The Right Dog for Your Fitness Levels

Owning a dog is fantastic. You really do get a friend for life, but, of course, you have to look after that friend.

Top of the list is taking care of their health. If you want your dog to enjoy a long and healthy life, you have to do your part. That means feeding him or her right and making sure that they get the right type of exercise, and enough of it. This is also important for your dog’s mental and emotional wellbeing.

A dog that gets enough exercise is always happier than one that does not. Their brains are kept sufficiently occupied, so they do not get bored. In addition, a well-exercised dog is less likely to suffer from anxiety and stress.

You need to be sure that you can cope with the physical demand your dog is going to put on you as well as the strain they are going to put on your wallet.

Exercise Guide

Here are a few guidelines to help you to make the right choice. How much exercise does your dog need? When looking at a dog you need to understand, exactly what their exercise needs are. Below is a short guide, but you can get more detailed information here.

• Herding and sporting dogs – between 30 and 45 minutes of exercise twice a day
• Terriers – a minimum of 60 minutes a day
• Hounds – this group is a real mixed bag, so it is hard to put a time on how much
• exercise they need, but you have to make sure they get a good long, fast run at least twice a week.
• Toy dogs – do not make the mistake of believing these little dogs do not need exercise. They do, around 30 minutes a day at least.

Can You Handle it?

Ok so that gives you some idea of how long you will need to walk certain breeds for, but bear in mind puppies need more exercise than this. Therefore, if you get a young dog you need to be physically capable of being active more, and in all weather conditions.

Of course, once your dog gets older they will not walk as far, but they will still want to be out for as long. Therefore, you need to ask yourself whether you will be up for a 45-minute walk in ten year’s time. If you think the answer is going to be no, will you have the funds to hire a dog walker.

The Best of Both Worlds

Sometimes a crossbred dog is the best option. This is because they have the characteristics of both breeds. Often, crossbreeding a hyperactive dog like a Springer with a slower and calmer breed like a bulldog produces a puppy that has the best of both worlds. These are a bit more energetic than your average bulldog, but nowhere near as hyperactive as a Springer. You can find some great crossbred puppies for sale from Douglas Hall Kennels.

However, you do have to do your research before buying this type of dog. You need to listen to what the kennel owner says about this kind of dogs exercise needs, and speak to owners of them on dog forums.

*This is a collaborative post