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How Much Exercise Does My Dog Need?

Calling all dog parents! Let’s start with some burning questions: Are you a newbie owner? Is your pooch packing on a few extra pounds? Are they bored? Or treating your loafers like chew toys?

One word: EXERCISE. It’s vital for a healthy, non-problem-child pooch. (And it can be good for your BMI, too!)

Your dog’s breed and age are the two factors that determine how much exercise they need. Check out these tips to be sure your pooch is getting the right amount of physical activity every day.

Start with Your Dog’s Breed Group

Your dog’s breed group helps determine their exercise needs.

Sporting group dogs are energetic, natural athletes who should get approximately 90 minutes of high-intensity exercise. They enjoy long, brisk walks, hikes in the woods, swimming and playing fetch.

Examples: Retrievers, pointers, setters and spaniels

Blue-collar pooches in the working group are happiest when they have a job to do. They need about one to two hours of fun, pant-inducing activity every day. Take them for long walks or hikes, or create a homemade agility course in your backyard.

Examples: Boxers, Alaskan malamutes, Rottweilers and Siberian huskies

Sixty to 90 minutes of vigorous exercise and play daily? That’s what most high-IQ, high-energy herding group dogs need. You can’t go wrong with activities that challenge them physically and mentally, like long power walks and fun games like fetch, chase and Frisbee.

Examples: Shepherds, collies and sheepdogs

Sight hound dogs need roughly 30 minutes of regular exercise, and scent hound dogs should get about one hour of intense exercise. Take sight hounds on walks or have them do a couple of sprint workouts each week. Scent hounds need longer periods of vigorous activity and love hiking, jogging or playing tracking games in the woods. (Shocking, we know.)

Examples: Afghan hounds, greyhounds, whippets, beagles, bloodhounds and basset hounds

Short-legged terrier group breeds need about 30 minutes of exercise every day, while their longer-legged counterparts need one hour or more. Ideal exercises include fast-paced walks, hikes in the forest and chasing their favorite squeaky ball in the backyard or park.

Examples: Jack Russell terriers, West Highland white terriers (Westies), Yorkshire terriers (Yorkies) and schnauzers

Most petite pups in the toy group are lap dogs, but they should still get approximately 30 to 60 minutes of moderate exercise — they tend to get too husky when they don’t get proper workouts. Plus, toy dogs can really get their hearts pumping in a small area, so consider complementing your daily walks with indoor dog exercise.

Examples: Chihuahuas, Pomeranians and Maltese

here are a ton of different breeds in the nonsporting group, so start with 30 minutes of daily exercise and adjust. Each breed’s exercise needs are unique, and short-nosed dogs, like bulldogs and Shih Tzus, should only have short periods of moderate activity.

Examples: Dalmatians, bulldogs, chow chows and poodles

If you’re the proud parent of a mutt who’s mushed your heart, just follow the exercise suggestions for the most dominant breed or two. (Or ask your vet!)

Factor in Your Dog’s Age

When figuring out how to exercise with your dog, consider your dog’s age. Each stage has unique exercise requirements.

Puppy Exercise Needs

Puppies are balls of energy that do best with short bursts of exercise. (Think zoomies in the backyard.) The best activities are short, easy walks, a few play sessions throughout the day and, of course, obedience training. Avoid long walks and running because they can be too hard on your pup’s growing bones and joints.

Adult Dog Exercise Needs

Healthy adult dogs can do just about anything! Whether it’s walking, running, hiking, swimming, or playing tug-of-war or fetch, they’ll be getting the exercise they need to stay healthy and happy — plus they’ll enjoy spending time with you.

Senior Dog Exercise Needs

Although your senior dog might move at a slightly slower pace than before, they still need exercise and playtime. You may want to shorten walks and fetch time, though, and do other low-impact activities like learning new tricks.

Fuel Your Dog Every Day

Finally, make sure your dog is properly fueled for their next workout. Feed them high-quality, nutritionally balanced IAMS™ food that’s tailored for their unique size and life stage.

