DISCLAIMER/DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. The information contained in this site is for educational and informative purposes ONLY and is NOT advice. Also, this website and the information contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Please refer to our Disclaimer Policy for more information.
Last Updated on April 26, 2024 by Thee Puppypreneur
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU GO FOR DOGS WALKS
How often should you walk your dog is a personal question. I personally go for 3 dog walks a day, every day.
Dog walks, daily are good for conditioning, muscle memory and building and maintaining strength.
Depending on how far and how long you go for dog walks will depend on how often you should walk your dog.
Keep in mind what you and your dog can tolerate. 3 times a week may not be enough for what you are trying to achieve with your dog or maybe they still have lots of energy the days in between.
Like I said, I walk my little girl every day and 3 times a day but they are short walks and she always wants to walk more.
We would probably be going for walks all day if it were up to her but again you need to factor in you and your health and your dog’s age, health, breed and lifestyle.
HOW FAR SHOULD I WALK MY DOG OR GO FOR DOG WALKS
When walking your dog there are several factors to consider.
- Age
- Breed
- Health
- Terrain
- Temperature
Age is a very relevant factor in taking them for dog walks, as puppies clearly have more energy than let’s say a senior dog with arthritis.
Therefore, if you have a younger or more energetic do you will want to go for a longer walk closer to 30 minutes or over.
Breed is another factor to consider as certain dogs are not meant to be true hiking or marathon dogs.
Dog breeds can consist of low energy, lazy dogs such as your English Bulldog or Mastiff.
While some sportier dogs such as the rambunctious Jack Russel or the Australia Cattle Dog have lots of energy and can go for very long walks and runs.
Health is a very determinate factor as there are always several things to consider.
For example, just because your dog has arthritis or a heart condition doesn’t mean you should stop taking him for dog walks. More on that later in this article.
Obviously, you need to consult with a vet to make sure your dog’s specific conditions can be well tolerated by dog walks and this will give you a better understanding of how often you should walk your do as well.
Terrain is another factor to consider as a hike uphill will likely put more strain on your dog, then a ½ mile walk around the neighborhood.
Also, when hiking or in rugged terrain you want to be mindful of rocks or sharp objects so as not to tear up your furry friends’ pads.
Temperature is also a factor, as when it is very hot or humid outside, dehydration or heat stroke is a very strong possibility as well as scorching hot pavement can burn or hurt your furry friends’ feet.
Check out our article below for more information;
THE DANGER OF HEAT STROKE IN DOGS AND HELPFUL TIPS TO PREVENT IT
BENEFITS OF WALKING YOUR DOG
Walking your dog consistently, can have tremendous health benefits not only for you but also for your pet.
This allows the both of you to get in bonding time, while allowing your dog to explore nature and relieve excess pent-up energy.
You can also use this time as a training tool to teach your beloved pet how to walk on a leash and have manners.
HOW TO WALK A DOG WITH HEALTH OR MOBILITY ISSUES
Just because your dog has a medical condition doesn’t mean that you should avoid being outdoors, unless that specific medical condition prevents them from being outdoors.
If your medical condition is mobility or lifestyle related (e.g. Pomeranian on 5 mile jog or overweight beagle) then try what I do. I personally have an arsenal of outdoor items for my fur kid as she is very spoiled, but sometimes, I want to go for a super long walk or jog sometimes 3 or more miles and there are trails or hills and I want to keep up my cardio.
You won’t be able to do that effectively with a dog with health or mobility issues but you can still give them the opportunity to be outdoors with you and explore and get fresh air. And believe me in the beginning they may not be so excited to get in a stroller but once they realize they are outdoor for longer and farther they are going to want to check out the sights and scents all the time. They will literally perk up and want in the stroller every time they see it because they know their going outside for a dog walks.
I purchased an amazing stroller, which was difficult to find considering her 80 plus pound size and her length when laying down inside and my endless list of requirements.
This stroller
has shocks and suspension allowing for off-terrain and also you can replace the inner tubes of the tires with puncture resistant tubes and carries up to 110 pounds.
Not to mention this awesome stroller can also be hooked up to a bike, so you can trailer it behind you.
In case that may not suit your needs the other option (that I am buying next) is this bad boy, which can hold up to 110 pounds
They are both amazing choices and I will let you know which one I prefer once I buy the Ibiyaya, but that will be for a different post.
Now, even dogs with arthritis can benefit from being walked, even if only for a very short walk of 5 or 10 minutes around your block.
This can increase joint mobility and flexibility and build their muscle memory. Dogs with certain heart issues can also benefit from a short dog walk as it increases oxygen flow and helps improve circulation and heart strength.
You could even bring your stroller with you and when you notice your dog getting tired, then put them in it and finish your walk.
HOW LONG SHOULD I WALK MY DOG
Just because you can run a couple miles in the morning doesn’t mean that your beloved couch potato is up for the same challenge.
You’re obviously not going to go for a morning 5-mile hike with your beloved Pekinese.
So, if you are walking a a dog that is smaller those little legs aren’t going to be happy after an hour as much as a golden retriever would be.
For me, starting off slowly is better and there is no rule of thumb that fits every dog.
If you have a smaller dog, a lazy dog, an older dog or a dog with health issues, WATCH THEM WHEN YOU WALK THEM.
Go for 5 or 10 minute dog walks and observe. Are they dragging behind or slowing down?
Are they having a hard time keeping up with your pace or panting excessively or drooling?
Then there are some dogs who just want to go and go and go and while they may still have tons of energy after an hour of running with you.
I would say you still need to be cautious and even if your dog’s tongue is hanging out and he’s super happy and wants to play more you should exercise good judgment and wind your dog down after a very long and hard run or play session.
You should slowly build to 30 minutes to an hour walk, again this is dependent on the dog.
Also, maybe you walk slow, maybe your dog walks slow. So, a one hour walk for someone may be a mile whereas the other person which is the slower unit is only at a quarter mile to a half a mile after the same hour.
There is not a one walking-time fits all here.
HOW TO MONITOR YOUR DOGS ACTIVITY LEVEL
I personally use this on my fur kids and I swear by it, and it is absolutely invaluable to me.
This little genius contraption monitors my child’s activity. I chose the Fitbark 2 because it has no monthly fee and I don’t need a GPS tracker.
They make one with a GPS tracker if you have a runner or escape artist and manage to misplace them then they have another model with a monthly fee for you. The one below is the gps tracker with monthly fee
Amazon.com: FitBark GPS Dog Tracker 1st Gen (2019) Previous Generation : Pet Supplies
However,
is more than enough for me because it allows me to see;
- How far we’ve walked
- How many calories she has burned
- How good she is sleeping
- How long she is resting
- How long she is playing
- How long she is active
This comes in handy when I am walking her because I can see if she is slowing down based on her activity or play on an hourly, daily, weekly and monthly basis and it keeps logs so I can go back the previous week and check our dog walks and see her activity levels.
I can see how far we have traveled for the day and we try to shoot for 0.75 mile daily right now with her 3 walks.
It also tells me how she is resting, which means if I pushed her too hard and maybe she is uncomfortable or restless then she will have less sleep time and less rest time meaning maybe her joints are sore from walking.
It is waterproof, only needs to be charged every 6 months and they have cute, little, brightly colored cases if you don’t like the plain black one that comes with it.
I can literally go into my app and go back months and compare how she was doing then to how she is doing now. You can also compare against other users in the app to see how your Labrador stacks up against other Labradors or whatever breed your dog is.
You decide whether your dog is a couch potato or an Olympic athlete and they show you how your dog stacks up against other couch potatoes.
