Everyone has so much to do these days and social media is stealing the spare moments we do have. How much of our time should be invested into our dogs? Should we own a dog if we don’t have the time to give them a happy life?
We will never be able to give a dog the freedom and easy access to exercise as a dog in the wild or on the street has, but that comes with domesticating an animal. All too often, people are saying and thinking that their dog is getting enough exercise, when the opposite can easily be observed.
If your dog is jumping around on the leash and you are standing there telling me that your dog is getting enough exercise and training, I won’t believe you. Every breed and each dog as an individual are different, of course, and some will need more or less movement than others.
But buying a husky, taking him on normal walks and then saying he is hyper because he is a husky is simply not fair to the dog. He is hyper, because you bought a husky because you thought he was pretty and aren’t giving him the exercise and work he needs.
We need to be buying dogs who match our lifestyle. If you don’t want to do some kind of sport with your dog where he can pull you and run his heart out, don’t buy a husky – bred to pull a sled at full speed through snow.
So how long of a walk is long enough?
For your average sized dog with your average amount of energy: 2 hours per day.
A very small dog might not keep up with that right off the bat, but if you increase the amount of time slowly and they enjoy the exercise, they can also walk that far. You will notice a significant change in your dog’s behaviour if you give him the movement he needs. He will be a calm, happy and much better behaved dog. I always say that a tired dog is a well behaved dog and it is so true.
In the mornings I go on an hour long walk with my dog group and feed them when we get back. They sleep until lunch. There is truly nothing better than a tired dog. It will make your life so much easier!
If you work and are worried about leaving your dog at home alone – give him the exercise he deserves and he will be fine sleeping until you get home.
How long do you take your dog on walks? Everyone’s definition of a long walk is different and I would love to hear about your routine in the comments!