Can You Over Exercise A Dog?

There's nothing better than showing your dog you love him by taking him out for an adventure. You may be thinking that you are as fit as they come but remember that dogs share a common ancestor with wolves who can run all day if they have to. Whilst this can make it quite difficult to over exercise some of the larger dog breeds it can be very easy to over exercise a puppy.

A dog doing an agility course at lightening speed

Get to know how far your dog likes to walk, and make each one interesting by bringing a ball or a toy to retrieve. Training your dog whilst on a walk will also help to tire him out. It must be noted that some breeds of dog need a lot more exercise than others. For example dogs like Labradors and Vizslas will do well with a long daily walk but breeds such as the French Bulldog and the Pug risk serious health problems if they are over exercised.

A Pug ready for some exercise

Adult Dogs

Over exercising an adult dog can be quite difficult. See how long it takes for your dog to tire and then work around that. If you are walking your dog off the lead and allowing him to run around then he will tire a lot faster, but if you are walking him on the lead then you may need to exercise him for longer. Dogs enjoy being taken for a walk, so make it fun by bringing a ball or toy to play with along the way.

It is quite difficult to over exercise an adult dog

If your older dog suffers with heart or joint problems it is best to allow him to wander around the garden under your supervision. Avoid taking an older dog out during the hottest part of the day because their ability to regulate their body temperature deteriorates as they get older.

A Scottish Deerhound puppy can be over exercised

Puppies

Over exercising a growing puppy can result in joint problems, particularly with Giant Breeds like the Scottish Deerhound or the Great Dane. The Kennel Club suggests that a puppy should receive five minutes of exercise for every month of it’s age. For example, 10 minutes per day for a dog of 2 month, and 15 minutes a day for a dog of 3 months. This can be done in one or two walks per day, but until your puppy is at least a year old, it should be taken for no more than two walks per day.