# Honestly, how much excersise?



## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Ok, so I keep reading on multiple threads, about exercising our dogs. And to be honest, some if the dogs are getting waaaaaay more excersise than I can give a dog. 

My dogs have always been fine with 20-25 minutes of training daily or the same in pure cardio walking. I have had and trained multiple SAR dogs. They are working dogs, get worked a few times a week. But never have I lived with a dog that needs 4 hours of excersise a day. Like so many dogs on this forum seem to need to settle in the house. 

Am I just super lucky??? Or is every one else super unlucky???

So be honest, how much actual excersise do your dogs get daily? 


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## Eiros (Jun 30, 2011)

Lol it just depends on the day but compared to our first pup, who had no off switch, warden is mellow! If needed, he can be just fine with a morning walk and a midday walk... About 1.5-2 hours a day. He naps or chews the rest of the time.

Often though, it's 3-4 hours of exercise, an hour of training, socializing etc. not always because he needs it, but because it's fun for us both. 


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

2 hours of off-leash walking in deep snow and cold will knock 8 yo Rafi out for a couple of hours.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Beau gets on average about 45 minutes a day of flat out run time broken down into multiple fetch sessions, and 2-4 miles a day walking with me.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Mine don't get 4 hours, for us it varies through the winter months due to my increased work schedule. Some days they get 20 minutes of physical exercise, flirt pole, bicycle, or fetch, and others they may get closer to an hour divided up throughout the day. We go for walks 4-5 times a week, but they're not very long, maybe a mile or so, I hate neighborhood walks, too boring, so we mix in OB and we play tug along the way. Come spring will add in different length/difficulty hikes. We do take days off and all three dogs do fine with it.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Honestly? About one to two hours a day, usually broken up into half-hour segments: walks, on or off leash, fetch sessions, informal training. Both are pretty adaptable to my schedule.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Hans gets 20 minutes running on the treadmill, fetch and more fetch throughout the day, and he is penned only a maximum of 3 hours a day. The rest of the time he happily trots after whoever is moving around in the house.


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## Freddy (Apr 23, 2009)

depends on the dog, but I've found mental exercise, tasks and commands within the house can be a great supplement to physical exercise. I've found my dogs want to interact with me. That can be commands to receive a toy, rolling around on the floor, tricks and tasks you've tough them etc.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Today, not a lot because I feel like I'm coming down with something, couldn't even bend over to pick up the ball so we just played some JollyBall in the basement for about half hour both sessions. They wrestle some days more intensely than others, today they were off too, just a bit of head and foot chewing. 

Most days though, it's no less than a 45 minute walk, a couple ball sessions, maybe some intense wrestling sessions.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

My Shepherds get 30 min in the morning and 30 min at night of outside play for sure. When its nice out we go outside several times throughout the day to play fetch. If its cold outside we will play in the house.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

About 45min to 1 1/2 hours (depending on the day) of super fast power-walking and somewhere in there about 15-20 minutes of off leash time. Probably about 4-5 times a week.


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## ZoeD1217 (Feb 7, 2014)

Not really sure exact numbers. I generally play fetch a few times a day anywhere from 5-20 mins each time. Zoe goes out with the kids to play usually 2 hours a day if the weather is nice but she takes lots of little breaks as needed. 
No matter how much she gets in the day the moment I get the kids in bed and sit down about 8:30 she starts barking and growling like mad at me to get up and entertain her. 

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## boomer11 (Jun 9, 2013)

I highly doubt many dogs NEED 4 hours of exercise. Just a bunch of owners who think they do. A bunch of owners also think walking is exercise and it's not. 

My working line is fine with 30 minutes a day. That's what he gets most week days. He could go all day though. I could run him ragged to the point he's wheezing and act like he's dying. He'll nap for 30 minutes and then be up with a ball in his mouth whining for me to throw it.


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## Curtis (Jun 9, 2013)

My guy is super mellow at only 10 months. When he's switched on, it's 100%. When he's switched off, he's usually asleep no matter what time of day. 

We will start with fetch in the backyard followed by a few rounds of flirt pole lasting maybe 15 minutes total. A few minutes of obedience training. 

Relax. Breakfast. 

Then we'll head out to one of our hiking spots for about an hour. Back home for a nap. 

More fetch/flirt pole/obedience in the backyard for another 15 minutes. 
Relax. Dinner. 

