Is DDog getting enough exercise?

[DogMum123]

DDog is a lab on the slightly smaller side. We’ve had her about a year as a rescue and she is 3. When we got her her info sheet said that she was walked 40 mins a day and loved walks. She was a bit tubby when she arrived and struggled with walks to begin with. She has lost the weight and is trim and now goes on walks very happily!

She only gets walked once a day and now I’m worried this isn’t normal. She goes to daycare a couple of times a week and gets a good hour off lead. On the other days, between DP and I, we will walk her for about 40 minutes / 2-3 miles with most of it offlead in the park or woods (it depends on who is walking her, what we are doing that day etc). I have recently started doing couch to 5k and she comes along with me on those sessions.

[Jouska]

Just a 40 min walk a day is not a lot. However if you are doing brain training and other activities and interaction through the day it may work.

[DogMum123]

My post could have been clearer - 40 mins to 60mins and we typically cover 2-3 miles in that time. Of this on lead, she gets about 10 minutes and the rest is off lead. She runs around and sniffs etc, sometimes we will throw a ball. She was getting 40 mins a day when we got her but I don’t think she actually was given how she was then.

She gets play at home with toys and we do do regular training. She’s not destructive or anything in the home.

[BiteyShark]

Off lead walking is far more tiring for my dog (working cocker) than on lead. On lead just frustrates him.

Also don't forget that daycare is a lot of exercise and at ours he gets 1-2 off lead group walks and then if there is another dog spending the day there he can play with them when he likes. I often don't walk mine on his non daycare days as he needs the downtime but instead we may kick about with a ball or hunt out food in the house.

I think if a dog is in good health, not over weight and has different walks/training most days, isn't destructive or acting out in a bad way then they are getting what they need. Tbh my dog doesn't like traditional walks when it's just me and him and we end up hunting in a couple of spots rather than walking miles and miles.

From what you said it sounds fine.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

I have a working-bred dog a bit younger than yours and she gets 60-90 minutes most days. Most days she gets 20-30 minutes training included in that.

At weekends, she gets more. She's happy and fit on that.

In your shoes, I'd probably give my dog an extra short run in the evening, but I wouldn't worry if she seemed content.

[Toooldtobearsed2]

I was thinking about this just yesterday.

I have two labs. They are walked twice a day.

Walk one is all off lead. We walk for between 60 and 90 minutes. DDog 2 runs around like a loony, DDog 1 sniffs, walks a bit, sniffs. Catches up with us eventually. I would guesstimate that ddog2 walks at least twice as far as ddog 1.

Second walk is an hour max. Usually half an hour or so, in a fully enclosed field. We do lots of 'search and find', ball play, training, just general happy play. Ddog1 sniffs around, bounces enthusiastically now and then if a ball heads in his direction, but mainly just sniffs.
Ddog2 runs around like a loony.

They are both fit, a good size, sleep like a log for the rest of the day and are perfectly happy.
So, one size does not fit all. I have one dog who gets knackered running around, and one who gets knackered using his brain nose.

[Girlintheframe]

We used to have a lab and 40 minutes per day wouldn't have satisfied him but each dog is different.
Current Ddog gets 1.5-2 hours per day if he's not at daycare. Usually more at the weekends. This level of exercise seems to suit him. Without it he becomes fidgety. You know your dog best and if he seems content with 40 minutes and his weight is fine then I wouldn't worry

[adaline]

All dogs are different.

Ours gets a good hour off-lead in the morning where he can run, sniff and chase his ball. Some days that's all he gets, other days he comes out with us in the car on various errands or days out, or he gets a couple of lead walks if he's with my FIL that day.

He seems happy regardless and isn't destructive or anything in the house. He's happy to sleep or follow me around when I'm home and takes himself to bed at 8pm every night!

If he was unhappy we would up the exercise but at present I don't see the need. I think dogs adapt to what they get and hours of exercise a day doesn't necessarily result in a happy and tired dog - it can result in a dog that's overstimulated and impossible to tire out because he/she is so fit.

[Spidey66]

Our dog gets 1-1.5 hours twice a day. But she's a border collie with excessive energy, and would be impossible to manage unless she burns it off. this includes walking, some training (eg walking round the park with me without a lead, using treats to keep her close, or getting her to return her ball probably as she has a tendency just to run after the ball then either leave it or run off with it) playing with who ever's walking her (using balls and bubbles) and running around and playing with other dogs, which she loves.

[Spidey66]

probably=properly

[DogMum123]

Thanks that has made me feel a lot better. I often read / hear about people walking their dogs two / three times a day and worry I’m not doing enough but when we got her she struggled with 40 minutes. I can tell when she’s not been walked in the day (eg if one of us is at home with her and stuck on calls and we can’t take her out until later in the day) she gets grumpy so I do try to avoid this where possible.

She is currently snoring away on the sofa next to me after a day at daycare. She is absolutely shattered and usually is after being there for the day - she gets at least an hours long walk off lead there and lots of play. Sometimes she gets two walks there.

At home when DP and I walk her we might walk (or in my case also run/walk as of late) for X miles or Y time depending on what’s on that day but she will run off, sniff, come back and definitely covers way more distance than we do.

In the home we will also play with her, throw toys / ball etc. I think where I have the time I would take her out for a second walk. As the weather gets cooler we will also look to go out on slightly longer walks in the day on weekends.