Faye was a little naughty this morning. As a trip was being planned for the day by Mrs. Three Dog Blogger I had the task of catching the escapee and putting her back near the house. She wanted to tag along on any outing and really did not want to be left behind. This reminded me of just how much exercise Dogs need to control bad behavior.
I am not saying that Faye would then be a good girl all the time but it would certainly go some way to stopping her from misbehaving as much as she is prone to do, especially if she has not had enough exercise. And this morning they all only had a relatively short walk so there was plenty of energy left for naughtiness.
How Much Exercise To Give Dogs
From experience I would say that many Dogs need as much as you can give them.
If they are healthy and fit then Dogs are quite happy to walk for hours every day. Of course this is not possible for most of us as we have constraints on our time. But there is one lesson I have learned very well and that is that if your Dog keeps being naughty and is not acting well then exercise is quite often at the heart of the problem.
Exercise is so important to their health and well being and it also makes for a much happier life for us Dog owners. Dog Blogs often talk about many aspects of training but all of them will go much smoother if you begin with a Dog that has had plenty of exercise.
It may be impossible to say how much every bred of Dogs needs in terms of exercise but for the majority they need a good amount each and every day.
How To Tell If Your Dog Has Not Had Enough Exercise
Dogs will mostly make it quite clear to the owner of they are not having enough activity. You will find that they are less easy to control, they will not obey orders as they usually do and they will simply be harder to keep under control in general.
All of that pent up energy has to be dissipated somehow and more often than not it will result in bad behavior.
If your pooch is being naughty, acting up and simply not doing as it is told then the chances are that it simply needs more exercise.
How Many Walks A Day For A Dog
We should take the Dogs out for a walk twice a day if at all possible. It really is so important to allow them to get plenty of exercise and it ensures that they get to see the wider world and experience things on a regular basis.
This keeps them much more socialized and it will make training and life in general so much easier.
2 walks a day should be strived for every day, we may not always have the time for a long walk before work but we should try to make time. They are much less likely to tear up the house while we are out and are going to be much easier to train.
3 Dogs is definitely a lot of work at times and I know that without their 2 walks a day it would be much harder. I am lucky that I can walk them off leash for the most part as we live somewhere remote, this ensures that they can burn off energy quickly. For leash walking there is no doubt that they need more exercise as they are unable to burn off the energy as quickly.
Strive for a good long walk at least once a day and a shorter one as well if you really are pushed for time.
This exercise will ensure that they are much better behaved and in a more positive frame of mind to respond to training and they will simply be much better company as they are relaxed and feel that they have had their look at the world outside the home for the day.
I walk my dog 2 -3 times a day as he is slightly oveweight and it motivates me too as I could stand to lose several pounds myself. We enjoy it tremendously and even though he is 8 has quite a bit of energy. I adopted him 4 months ago, he’s great company and I feel like I won the lottery with him. He’s a bit on the alpha side so we have to watch that but I feel lucky that he’s turned out so sweet. Oh, I just posted a question about a perplexing situation on your ‘dangerous foods for dogs article’ you had written some time back…just was hoping for some feedback or an opinion so I’ll wait. 🙂
GIA
Sounds like you are both getting plenty of exercise and I am sure he loves it. I tried to answer your question but I am afraid I was not really much help. But welcome to the site and thanks for your comments.
I actually don’t walk my dog too much with my busy schedule but what I do have time to do daily is just play with them in the back yard. Lily, Murphy and Tucker will run around for up to an hour as I throw the ball or just stand there to assure them that I am paying attention. Murphy is a yellow lab and is 13 years old and despite his arthritis he looks great and is still chasing the balls around with the rest of them.
Tyler that kind of exercise is great, anything that burns off the energy is always going to be a good thing. You go Murphy 😉
I would definitely agree that some dogs will walk all day if given the chance. I know at least two that go for 10-mile runs several days a week. But all dogs deserve at least a half-hour walk every day. This is nowhere near enough exercise for most dogs, but it’s a start. I know a lot of dogs that don’t get walked at all. Ace seems to do fine these days as long as he gets out for a good half-hour of exercise. I mix it up. Some days it’s just an easy stroll, some days it’s fetch, some days it’s biking.
Lindsay, I definitely want to get in to biking with the Dogs. It is just a shame it is so steep here. But I really do need to do it, just to get Faye over her real fixation with wheels. Some of the Tractor drivers around here get worried for their tyres 😉
You are so right. A tired dog is a happy well behaved dog.
If possible I take the Hankster to somewhere he can be off leash. This way he gets more exercise, trotting around and checking things out. Its more fun for both of us – which is important.
Nice blog, and thanks for the post about the furminiator. I always wondered if they really worked.
As far as exercise is concerned:as much as you can. As far as I’m concerned, my dog should need a nap after exercise.
Glenn, glad it helped. I still can’t believe just how good the furminator really is.
So much like children…they usually just need to run around, play more to be healthy, happy and will usually behave. Gotta run ’em around a bit. I am always amazed at those dog walkers who I’ve seen with 5-6 dogs sometimes. How do they do it?
Need to exercise the dog. Get a child! LOL sorry My kids wear out our Boxer mix. Just inside wrestling or out in the yard.
My pup loves to run and run and run. A couple days ago we ran 5 miles, but I am quite convinced that he will never be too tired to run with mama!