Relax. Neighborhood walk for about 20 minutes. 

Bed time. 

Sometimes we have class, but this is a typical day for us. Also, he's in the car with me when I run to the store or wherever, so he's in and out all day. 

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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Now that I am able to bring my dogs to work with me, they get a good 20-30 minutes session in the bush before I start work in the morning, one on my lunch hour for the same amount of time and usually about 40 minutes - 1 hour of hiking or ball play per day. There have been days where the weather is too harsh (for me) to be out so they have gone without much outside time and just hung out with me at work or we traveled to a pet store to do some distraction training. We train indoors a bit as well each night and do fun activities insides as well that helps keep them busy.

We train (formally) once per week, sometimes two times per week depending on my schedule and do a large pack walk/hike with our dog club once per week.


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

Hmm. Well, I actually run with my dog 3-4 days a week; I run 8-9 miles each time, which means about 70-85 minutes/run. This really doesnt wear him out, I mean, he comes home and grabs his ball. He thinks it's his 'job' to accompany me, and I like taking him so I do-- but not really for exercise. 

I also take him hiking, we go several times a week, 4-7 miles at a time. Again, this is more for me than him, but the sniffing and the smells (which I don't allow freely on runs) do seem to 'wear' him out a little more. Still wants to play ball. 

If he gets two training or good 'play' sessions in, like maybe 20 min each, where we interact and we train his brain, he is more "worn out" than running 9 miles. I have been sick or busy though, and skipped everything. He does not act up in my house or become destructive, but a day or two goes by and by the third, he will sulk and let you know he is ready for action. He seems to know when a person (me) is physically ill, though. But there's no faking.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

At least 30 minutes of fetch/play time a day, he also uses the treadmill which he *loves*. Mentally I'm always keeping him on his toes throwing in obedience sessions throughout the day. We also go once a week to my parents where he spends the entire day playing with their labradoodle and foster dog.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

mine don't need 4 hours a day either, but Masi IS an energizer bunny

I do different things depending on the day, she's always out first thing in the morning, while I'm doing outside stuff, on days that I don't work, she usually goes with me when I run errands, we may take a hike, a walk, frisbee throwing broken up along the day. Night, she's out with me/husband for awhile, 

I don't think I can really calculate 'how much' exercise she gets a day, it's always different, but she does get to do "something" each day. 

If I had to leave her all day, with nothing to do, oh yeah, by the end of the day she is wound up and ready..

Since she's matured, she has a good off switch, and like most of the other gsd's I've had, she's ready to go when I'm ready to go, would go all day if that were the case, or hang out all day as well...


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

In terms of physical exercise, they get an hour or so a day playing in the yard with each other, mostly in the morning. 20-25 min walk at lunchtime. Afternoon we go on a 40-45 min hike (give or take, depending on how deep the snow is). Then I bring the puppy back in and take Echo back out for another half hour or so just to have some puppy-free play time and fetch time. In the evenings I do a couple of short fun OB/play sessions with the puppy and some one-on-one training time with Echo.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Hmmm fitbit for dogs?


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## katro (Feb 26, 2013)

It depends... Last year the winter was much milder and I was able to walk him for 1 to 2 hours a day and/or jog with him without getting frostbite! This winter has been bitter and icy and awful so the walking has been cut back, but my normal walking pace is between 3.5 and 4 mph and it keeps Ralphie in a constant trot. 

Lately he's been getting about 30 minutes of intense fetch in the yard. I've been working with him off-leash in the unfenced front yard, too, and he doesn't wander off. There's more distance for him to sprint after whatever toy I throw. He usually is good for 15 minutes, then has to lay down for a bit, lol. 

We also play "find it" and do some light fetching and tugging inside the house. Ralphie's pretty mellow for the most part and very seldomly begs or whines to play. Warmer weather is on its way, though, so jogging and multiple brisk walks will be on the schedule!


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## Zlata (Aug 31, 2013)

I truly believe that I made a huge mistake in over-exercising ours as a puppy. Everyone would tell me, oh, just exercise him! He will sleep like a baby! WRONG! LOL He can go and go and go if you let him. I used to be one of those people that would exercise him for 4 hours. It didn't really help him to settle at all.

