Walks are crucial for supporting your dog's joint health and overall wellness. But walking needs vary widely between different dogs and can change over time. So how much is just right?
We break down the science behind canine exercise to help you tailor your furry friend's walking routine and support their joint health.
Key Takeaways
- Most dogs do best with daily walks, and experts generally recommend giving your dog at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day.
- However, exercise needs can vary based on many factors, including size, breed, age, health, and exercise tolerance.
- For example, puppies and senior dogs generally need shorter, more frequent, and lower-impact forms of exercise to protect their joints.
- Supplements, like CBD, glutathione, and functional mushrooms, are a great way to support and enhance joint health.
See More: Glutathione vs. NAC: A Comparison of These Antioxidants
The Ins and Outs of Walking Your Dog
Sean Zyer, founder of Earth Buddy, says:
"Walks are crucial for your dog's overall health, and their joint health specifically. How often you walk them will depend, but as a general rule, healthy adult dogs need at least one walk and 30 minutes of exercise per day."
Dog walks are a central part of owning a dog. As a loving pet parent, you likely already know how important it is to walk your dog!
We'll cover that in depth. But first, did you know that walking your dog is actually good for you, too? Research suggests that pet parents are far more likely to get more physical activity than people who don't own dogs.¹ It's one of several reasons dog ownership is associated with better health outcomes.²
Dogs benefit from walks as well. Walks provide physical exercise, which can help maintain muscle tone, expend excess energy, and support joint health.
Walks also provide crucial mental stimulation. They are a chance for your furry friend to interact with other dogs, explore interesting sights and smells, and are very important for a dog's mental health.
As with humans, regular exercise is key to your dog's health. But how much, exactly, does your dog need? And how else can you help support your dog's joint health?
How Much Exercise Does a Dog Need?
The exercise needs of dogs can vary depending on several factors. Different breeds, for example, may have very different needs. Herding breeds will likely have more energy and need more exercise and mental enrichment than lap dogs.
Size is another factor. Larger breeds are generally thought to need more exercise than smaller dogs.³
Health and current activity levels are another important consideration. Just like with humans, a dog that has gone months without exercise needs to gradually increase their activity levels rather than being thrown in the deep end with multiple long walks every day.
Bonus: Do Hemp Treats Work for Dogs?
Understanding Your Dog's Exercise Tolerance
Age also plays a key role in determining your dog's exercise routine. Your dog's body undergoes significant changes, and has different needs, as they grow.
Puppies
Puppies will need to go outside for bathroom breaks quite frequently. You may need to take them out every few hours, usually right after eating.
While puppies might seem full of energy, their small bodies are still developing and are quite delicate. That means you should avoid long walks or high-impact exercise like jogging or running.
Experts generally recommend walking puppies for about five minutes per month of age. For a four-month-old puppy, that would mean a walk of about twenty minutes, done once or twice per day.
Try to stick to softer surfaces like grass at first to protect your pup's developing joints. Don't overdo it, as too much exercise during this crucial stage can actually cause damage.
Adult Dogs
Once your dog is a fully grown adult, you can start taking them on longer and more frequent walks. In fact, you absolutely should be taking them out more often and for longer in order to support their health.
As we mentioned, how often you walk your dog depends on several factors, including your dog's tolerance for exercise, size, and breed.
However, most dogs need at least daily walks. Experts often recommend going for multiple walks per day. In general, you should aim for about an hour of physical activity per day.
Of course, some dogs will want more, and others might want less. Try to give your dog as much exercise as they want, while still sticking to general guidelines.
Pay attention to your dog's pace, energy level, and behavior. These will help you figure out whether your dog needs more regular walks or needs a break.
Senior Dogs
As dogs age, they usually need to slow down a little. Many develop mobility issues. In fact, research has found that 80% of dogs develop joint issues in later life.⁴
That means older dogs can't tolerate walks quite like they could when they were younger. But they still need walks for fresh air, mental stimulation, and for their overall well-being.
One way to strike this balance is to aim for shorter, more frequent walks at a slower pace. Try not to pull them along and give them time to sniff to their heart's content.
It's important to pay especially close attention to your senior dog's behavior. If they want to go home, they'll likely tell you. Stopping, lying down, pulling back on the lead, or simply turning around and heading home are all ways dogs let their owners know they've had enough.
If your dog is telling you they want to end a walk, make sure to listen. Chances are, they realize they are at their limit, and going further could cause damage.
The Science Behind Dog Walks
Walks are a little more complex than you might think. Dog walkers have to consider a number of different factors.
Establishing a Walking Routine
The most important thing is consistency. Dogs do well with routine. They'll likely appreciate it if you walk them at roughly the same time every day.
When they're young, consistency can also help teach them how to take potty breaks.
That said, dogs get bored just like we do. Try to mix up the activities you do on walks. You might focus on cardio one time, encouraging your dog to run around, and focus on mental exercise another time, taking your dog to spots with interesting smells and letting them sniff away.
