As always, if you’re not sure how much exercise your dog needs at a certain age, you should ask your vet. He or she will be able to provide advice depending on your dog’s health and physical condition.
A dog needs regular exercise and plenty of opportunities to walk and run. Exercise your dog regularly to keep them fit, active and stimulated. Give your dog the opportunity to run every day, unless your vet recommends otherwise.
Dogs need exercise for their own health and general well-being. They need it to relieve tension and to de-stress. Sadly, most owners neglect their dog’s basic NEED for exercise. They may know the dog needs to get out and burn off some energy, but they feel too tired or too busy to meet this responsibility. They ignore (possibly because they are not aware of the importance of) their dog’s basic need for exercise, even though that dog clearly is totally dependent upon them, and at their “mercy,” for all its needs.
If you are not disciplined about exercising your pet, your dog may just lie on the grass and enjoy the afternoon sun. Around the house, your dog might stroll around and follow you or your family members from room to room. Sometimes, someone might throw the ball or a frisbee several times to play fetch with the animal. When all is said and done, especially for large dogs, this is definitely not the exercise and stimulation that your dog needs.
It won’t surprise you to hear that breed plays a role in how much exercise your adult dog needs. While age and health are the two biggest factors to consider when exercising your dog, breed is an indication of their general activity level.
In general, an adult herding or sporting breed dog needs 60-90 minutes of exercise each day. This should include harder exercise like running, playtime with other dogs, or a hike. Balance work is also increasingly popular with pet parents.
Luckily, many forms of exercise provide mental stimulation. Going on a leisurely stroll, for example, gives your dog plenty of chance to sniff new smells and meet other dogs. Canine agility classes are also great for mental stimulation, as your dog needs to listen to commands while navigating obstacles.
And just as the exercise needs of an 80-year-old human vastly differ from the needs of an 18-year-old, so too does the age of a dog affect its exercise needs. In general, an adult dog needs and tolerates more exercise than an elderly dog or a young pup.
