How much exercise does your dog need?

A tired dog is a good dog. No matter the size of the dog, every pup needs a physical outlet to expend extra energy and maintain health and fitness. Regular exercise can improve your dog’s mental health and reduce some behaviors done out of anxiety or boredom. It is important to note that each animal is an individual and you need to modify your program. We must make adjustments for age, injury and be mindful of environmental conditions too, such as extreme weather. 

For a general guideline to exercise, dogs can be divided up by their breeds, or breed mixes, and what they were originally bred to do. However, remember to tailor your program to your dog’s needs.

Herding and Sporting Dogs

Both groups have very high exercise needs and should get at least 60-90 minutes of higher intensity exercise daily, twice daily is even better. These are working dogs so are easily bored, so make them work their brains! Intersperse training sessions with physical workouts to keep the routine fresh and interesting for both you and your dog.

Terriers

From the little Cairn to the larger Airedale, these dogs are generally bouncy and charismatic pooches. Although they have significant exercise requirements, these dogs are smaller than the herding and sporting members, and can get a fair amount of daily exercise around the yard. But they should get a minimum of 60-minutes exercise daily.

Hounds

This is a very diverse group that encompasses the sight hounds and scent hounds. Sight hounds like Greyhounds may have lower exercise needs, they are sprinters that release energy in quick bursts. Allow them a couple of harder sprint workouts per week. Scent hounds have higher exercise needs, similar to the herding and sporting dogs.

Toy Breeds and Brachycephalic Dogs

Many breeds fit into this category, including Poodles, Chihuahuas and Maltese. Even though these cuties are smaller than the rest, they still need exercise! They have a propensity toward obesity and often do not get the level of daily activity that they require. They can, however, get a significant amount of exercise in a much smaller area.

These squash-faced dogs, like the Pug and Bulldogs, were not created for marathon running. A shortened muzzle and wrinkly face might be irresistible, but they impede airflow and put these dogs at risk for overheating and oxygen deprivation.

Weather Considerations

Weather conditions are an important consideration for all dogs, not just the Brachycephalics. Dogs too can be victims of frostbite or heat stroke. If you live in the snowy areas make sure you clean your dogs’ paws after an outing to remove snow and salt buildup. Dogs with thin hair coats may benefit from a nice dog coat or hoodie in the colder months. In the summertime, paws can also be damaged on hot asphalt or abrasive surfaces like the sandy shore. During any weather, it’s important to keep your dog hydrated. Bring along a compact dog travel bowl and fill it from your own water bottle.

Suggested Activities

Physical activities: There are a variety of different ways to wear out the over-energized dog. Fetch is a fabulous way to exhaust a dog with minimal output of your own energy and using a tennis racket gets even greater canine wear down. Swimming is a fantastic way to reap the benefits of exercise without the dangers of repetitive impact. You may also want to start out with a dog life vest, especially if you are far from shore, it is important to always use a vest when boating with your dog.

Mental exercises: A good brain game can be almost as tiring as a long hike. Some dogs enjoy a food toy. These toys require the dog to knock the toy around to make food fall out of small holes. They can be filled with small, low calorie treats or even pieces of kibble. If your dog is scent driven, she may enjoy searching for bits of food or treats hidden throughout the house.

Exercising with your pooch helps control her weight and maintain a healthy body and mind. Remember to tailor your program to your pet, to meet her needs and maintain safety. Keep her engaged, body and mind, and you will find that you share your home with a fulfilled best friend.

DOG FACTS That you probably didn't know!

A poodle's coat was originally shaved to increase swimming skills.

“Him” and “Her” were the names of President Lyndon Johnson's two beagles.

In French, Bichon Frise means "small, curly-haired dog."
A typical dog has a mouthful of 42 permanent teeth, while the average human has 32.

The Prairie Dog is actually part of the squirrel family. Early settlers named them after canines because their calls sounded like barking dogs.

A dog's third eyelid (yes, it has THREE) is a protective lid called a "haw" which keeps moisture in its eyes.

Fifty-eight percent of dog owners include their dogs in their annual holiday photos.

More dogs are called Max, Jake, Maggie or Molly than any other pet names.

In Moscow, some stray dogs learned to use the underground transit system to navigate throughout the city in search of food.

Dalmatians are often deaf doggies. Thirty percent of them cannot hear in either one or two ears.

The seeds of apples and pears should be kept away from dogs. Their composition includes arsenic, which could kill your dog.