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Common Questions & Tips About Feeding Dogs

Giving your dog the right nutrients and a complete, balanced diet does not have to be a head-scratcher. All you need to know is what can dogs eat, how much to feed your dog or puppy, how to feed dogs, how many times to feed a dog, how to handle treats and supplements, etc. And this article tries to answer commonly asked questions on dog feeding.

How do I decide what to feed my dog?

When deciding which dog food is right for your pet, consider these three factors:

Your dog’s life stage (Whether your dog is a puppy, an adult, or a senior)
Lifestyle (How active your dog is)
Condition (Overall health and body weight of your dog)

How many times should I feed a dog?

Puppies should be fed three times a day from weaning (3 to 6 weeks) to 4 months of age. After 4 months, they should be fed twice a day. Most dogs should continue to be fed twice a day throughout their life, although some pets do well with one feeding.

How much should I feed my dog?

The answer to this question depends on your dog’s age, size, and activity level. Feeding guidelines, which list the daily-recommended portion, are included on all IAMS™ packages. Start feeding your dog with this amount and adjust according to its needs. Remember to divide the portion accordingly if you feed more than once a day.

How much should I feed a puppy?

The amount of food you need to feed your puppy depends on 3 main factors — breed, weight, and age. However, you can look at this puppy feeding table that we recommend for puppies:

Puppy	Adult Target Weight (KG)	Recommended Daily Feeding (g/day)
<3 months 3-6 months 6-9 months 9-12 months 12-18 months
Toy breed	1-3	15-72	32-83	37-83
	3-5	33-106	72-121	83-121

Small breed (25-50)	5-8	48-151	106-172	111-172	111-170	Transition to IAMS™ Proactive Health™ Adult Dog Food
	8-10	69-178	151-204	170-204	170-201

Medium breed	10-20	82-299	178-343	201-343	201-339
	20-25	137-346	339-404	339-404	339-404

Large breed	25-40	136-492	346-575	404-575	396-575	396-563
	40-50	191-509	493-675	575-681	563-681	553-676

This diet contains 390 kilocalories of metabolizable energy (ME) per 100 gms. Remember to have clean, fresh water available for your dog always.

When should I switch puppy to adult dog food diet?

You should not change your puppy’s food to adult abruptly. Giving your pet time to acclimatize to the new taste of adult food is very important. Also, if you suddenly switch your pup’s food, it can cause digestive problems. Go through this schedule that will help you understand how much to feed your dog and transition your dog’s diet from puppy food to adult food:

Day 1 – Add 75% puppy food and mix 25% adult food in your dog’s plate.
Day 2 – Add both foods in equal quantities i.e. 50% puppy food and 50% adult food.
Day 3 – Increase the quantity of adult food to 75% and bring down the quantity of puppy food to 25%.
Day 4 – Fully transition to adult dog food.

If you are wondering how much to feed your puppy by weight and age, check out the weight and age-wise breakdown on when to transition your puppy’s diet to adult food:

Weight Range	Age to Begin Transition
Small breeds that weigh < 9.07 kgs	9 and 12 months of age
Medium breeds that weigh between 9.07 and 22.6 kgs	12 to 14months of age
Large breeds that weigh more than 22.6 kgs	12 to 24 months of age

When should I switch my dog to senior food?

While transitioning from adult dog food to senior dog food, it is important to factor in your dog’s weight. Look at this weight table to know when to transition your dog’s food from adult to senior:

Weight Range	Age to Begin Transition
More than 40.8 kgs	5 years
23.1 to 40.8 kgs	6 years
9.5 to 23.150 kgs	7 years
Up to 9.07 kgs	7 years

What is the best way to introduce a new diet to my dog?

When changing your dog’s food diet, it’s important to slowly introduce new food. Start by offering your dog’s daily portion in a ratio of 25% new food to 75% current food. During the next three days, gradually increase the amount of new food and decrease the amount of the old food.

