The generic advice is '30 minutes of exercise per day.' Like most generic advice, it's right for some dogs and completely wrong for most others.
Exercise Needs by Category
Low energy breeds — Basset Hounds, Shih Tzus, Bulldogs, Pugs: 20-30 minutes of gentle walking daily. These dogs are not built for extended exercise and forcing it causes harm, especially in flat-faced breeds who struggle to breathe during exertion.
Medium energy breeds — Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Beagles, most mixed breeds: 45-60 minutes daily, split across two walks ideally. A single long walk is fine but two shorter ones give them more sensory variety.
High energy breeds — Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, Huskies, Vizslas, Weimaraners, Jack Russell Terriers: 90 minutes to 2+ hours daily, with mental work in addition to physical exercise. These breeds are not suited to apartment life without significant commitment to exercise.
Working breeds — Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd Police lines, sporting breeds: their exercise needs are more than most recreational owners can realistically provide. Know what you're getting into.
Age Adjustments
Puppies need less exercise than adult dogs, not more. The guideline for puppies is 5 minutes of exercise per month of age, twice daily — so a 4-month-old puppy needs 20 minutes twice a day maximum. Over-exercising growing dogs damages developing joints.
Senior dogs need exercise maintained as long as possible — movement preserves joint health and mental acuity — but intensity reduces. Shorter, more frequent gentle walks beat long strenuous ones for older dogs.
Mental Exercise Counts
A tired dog is a good dog — and mental tiredness is as effective as physical tiredness. Ten minutes on a snuffle mat or a treat ball is worth 30 minutes of walking for mental fatigue.
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