How much should you walk your dog? We all know dogs need exercise. Kuro gets at least 2 walks a day at about half an hour each time, or sometimes more or less, she’s in heat recently, otherwise, she’ll get at least an hour a day now.

Most dogs should do 30 minutes to 2 hours of exercise a day. This can be in the form of playing fetch (indoors or out) with their favorite toys or walking the distance at a good pace. This can be all at one go, but it’s probably best to break it up into 2, or maybe 3. If you are like Kuro where she takes the business outside, then more is indeed more. Whilst there is no fixed formula, the best would be half an hour at each time if it’s for an effective workout.

And that may be more for Kuro who is a medium-sized dog. You might want to lower it or increase it for the size of your dog and the activity levels. A rule of thumb is, if your dog is doing more zoomies that day, there is a chance your dog has a lot of pent up energy. As long as your dog is comfortable, you can go way more.

When they walk, it’s also about boosting their overall health and sense of well-being. Leaving them bored with all that pent-up energy would mean destruction to your home, whether it’s furniture, the carpet, your things, etc. It’s good for them to explore new ground and territory that provide for new sights, smells and sounds. It’s also a good means to socialize your dog as they will be exposed to other people and dogs too. It’s also good discipline training for them, letting them walk beside you and familiarize themselves with their surroundings. Should they ever get lost, God forbid, they may actually know their way home. By the way, make sure you have a good dog tag.

And don’t forget to get your dog a decent collar, harness or leash. Check our if a collar or harness works better for you. Especially in public places. It is illegal not to leash your dog in public spaces in Singapore and this can attract a maximum fine of $5,000, particularly since there are people with Cynophobia or fear of dogs that live among us.

Another important point to note is obesity in pets is associated with a number of medical complaints including osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and insulin resistance, so they have multiple benefits from walking. PLUS, we dog-owners also enjoy numerous health and social benefits by walking our dogs. Benefits include improved cardiovascular fitness, lower blood pressure, stronger muscles and bones (built up by walking regularly), and decreased stress - plus, we get to keep our own weight in check too. YAY FOR US AND OUR DOGS.

Alternatives: Gym & Swim
Swimming actually promotes overall health for our dogs and tones and strengthens their muscles (actually ours too). We had no idea, until Stephen Cranston (of Barker and Pooch) said “Just one minute of swimming equates to four minutes of running!” even though, it made perfect sense. So, aside from being a bit of a fun activity, it is truly beneficial. It also strengthens the heart and lungs, increases metabolism and improves circulation. And this will shine through their skin and coat as well. Because of the resistance of the water, all the muscle groups are activated, thus improving their tone and strength meaning this healthy dog will remain active for longer. They also have treadmills that act as gyms for dogs as a form of strength conditioning as they provide elevation that we won’t get in our flat terrain in Singapore.