What to feed my dog if they are overweight?

If your dog has gained unhealthy weight, make sure to cut down on fats along with increasing regular exercise. We recommend you browse through IAMS™ products and choose dog foods that are low on fat. How much food to feed your dog if they are overweight is another major concern. You can consult your vet to understand the right amount of food your furry friend needs for each meal.

What should I feed my pregnant or nursing dog?

It’s important to understand that your dog’s nutritional needs change during pregnancy and ensure you feed her nutrition-rich food. For pregnant dogs, we recommend IAMS™ Puppy food as it’s full of proteins that can help your pregnant dog during the gestation period and improve the quality of milk to nourish her puppies post-delivery.

Is it necessary to feed both wet and dry food?

Wet food is an excellent treat that can be fed alone or mixed with dry food. Although IAMS wet dog foods are nutritionally complete and balanced, it is not necessary to offer wet food at every feeding. Our dry foods are formulated with high-quality protein sources such as chicken and contain all the essential nutrients pets need. The crunchy texture of dry food also promotes healthy teeth and gums, and aids in overall good oral hygiene. In addition, some of our dry dog foods contain a dental enhancement to help block tartar buildup on teeth during and after meals.

Will my dog be bored eating the same food all the time?

No. Unlike humans, dogs have fewer taste receptors. Hence, they won’t feel the urge to eat something different every day. In fact, if you find something that suits your dog’s overall health and preferences, stick to that food.

Is it all right to moisten dry food?

Soaking dry food will ease up the initial job of the digestive enzymes. While water will not change its nutritional value, the food should be eaten relatively soon. Moreover, ensure that the leftover portion is discarded to avoid spoilage. We recommend providing your dog with IAMS™ dry food because it is beneficial to your dog’s dental health as well.

Will it hurt my dog if they eat my cat’s food?

No. Cats and dogs have different nutritional requirements. Moreover, cat foods are made with higher fat levels, which can be harmful to a dog. While it is okay for dogs and cats to sniff and lick some food from each other’s bowl, you shouldn’t let dogs eat cat food.

How many biscuits can I feed my dog each day?

We recommend feeding your dog approximately two to four small biscuits per cup of food. Keep in mind that when you add biscuits to your dog’s daily diet, this increases its daily calorie intake, so you should reduce the amount of food you feed. Check the calorie content of the biscuit since biscuits vary in size and formulation.

Can I supplement my dog foods with vitamins, minerals, oils, etc.?

Since IAMS™ dog foods are nutritionally complete and balanced, adding more vitamins, minerals or oils can disrupt the balanceour dog food provides. The reason why you provide your dog with a high-quality product is that it has been developed to offer nourishment in proper ratios and ensure optimal nutrition. Hence, nothing needs to be added.

Why does my dog need to eat protein?

Protein is one of the essential elements that should be a part of your dog’s diet. Including protein in your dog’s diet will strengthen its muscles, ligaments, and cartilages. A protein-rich food also brings about a healthy shine to your dog’s coat!

Why should one maintain a feeding schedule for dogs?

It is important to maintain a feeding schedule for dogs so that they are conditioned to expect food at that time and avoid irregular snacking in between.

What are the things a dog dannot eat?

You should never feed your dog home-baked goods, candy, gum, chocolate, limes, onion, and grapes. They can harm your dog’s digestive tract and cause infections as well.

Why should you feed IAMS™ dog food over homecooked food?

IAMS™ dog food is full of key nutrients that your dog needs for its healthy growth. The basic ingredients in our food include chicken, fish oil, beet pulp, wholesome grains, and natural prebiotic.

How can I learn more about pet nutrition?

Follow our blogs to know more about pet nutrition & and dog food diet. Feel free to contact us here in case of any queries.

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How Much Exercise Does My Dog Need?

Start with Your Dog’s Breed Group