I find that he is much happier (and less anxious) with a 20 minute walk & a 20 minute session of fetch in the AM and a 30 min walk/20 minute session of fetch in the PM. We will usually play another 10 minutes of fetch again in the evening (but not right before bed.)


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## shilorio (Mar 21, 2010)

With my boy it's endless. 
I mean is can sit in my room and tell him to lay down all day and he would do it but he will get up and walk around. 
It really depends what I am doing that day.. If I have time I will take him on a 4 or so training (on vest) or a hike. And he always gets off time, where he can either explore and run around and then some chuck it throwing. 
Then we play a little catch in my room at night or he will play with him self with the toys 
Haha he loves him some exercise and working


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## Bequavious (Mar 9, 2013)

It depends on how hot it is. In the summer a couple hour walk through the neighborhood is exercise. In the winter, though, you could run her the same distance, then play fetch all night and she'd still be chomping at the bit. On rainy days, training new things or doing nose work is usually fine, but after a few days of monsoon weather we're both going a little crazy.


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

gsdsar said:


> Ok, so I keep reading on multiple threads, about exercising our dogs. And to be honest, some if the dogs are getting waaaaaay more excersise than I can give a dog.
> 
> My dogs have always been fine with 20-25 minutes of training daily or the same in pure cardio walking. I have had and trained multiple SAR dogs. They are working dogs, get worked a few times a week. But never have I lived with a dog that needs 4 hours of excersise a day. Like so many dogs on this forum seem to need to settle in the house.
> 
> ...


I think the last time I answered this question, MONTHS ago.. we were doing a lot more because I had a lot more time.. but things have changed.. 

Right now he gets a "daily" 2-3 mile walk (quotes only because there are days weather is nasty, or like this week I injured myself and could barely walk so we skipped a couple days).. on occasion, I'd say 2 times a week, in addition to his 2-3 miles we run 1.5-2 miles in the morning before I leave for work.

In addition to all that.. we play fetch at least twice a day til he drops.

I used to do more, and when I can stop hurting myself and get my dang schedule fixed.. I think I will because he would love to do more.. this boy has never ending energy ever. But for now, he is doing decent on this regimine as long as I throw in some OB with it all.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

My pup gets 6 fetch sessions per day in the dead of winter, but when it's too hot here then that's only done early morning or later at night and we swim during the day instead. Moderate weather will include bike riding. Off leash walking is great too, but right now with the spring thaw (and soon-to-be-exposed goose crap) the river is too dangerous so that spot's off limits for now.


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

boomer11 said:


> A bunch of owners also think walking is exercise and it's not.


I truly think that depends on the dog, distance, and stage of life. If I took Titan for a mile stroll through the neighborhood, he would laugh at me and go "ok now what?" BUT if I go at least 2-3 miles at an actual walking pace (not just strolling along), now we're talking.. he generally gets home and reacts the same way as if we ran our 1.5 miles. He didn't used to be like this when he was younger, but in the last year, he tuckers out much quicker.. doesn't mean he doesn't have endless energy, because that dog will chase a ball for DAYS if he could he just get tired quicker.. 

I get the general idea though because most owners idea of a walk is around the block at a strolling relaxing pace. But even that.. distance is really where actual exercise comes into play. Ex: If I run 3 miles, I burn just as much if I walk those 3 miles, one just takes longer.. that's why a lot of people tend to go for LONG walks because it is actually really great exercise but isn't bad on your joints.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

On a busy day, no physical exercise and 5 minutes of training inside. Plus play with each other for an hour or so. 

On a not busy day, up to a few hours when we're out in classes, etc. They can function just fine for days without physical exercise, though. 

Finding lines with an off switch and teaching a dog to settle go a LONG way.

eta; Frag is a medium drive/medium energy dog. Recon is a high drive/high energy dog. Patton is what I would call medium energy/high drive at this point.


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## N Smith (Aug 25, 2011)

My female needs a minimum of 4 hours a day to be content, 2 hours if I just want her tolerable out of a crate. She is far more extreme in energy than other GSD's I have met, probably closer to a working Mals energy. Also, very HIGH drive all around.

My male has that genetic "off switch", so he can have 2 hours a day (Exercise/Training) and be somewhat content. With 4 hours he is much happier all around. I would consider him medium energy, but again VERY high drive all around.

