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Honestly, how much excersise?

8K views 42 replies 39 participants last post by  lovemygirl 
#1 ·
Ok, so I keep reading on multiple threads, about exercising our dogs. And to be honest, some if the dogs are getting waaaaaay more excersise than I can give a dog.

My dogs have always been fine with 20-25 minutes of training daily or the same in pure cardio walking. I have had and trained multiple SAR dogs. They are working dogs, get worked a few times a week. But never have I lived with a dog that needs 4 hours of excersise a day. Like so many dogs on this forum seem to need to settle in the house.

Am I just super lucky??? Or is every one else super unlucky???

So be honest, how much actual excersise do your dogs get daily?


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#2 ·
Lol it just depends on the day but compared to our first pup, who had no off switch, warden is mellow! If needed, he can be just fine with a morning walk and a midday walk... About 1.5-2 hours a day. He naps or chews the rest of the time.

Often though, it's 3-4 hours of exercise, an hour of training, socializing etc. not always because he needs it, but because it's fun for us both.


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#5 ·
Mine don't get 4 hours, for us it varies through the winter months due to my increased work schedule. Some days they get 20 minutes of physical exercise, flirt pole, bicycle, or fetch, and others they may get closer to an hour divided up throughout the day. We go for walks 4-5 times a week, but they're not very long, maybe a mile or so, I hate neighborhood walks, too boring, so we mix in OB and we play tug along the way. Come spring will add in different length/difficulty hikes. We do take days off and all three dogs do fine with it.
 
#8 ·
depends on the dog, but I've found mental exercise, tasks and commands within the house can be a great supplement to physical exercise. I've found my dogs want to interact with me. That can be commands to receive a toy, rolling around on the floor, tricks and tasks you've tough them etc.
 
#9 ·
Today, not a lot because I feel like I'm coming down with something, couldn't even bend over to pick up the ball so we just played some JollyBall in the basement for about half hour both sessions. They wrestle some days more intensely than others, today they were off too, just a bit of head and foot chewing.

Most days though, it's no less than a 45 minute walk, a couple ball sessions, maybe some intense wrestling sessions.
 
#12 ·
Not really sure exact numbers. I generally play fetch a few times a day anywhere from 5-20 mins each time. Zoe goes out with the kids to play usually 2 hours a day if the weather is nice but she takes lots of little breaks as needed.
No matter how much she gets in the day the moment I get the kids in bed and sit down about 8:30 she starts barking and growling like mad at me to get up and entertain her.

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#13 ·
I highly doubt many dogs NEED 4 hours of exercise. Just a bunch of owners who think they do. A bunch of owners also think walking is exercise and it's not.

My working line is fine with 30 minutes a day. That's what he gets most week days. He could go all day though. I could run him ragged to the point he's wheezing and act like he's dying. He'll nap for 30 minutes and then be up with a ball in his mouth whining for me to throw it.
 
#27 ·
A bunch of owners also think walking is exercise and it's not.
I truly think that depends on the dog, distance, and stage of life. If I took Titan for a mile stroll through the neighborhood, he would laugh at me and go "ok now what?" BUT if I go at least 2-3 miles at an actual walking pace (not just strolling along), now we're talking.. he generally gets home and reacts the same way as if we ran our 1.5 miles. He didn't used to be like this when he was younger, but in the last year, he tuckers out much quicker.. doesn't mean he doesn't have endless energy, because that dog will chase a ball for DAYS if he could he just get tired quicker..

I get the general idea though because most owners idea of a walk is around the block at a strolling relaxing pace. But even that.. distance is really where actual exercise comes into play. Ex: If I run 3 miles, I burn just as much if I walk those 3 miles, one just takes longer.. that's why a lot of people tend to go for LONG walks because it is actually really great exercise but isn't bad on your joints.
 
#14 ·
My guy is super mellow at only 10 months. When he's switched on, it's 100%. When he's switched off, he's usually asleep no matter what time of day.

We will start with fetch in the backyard followed by a few rounds of flirt pole lasting maybe 15 minutes total. A few minutes of obedience training.

Relax. Breakfast.

Then we'll head out to one of our hiking spots for about an hour. Back home for a nap.

More fetch/flirt pole/obedience in the backyard for another 15 minutes.
Relax. Dinner.

Relax. Neighborhood walk for about 20 minutes.

Bed time.

Sometimes we have class, but this is a typical day for us. Also, he's in the car with me when I run to the store or wherever, so he's in and out all day.

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#15 ·
Now that I am able to bring my dogs to work with me, they get a good 20-30 minutes session in the bush before I start work in the morning, one on my lunch hour for the same amount of time and usually about 40 minutes - 1 hour of hiking or ball play per day. There have been days where the weather is too harsh (for me) to be out so they have gone without much outside time and just hung out with me at work or we traveled to a pet store to do some distraction training. We train indoors a bit as well each night and do fun activities insides as well that helps keep them busy.

We train (formally) once per week, sometimes two times per week depending on my schedule and do a large pack walk/hike with our dog club once per week.
 
#16 ·
Hmm. Well, I actually run with my dog 3-4 days a week; I run 8-9 miles each time, which means about 70-85 minutes/run. This really doesnt wear him out, I mean, he comes home and grabs his ball. He thinks it's his 'job' to accompany me, and I like taking him so I do-- but not really for exercise.

I also take him hiking, we go several times a week, 4-7 miles at a time. Again, this is more for me than him, but the sniffing and the smells (which I don't allow freely on runs) do seem to 'wear' him out a little more. Still wants to play ball.

