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Whilst some pet owners dedicate hours daily to walking their dogs, others manage only quick trips around the neighbourhood due to time constraints.
However, an expert warns you might be harming your dog by exercising them either too much or too little – regardless of their age and breed.
Speaking on TikTok, veterinarian Nichola Rous, known on social media as @drnicolerous.vet, revealed how many times you should walk your dog per day – and whether one lengthy walk or several shorter outings are more beneficial.
In her clip, she explains puppies require “five minutes of exercise per month of their life, twice a day”.
Provding an exmaple, she said this means a four-month-old pup should receive two 20-minute activity sessions daily to satisfy their requirements.
She explained: “This includes walks but it also include exercise in the back yard, games you’re playing, things like that.”
Regarding mature dogs, she states the standard guideline involves exercising them for 30 to 60 minutes twice daily.
Nevertheless, she recognises breeds such as border collies may require more outdoor time than chihuahuas.
She continued: “Senior dogs need a similar level – 30 to 60 minutes [twice a day] but the type of exercise [you do with them] is really important for their joints.
“We want to look at low impact exercises. Consider the surface of the types of walks you’re going on and consider hydrotherapy.
“The exercise is so important to keep going, even if they have arthritis. We want to make sure that we’re still using their brain because that’s just as important as it is for humans.”
Ensure you conduct your own breed-specific research regarding how frequently you should walk your dog.
Responding to her post, one user remarked: “My dog gets walked only one or twice a week for 20 minutes or so. He is 21-years-old.”
Another user commented: “My five-month-old pup goes for a 45 minute to an hour walk everyday, some days he only does for 30 minutes depending on plans for the day. If we didn’t walk him for that long he would be climbing the walls!”.
A third user noted: “My senior gets a walk every two-and-a-half to three hours since he doesn’t like using our garden.
“Long walk in the morning and shorter walks for the rest of the day. He would never make it on only two walks.”
Supporting her assertions, the Kennel Club concurs it’s optimal to walk your dog twice daily and maintains once a day should be an absolute minimum.
A statement declares: “Every dog should have at least one walk a day, often two given that in some circumstances under veterinary advice the dog should be rested.
“The government recommends that we get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day and this is something that everybody can achieve – and go beyond – on a daily dog walk.
“The amount of exercise your dog needs will vary according to its breed, but every dog should have at least one walk a day, often two.”