I have only seen my female tired a handful of times over the last 4 years, one of which was after 10 days of training, competing and a seminar, then she was tired enough to sleep while we drove home. Other than that, even doing multiple hours of training, physical exercise and hard drills (agility) she will lay down for 20 minutes, then get up and be ready to go again. Definitely not what I was expecting for my first Shepherd, but I would never trade her for the world.


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

I've been thinking about this question a lot myself, ever since Molly injured her knee and had a TPLO surgery last year, and now it seems she may be having another issue once we get to a certain level of exercise. Prior to her injury she sure loved going on agility equipment, high energy dog play, and hike 3-6 miles.

My neighbor has a pitbull who also just had the TPLO knee surgery and I am meeting more and more people who have dogs that are getting injuries similar to a humans that over work themselves when playing sports. Right now we are doing about an hour a day, broken into 2 or 3 walks, no crazy dog play or jumping. Our dog seems fine, is not destructive or anything, my daughter and I would prefer to walk more for our own exercise benefit but we do not want to re-injure our dog.l


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## stmcfred (Aug 13, 2013)

I thought I had to exercise Lola for 4 hours for her to settle. Then someone mentioned about me just building her endurance which could backfire on me when she's older. 

So right now (since it's freezing most days) she gets a 1 hour off leash walk through the trails. We bring a ball and we play while we go. As well as a little obedience training mixed in. 
When I'm working on the computer we'll play some ball. Luckily my house layout provides a good amount of space for us to.
We do a few short obedience lessons and go outside a few times for short periods to play fetch or tug. 

And of course I have a 9 year old dog that she loves to play with.


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

stmcfred said:


> I thought I had to exercise Lola for 4 hours for her to settle. Then someone mentioned about me just building her endurance which could backfire on me when she's older.


I honestly hadn't thought about that until recently. I wish I would have known that when Titan was a puppy. I can't help but wonder if my active lifestyle, plus thinking I NEEDED to exercise him so much contributed to his nearly non-existent stop button..


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## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

About an 1 to 1 1/2 hours every day (sometime days are morning and evening walks, some days are morning walks and evenings doggy park or early dog beach and evening walks.) plus training and playing ball or doing nosework. He also does a few days doggy day camp where he's playing all day with a lunch and midday rest periods. We also have 3 classes a week. 
With working I just don't have the time for 4 hour exercises or 2 hour hikes etc every day. I commend those that can, but I just can't. I'm so glad I have a pretty calm 14 month old. He also has HD so we try not to overwork him, but we still let him be a dog and play, just no jumping.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

1 hour in the morning, 20 minutes or half hour in the evening is my routine.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

During the week, my boys are out in the yard all day, which I don't count as 'exercise'. Every night I take them out in the pastures and let them free run. Some times we play fetch. Then we go to the pond and most nights they'll swim. 

My GSD will come to me when he's tired. My Lacy....rarely tires. We bought a remote control speed boat to use in the pond. The Lacy will chase it. THAT will get him tired. I get to sit on my butt and he does all the work. 

If the dogs start getting snippy with eachother, I know I need to exercise them more. I do a lot of mind games like laying tracks and playing find it with them.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Sinister could go forever without a walk, his energy is whatever I want it to be. 

Draco really needs to be walked but it has been really cold around here and Draco does not do well in the cold because he is a sissy so we have not been going for walks for several months but he does need them and he has been getting very restless lately.

Sinister is low/medium energy and Draco is medium/high energy but both settle well in the house until Draco gets the zoomies and runs around the house like a mad man with his Kong Wubba. :wild:

So their exercise for right now is chasing each other in the yard for a couple of hours a day, wrestling with each other pretty much all day and chewing on bones, playing tug-o-war and their Everlasting Treatball, Everlasting Treat Wheeler and their Everlasting Fun Ball. We also work on basic obedience for 10-15 minutes a day. 

Wanted to add, when we go for a walk it's usually between 2-5 miles and I do consider that as exercise for the dogs, we are not slow walkers. They almost always end up off leash at some point and get to run around like fools.