Keeping Your Dog Safe
Like any kind of exercise, dog walking isn't without its risks. We already covered the importance of limiting exercise to protect your dog's joints, especially when they are still growing or a senior.
Another common danger is hot pavements. When it's hot out, and especially when it's sunny, concrete and tarmac surfaces can become extremely hot. They can burn your dog's paws.
A good way to test whether a surface is safe is to press the back of your hand against it for several seconds. If it's too hot for your hand to bear, it's too hot for your dog's paws. Wrap those paws up in protective footwear, take them on a different, cooler surface, or wait until things have cooled down a little.
Similarly, dogs can become overheated while exercising. Excessive panting, labored breathing, lagging behind, and a general reluctance to continue walking are all signs your dog might be overheating.
How to Support Your Dog's Joints
Physical activity is absolutely crucial for joint health. But it's far from the only way you can support your dog's joints, bones, and muscles.
Supplements, like liposomal glutathione or CBD dog treats, are a great way to help maintain healthy joints and connective tissue.
Glutathione
Glutathione is known as the "master antioxidant." It helps protect the body against reactive molecules called free radicals, which can cause a type of damage called oxidative stress.
Research has found that antioxidants are important for maintaining healthy cartilage, which is a key component of joints.⁵ One study found that an antioxidant-rich supplement enhanced joint health in dogs.⁶
The only problem with glutathione supplements is that the antioxidant itself gets destroyed by the digestive system, making it less effective. Earth Buddy's Liposomal Glutathione is the first of its kind to encapsulate the glutathione in tiny fat capsules, helping deliver it to your dog's cells. The glutathione is combined with other potent ingredients, like milk thistle extract and L-glycine, which are great for healthy joints.
Functional Mushrooms
Functional or adaptogenic mushrooms are also powerful antioxidants. Reishi, lion's mane, cordyceps, chaga, and turkey tail are all rich sources of antioxidant compounds.⁷ As such, they may be able to enhance joint health.
Earth Buddy's Focus + Immune mushroom blend contains five of these powerful functional mushrooms. These are mixed with whole plant extract to help maintain healthy joint and bone function.
CBD & CBDa
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is another great supplement that can help enhance joint health, especially when used with CBDa.
In one study, more than 80% of dogs given CBD demonstrated enhanced joint health.⁸ Another study found that CBD enhanced connective tissue function, helping to maintain joint mobility in dogs with joint stiffness.⁹
Earth Buddy's Mobility Hemp Extract contains an ideal ratio of CBDa and CBD Oils, plus organic MCT oil from coconuts, to help maintain normal healthy joint function and relieve occasional joint stiffness. The key here lies in the blend of both CBDa and CBD.
CBDa is able to act on different pathways than CBD to support comfort and pain. But when used in tandem, CBDa is able to enhance the absorption of CBD.
On top of that CBDa is less sedative than CBD. So, this may be the better option for senior dogs that sleep a lot - even if they’re sleeping 16 to 18 hours per day!
Earth Buddy also offers a Joint Supplements Bundle, which combines that mobility extract with the functional mushroom blend.
Conclusion
Regular walks are vital for your dog's joint health and overall wellness. How often you walk your dog depends on a number of factors, including their age, health, breed, size, and exercise tolerance. By following general guidelines and paying close attention to your dog's behavior, you should be able to tailor their exercise routine and support their health.
Supplements are another great way to support and enhance your dog's joint health. Glutathione, functional mushrooms, and CBD (including precursors like CBDa) are all excellent research-backed options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Walks a Day Do Dogs Need?
That depends on factors like the dog's age, size, breed, health, and exercise tolerance. Generally, adult dogs do well with at least one walk and at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day.
What Is the 7-7-7 Rule for Dogs?
The 7-7-7 rule, or "rule of sevens," is a handy guide for puppy socialization. To help puppies build confidence, try exposing them to seven different surfaces, objects, locations, people, challenges (like obstacles or puzzles), and food sources. Ideally, you'll manage this before your pup is 7 weeks old.
How Long Can a Dog Go Without a Walk?
That depends on the dog. While dogs generally need daily walks, most can skip walks for a day or two, especially if they have other forms of mental and physical stimulation. However, it's best to stick with daily walks to support your dog's health, and dogs with high-energy levels might be less able to tolerate skipped walks.
Keep Reading: Signs Your Pet Has Pollen Allergies and What You Can Do
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Sources
- Understanding Dog Owners’ Increased Levels of Physical Activity: Results From RESIDE - PMC
- No bones about it: Dogs are good for your health
- Variation in activity levels amongst dogs of different breeds: results of a large online survey of dog owners from the UK - PMC
- Relieving Pain, Restoring Joy: A New Approach to Canine Osteoarthritis
- Nutritional strategies for managing joint health in companion animals
- Efficacy of a dietary supplement in dogs with osteoarthritis: A randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial - PMC
- Medicinal Mushrooms: Their Bioactive Components, Nutritional Value and Application in Functional Food Production—A Review - PMC
- CBD: What you need to know about its uses and efficacy | Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
- A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of daily cannabidiol for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis pain - PubMed
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