tend to be sluggish and lazy and, on the other hand, small dogs that are very active and agile. This is largely due to genetics. But it also has to do with the way they are kept. In other words, whether a dog gets a lot or a little exercise.
Health
Then health plays a major role. If a dog has physical limitations and pain, the urge to exercise usually suffers as a result. Or if a dog is lame or even limping, this must be taken into account and the exercise time reduced.
With or without a (short) lead
The next factor is whether a dog can enjoy its walks with or without a lead. If a dog always has to run on a short lead, it automatically needs more exercise. A dog that can run freely most of the time will generally automatically cover more kilometers than a dog that is always on a short lead.
What are the activities?
And the last decisive factor is what the dog does during the walk. If it is running after a ball the whole time or playing intensively with other dogs, this will reduce the time it needs to walk enormously. Does he walk, trot or gallop most of the time? Does the dog owner run, jog or cycle? This is also crucial for estimating the approximate exercise time a dog needs.
So what are reasonable guidelines?
A good guideline is around 1.5 hours a day. These one and a half hours can be divided up differently. For example, 30 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes at lunchtime, 30 minutes in the late afternoon and 15 minutes before going to bed. Or 45 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes in the afternoon and 15 minutes before going to bed.
More is always better
Of course, more is always better. But you definitely don't have to have a guilty conscience if you get up to 1.5 hours a day with your dog. Of course, there is also an upper limit. It's difficult to say where this is and it depends a lot on the dog. But I don't think more than 3 hours a day should be the rule.
Golden mean
So the golden mean is somewhere between 1.5h and 3h per day. If you do less or more on one day, you can compensate a little the next day. So if you have been hiking for longer than usual, I recommend that you take it a little easier the next day. Your four-legged friend will thank you for it.