If he gets two training or good 'play' sessions in, like maybe 20 min each, where we interact and we train his brain, he is more "worn out" than running 9 miles. I have been sick or busy though, and skipped everything. He does not act up in my house or become destructive, but a day or two goes by and by the third, he will sulk and let you know he is ready for action. He seems to know when a person (me) is physically ill, though. But there's no faking. ;)
 
#17 ·
At least 30 minutes of fetch/play time a day, he also uses the treadmill which he loves. Mentally I'm always keeping him on his toes throwing in obedience sessions throughout the day. We also go once a week to my parents where he spends the entire day playing with their labradoodle and foster dog.
 
#18 ·
mine don't need 4 hours a day either, but Masi IS an energizer bunny:)

I do different things depending on the day, she's always out first thing in the morning, while I'm doing outside stuff, on days that I don't work, she usually goes with me when I run errands, we may take a hike, a walk, frisbee throwing broken up along the day. Night, she's out with me/husband for awhile,

I don't think I can really calculate 'how much' exercise she gets a day, it's always different, but she does get to do "something" each day.

If I had to leave her all day, with nothing to do, oh yeah, by the end of the day she is wound up and ready..

Since she's matured, she has a good off switch, and like most of the other gsd's I've had, she's ready to go when I'm ready to go, would go all day if that were the case, or hang out all day as well...
 
#19 ·
In terms of physical exercise, they get an hour or so a day playing in the yard with each other, mostly in the morning. 20-25 min walk at lunchtime. Afternoon we go on a 40-45 min hike (give or take, depending on how deep the snow is). Then I bring the puppy back in and take Echo back out for another half hour or so just to have some puppy-free play time and fetch time. In the evenings I do a couple of short fun OB/play sessions with the puppy and some one-on-one training time with Echo.
 
#21 ·
It depends... Last year the winter was much milder and I was able to walk him for 1 to 2 hours a day and/or jog with him without getting frostbite! This winter has been bitter and icy and awful so the walking has been cut back, but my normal walking pace is between 3.5 and 4 mph and it keeps Ralphie in a constant trot.

Lately he's been getting about 30 minutes of intense fetch in the yard. I've been working with him off-leash in the unfenced front yard, too, and he doesn't wander off. There's more distance for him to sprint after whatever toy I throw. He usually is good for 15 minutes, then has to lay down for a bit, lol.

We also play "find it" and do some light fetching and tugging inside the house. Ralphie's pretty mellow for the most part and very seldomly begs or whines to play. Warmer weather is on its way, though, so jogging and multiple brisk walks will be on the schedule!
 
#22 ·
I truly believe that I made a huge mistake in over-exercising ours as a puppy. Everyone would tell me, oh, just exercise him! He will sleep like a baby! WRONG! LOL He can go and go and go if you let him. I used to be one of those people that would exercise him for 4 hours. It didn't really help him to settle at all.

I find that he is much happier (and less anxious) with a 20 minute walk & a 20 minute session of fetch in the AM and a 30 min walk/20 minute session of fetch in the PM. We will usually play another 10 minutes of fetch again in the evening (but not right before bed.)
 
#23 ·
With my boy it's endless.
I mean is can sit in my room and tell him to lay down all day and he would do it but he will get up and walk around.
It really depends what I am doing that day.. If I have time I will take him on a 4 or so training (on vest) or a hike. And he always gets off time, where he can either explore and run around and then some chuck it throwing.
Then we play a little catch in my room at night or he will play with him self with the toys
Haha he loves him some exercise and working :)
 
#24 ·
It depends on how hot it is. In the summer a couple hour walk through the neighborhood is exercise. In the winter, though, you could run her the same distance, then play fetch all night and she'd still be chomping at the bit. On rainy days, training new things or doing nose work is usually fine, but after a few days of monsoon weather we're both going a little crazy.
 
#25 ·
Ok, so I keep reading on multiple threads, about exercising our dogs. And to be honest, some if the dogs are getting waaaaaay more excersise than I can give a dog.

My dogs have always been fine with 20-25 minutes of training daily or the same in pure cardio walking. I have had and trained multiple SAR dogs. They are working dogs, get worked a few times a week. But never have I lived with a dog that needs 4 hours of excersise a day. Like so many dogs on this forum seem to need to settle in the house.

Am I just super lucky??? Or is every one else super unlucky???

So be honest, how much actual excersise do your dogs get daily?


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I think the last time I answered this question, MONTHS ago.. we were doing a lot more because I had a lot more time.. but things have changed..

Right now he gets a "daily" 2-3 mile walk (quotes only because there are days weather is nasty, or like this week I injured myself and could barely walk so we skipped a couple days).. on occasion, I'd say 2 times a week, in addition to his 2-3 miles we run 1.5-2 miles in the morning before I leave for work.

In addition to all that.. we play fetch at least twice a day til he drops.

I used to do more, and when I can stop hurting myself and get my dang schedule fixed.. I think I will because he would love to do more.. this boy has never ending energy ever. But for now, he is doing decent on this regimine as long as I throw in some OB with it all.
 
#26 ·
My pup gets 6 fetch sessions per day in the dead of winter, but when it's too hot here then that's only done early morning or later at night and we swim during the day instead. Moderate weather will include bike riding. Off leash walking is great too, but right now with the spring thaw (and soon-to-be-exposed goose crap) the river is too dangerous so that spot's off limits for now.
 
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