It is illegal to keep a dog as a pet in Iceland.

According to legend, the dog rescued on Noah's Ark was the Afghan Hound

The phrase "It's Raining Cats and Dogs" was born in Germany in the 17th century. When storms flooded the streets, dogs and cats were often pulled into the currents.

Dogs could participate in doggie blood drives: dogs are able to donate blood to fellow pooches.

In 1969, Lassie the famous Collie dog was the very first animal inducted into the Animal Hall of Fame.

Greyhounds can run as fast as 45 mph and are the fastest canines on the planet.

The American Eskimo breed has been trained to walk across a tightrope in circuses throughout the early 20th century.

For running purposes, the shoulder blades on dogs are not attached to the rest of the skeleton.

Call them the biters! Female dogs bite double the amount of males.

Contrary to popular belief, Poodles are not French by origin. They're German dogs, but French nobility quickly became fascinated by these pooches.

Grapes and raisins even in small amounts can cause kidney failure in dogs.

A typical dog has the same brain aptitude level as a toddler. Dogs can comprehend about 250 words and count up to 5.

Dogs can be beneficial additions to the lives of children with Autism. Trained dogs can lessen the child's tendency of aggressiveness and give them a sense of independence

As per the Guinness Book of World Records, the world's smallest dog, a Yorkshire Terrier from Great Britain, weighed a teeny-tiny 4 ounces at age two.

Eighty percent of dog owners shower their pets with gifts on special occasions like birthdays and holidays. On holidays, over half of these pets are included in the signature of family cards.

Beagles and Collies create the most racket than any other dog; the Akbash and Basenji dogs are the most silent.

Feeling a big anxious? Studies indicate that petting your dog can lower your blood pressure.

Most dogs have pink tongues, a sign of good health for its supply of blood vessels, nerves and tastebuds. The Chow Chow and the Shar Pei inherently have black tongues, but this has nothing to do with poor health.

Studies have shown that obedient dogs live longer lives than pugnacious pugs.

The oldest in-tact fossilized remains of a pet canine dates back 33,000 years. It was discovered in Siberia in the 1970s.

The Australian Shepherd isn't even from Australia. Its origins are tied to the Basque region of Europe

Dog body odor is often called "Frito Feet," referring to bacteria collected on dogs' paws that often smell like the popular salty snack.

Dogs who live in cities tend to live, on average, 3 years longer than dogs from the country.

When drinking water, dogs cup the back of their tongues to transfer water from the bowl into their mouths.

The priciest dog in the world, a Tibetan Mastiff, was recently bought in China for $1.5 million.

Puppies are born without teeth and eyesight. They're also born deaf.

Dogs have two times the amount of muscles in their ears than humans.

In ancient China, people used to keep warm by putting dogs up their sleeves.

33 percent of dog owners admit to talking to their dog over the telephone, often leaving them messages on the answering machine.

In 1937, America's first Akita came over from Japan. Its travel companion was Helen Keller

Ever heard of the Cesky Terrier? Probably not. Only 350 of them exist, making them what may be the world's rarest dog breed.

The Alaskan Malamute can withstand temperatures as low as 70 degrees below zero.

Some dogs can identify the smell of lung cancer from sniffing a person's breath.

In Palding, Ohio, it is legal for a police officer to bite a barking dog to keep it quiet.

To differentiate between their different types of food, dogs depend more on their sense of smell than their sense of taste. Humans have five times the amount of taste buds than dogs.

Dogs' sense of hearing can reach four times the distance of humans.

A dogs' first sense to develop is touch.

At age one, dogs have the same level of physical development that humans have at age 15.

Dogs are not colorblind. They are able to detect colour in their vision, just not as vividly as humans

Walt Disney's family dog was a Poodle named Lady.

Dogs have feelings, too! Canines show agitated behavior when they see other dogs getting treats while they are left in the dust.

WHY DO DOGS KICK THEIR BACK LEGS OVER THEIR POOP?

Many people think that when their dogs tear at the ground with their back feet after they have urinated or defecated that they're trying to cover up the mess, just as a cat might. This is not true. What the dog is doing when it scrapes frantically at the ground is symbolically marking the territory; “Ollie was here,”

The deposition of urine and faeces can represent a territorial mark not only for dogs but also for just about all domestic species. So when a dog finds just the right place and he performs his duty, he finishes by scratching the ground in the immediate vicinity with his hind feet to leave his calling card.