Exercise for Dogs

Q. How much excercise does my dog need each day?

A. As a general rule all animals needs exercise every day. Depending on the breed the amount varies. But let's cover this question based on the size of your animal and then you may want to do some research on your own about your specific breed to find out exactly how much at a minimum you should exercise your dog.

• Small dogs: at least 30 minutes of rigorous exercise each day, walking, running, playing fetch
• Medium dogs: 30 minutes 2x a day of rigorous exercise eachday, walking, running, playing fetch
• Large dogs: 45 minutes 2x a day of rigorous exercise each day, walking, running, playing fetch

Q. I work all day and don't have alot of time to exercise my dog...any suggestions?

A. It is very important that you choose the dog that is right for your lifestyle and activity level. But let's just say that you already have the animal and he/she requires exercise or at least two 30 min blocks of exercise a day.

• Pair up with a neighbor that has the same needs - you can walk in the morning and they can walk them at night or switch off days
• Consider hiring a neighbor kid to come and walk them once or twice a day
• Play ball with your animal while you are getting ready for work.
• Find an retired person in the area that may need companionship and see if they would be willing to walk your animal once or twice a day in exchange for picking up groceries or mowing a lawn
• Find a doggie day care
• Break up the 30 minutes into 15 minute increments. 15 minutes when you wake up - during your coffee - play fetch, then run around the block for 15 right before your shower. When you get home, play fetch again and then a little while later run around the block.
• Be creative - ask other dog owners how they manage - you may just come up with somethng you never thought of!