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## glowingtoadfly (Feb 28, 2014)

When she was a crazy one year old, three mile hike or half hour playing fetch at a tennis court then a half hour walk every day, off leash fetch in the yard or at a park at least three times a day, plus working on long downs in the morning while my husband had his coffee. Now they get a few marathon play sessions in the yard in the morning, then half hour walks at night because it is very cold. We work on obedience/ handling in exchange for breakfast and dinner, and Skadi gets a half hour German obedience lesson every day while I work on teaching Grim to fetch.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Hunter went two weeks straight without exercise and he was fine, but I wasn't. I like to get out and DH and I are super active, outdoorsy people. If Hunter doesn't get any walks, on a rainy or super cold day, he is chill around the house and you can't really tell.

Living in the apartment we had to go out for exercise, often drive somewhere. They couldn't even really play in the apartment because it was so small. Now that we are in a house, my two get playtime inside (they have play time in my carpeted basement), playtime in the fenced yard. They get IPO training once a week until the weather improves, obedience/tracking/scent detection through out the week and whenever we go on hikes or excursions (which is often) they come with us.

Mine do get a lot of exercise, not because they need it, but because that is just our lifestyle. I've never trained so much in my life, either... seems like we are training during all our free time during the day.

I love it, though. Not complaining, neither are the dogs. When we are relaxing inside, they are sleeping.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

My pup is restless and doesn't really settle unless he has some intense exercise. We don't have a place to walk, but have an acre of land so I use a chuck-it for his exercise as well as a flirt pole. He's been on crate rest (again) and just got to play with his beloved chuck-it again in the past couple of days. He's been fairly good in the house, he's not hyper, but doesn't lie around and snooze at all either. I'm looking forward to wearing him out so I can have some peace in the house again, since he's too much into the cat's business all the time otherwise.

To answer your question, he actually doesn't require that much exercise, he just needs something that really pushes him for a fairly short period of time. 30 minutes of hard running and he's decent in the house. I usually do it 2 or 3 times a day in addition to his training.


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## Oisin's Aoire (Jun 17, 2013)

I ..don't ..have a structured exercise routine for him ? We are an active family..but the weather has been awful lately. The kind of crusty hard snow that breaks through all over the place and is a danger for twisted everything on dogs and people. 

He is real attached to my kids , one of which has autism and is never sitting still. So he is kind of always moving . I was concerned about " running " him before one year of age , so it has pretty much been multiple walks and games of tug here and there throughout the day. Now that he is 1 , and the nice weather is coming I will do my daily 3 mile run with him in addition. And hikes. 

I just realized come June 2nd all 3 of the kids will be and school all day so we'll probably hike a lot too. Because I need to be more active too lol


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Thanks all for the honest answers. My pups can certainly go for a lot longer than I usually do. I could hike for hours and they would still be ready for more. But I don't find it "necessary" for them to settle. 

I guess that was my "point". It has been a very yucky winter. And we are now expecting another 9 inches of snow. And yes, my pups get a bit wound up, it's never been intolerable. All of them have great "off switches". 

My pup does need to build more endurance, so I plan on upping his cardio now that the weather is better and the days are longer. 

If I count the play time with my pack and outside yard time, it probably works out to more than I stated. Just was curious, if I was an anomaly. 


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## TommyB681 (Oct 19, 2012)

For general health I try and do about an hour a day. Sometimes its more or less pending on my schedule or her mood. Sometimes she more energetic then others. My buddy has a Mal with a relentless engery level its play play train play train walk run ALLL DAY, or else it wont sleep at night. (pretty funny actually) However, hes a Marine and does cross-fit so hes just as off the wall and the dogs perfect for him. 

My typical day is 2 20-30 minute walks and about 20- 30 minutes of obediance or ball play


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## lovemygirl (Jan 19, 2014)

My girl is somewhere between 4 and 6 years old (no one can pin her age down since her previous owner cut down all her teeth and clearly didn't go to a dentist to do it) and our exercise schedule varies between:

4-6 short walks (15-20 min each) a day + 3 sessions of fetch lasting 20-30 minutes each 

or

4-6 short walks a day + 2 sessions of fetch at 20-30 minutes + 1 hour vigorous hiking/exploring

This depends on my work schedule, season, etc. I work on commands/training with her at least every other day. She does well with this and is conked out the day following any day that involves hiking 

My last dog was a beagle, who wouldn't even walk a mile 

Really though, she is my first shepherd and I am surprised by how "little" exercise she needs/wants. This amount of exercise keeps her at a healthy weight & keeps her boredom at bay. She starts to go a little stir crazy though if I'm laid out (super sick) for a couple of days and we drop to just the walks.


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