Before We Discuss The German Shepherd Exercise Needs Let Us Look At Some Brief About The Dog The German Shepherd Dog Was Initially Bred For Herding Utility Breed And Later On Has Been Used For Multiple Purposes Like The Implementation Of The Law As Guard Dogs And In Rescue Works
German Shepherds are very intelligent, loyal, and, are pets with quite high energy levels and are easy to train. Due to their high energy levels, they are required to exercise 2 hours per day.
If they dont exercise enough, they may develop health issues .
German Shepherds are easy to train because of their good recall capability.
German Shepherd Walking Time
The daily walk is essential for a German Shepherd not only to release some pent-up energy. The walk allows your German Shepherd to stimulate the mind with the sights, sounds and smells they come across.
The length of the walk is only limited by your time and energy as a German Shepherd can go all day long. Ideally, the minimum should be 30 to 45 minutes daily. This can be just once a day, or two walks a day would be better if your schedule allows. Dogs also like routine, so try to schedule the walk for around the same time each day. Daily walks are much better than nothing all week and a big walk at the weekend.
If your German Shepherd has good recall and comes on command, walks at the park off the leash are ideal. Alternatively, you can use a retractable leash to allow them more freedom while maintaining control. In general, German Shepherds are obedient and usually have good recall if trained.
You can add extra resistance to the walk by using a weighted vest or dog backpack. It is recommended that no more than 10% of their body weight be added. This is more than sufficient to tire them and strengthen their muscles without overworking them. Other ways of increasing the resistance on the walk are to walk on sand or include uphill sections in the walk.
Sprints Build Muscle And Cardio Fitness
If you want to save your shoulder, try a dog ball launcher with your German Shepherd.
Sprints increase your dogs speed and overall performance.
Theyre also fun!
And your German Shepherd naturally excels at speed because of its herding history. While excessive and sharp turns on the ground can injure your dog due to the stress of stopping, you can still play a game of catch in moderation.
Instead of seeing how far you can throw the ball and having your GSD slide into the ground, aim for shooting the ball in the air a short distance in front to allow your dog to catch the ball and avoid harsh slides.
If you find that you dont want to tire your arm trying to keep up with your dogs boundless energy, then look for a tennis ball launcher to save your shoulder while exercising your German Shepherd. You can launch tennis balls up to 50 feet in the air without exhausting your arms!
Short sprints are great for burning away energy that would otherwise become pent-up anxiety in your dog.
Sprints also increase lung and heart health, challenge muscles and balance, improve coordination, and make your German Shepherd happy!
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Why Is Exercise So Important For Puppies
Just as humans need to lead an active life to stay healthy, puppies need to expend the amount of excess energy built up in their little bodies to stay mentally and physically fit. Here are all the reasons why exercise is important for your little fur-ever friend.
Active Puppies Stay Fit for Longer
You may be thinking that it is a little too early to start worrying about pet aging, but the truth is that exercise helps keep your puppys mind sharp and prevents age-related illnesses in adulthood.
Setting a workout routine early on helps your dog stay on its paws for longer. Just as with humans, a consistent physical routine can keep the body flexible and ward off age-related stiffness.
Exercise Combats Health Problems
Theres an entire list of health-associated risks that your puppy may develop due to inactivity. Routine exercise can help ward off obesity, digestive problems, and promote heart and muscle health.
As a matter of fact, many of these problems are co-related. For instance, if your puppy is overweight, this can lead to cardiovascular problems and cause constipation.
Moreover, when your dog is exposed to the suns full spectrum of rays, it will soak up the ever-important Vitamin D, which is crucial for bone development and growth of puppies. Just 30 to 40 minutes of sunshine can also help kill bacteria and fungi.
Helps to Avoid Destructive Behaviors
Active Puppies Are Social Puppies
Take Your Gsd To Schutzhund Classes
If you have a local club that offers Schutzhund training, focused on giving your GSD protection and obedience skills, this is a perfect way to exercise your German Shepherd, as well as provide mental stimulation.
Your young dog will love learning new skills revolving around obedience, tracking, and protection.
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What Are The Best Exercises For A German Shepherd
Walking is probably the single best exercise for an average healthy German Shepherd. Most GS dogs will love to go on long walks, and they might even take you for a walk if youre not moving fast enough for them!
An energetic game of fetch with a Frisbee or a sturdy indestructible ball is also popular with many German Shepherds. You might find that your dog will appreciate any effort to make it more challenging, so hiding or obscuring the ball might lead to a more interesting game.
Particularly agile German Shepherds might like to run in a temporary obstacle course. You could use various discarded items to provide hurdle jumps, hoops and tunnels for your dog to explore.
Tug-of-war has become somewhat controversial among dog trainers, since there are those that claim it increases aggression in dogs. Many German Shepherds love this game, though, especially if you play it with a good strong purpose-made rope that wont come apart in your dogs mouth.
How Much Exercise Does A German Shepherd Puppy Need
German Shepherd puppies wont need as much exercise as their adult companions. In fact, its important not to over exercise your puppy, as it could lead to joint and mobility issues in later life . This is especially true for this breed since they are prone to conditions like hip dysplasia.
As a rule of thumb, puppies will need five minutes of formal exercise for every month of their age.
These walks should be opportunities to explore their environment, work on training and good behaviour outdoors, and socialise with other people and dogs in a controlled manner.
Your puppy will also get plenty of exercise from tearing around the house and playing, just make sure theyre getting enough sleep and be prepared to interrupt play for naptime if needed.
The easiest way to keep track of how much exercise your puppy is doing is by using a PitPat dog activity monitor. Its small and light so they wont notice it on their collar, and itll record all the activity they are up to in a day from playing with you to pottering in the garden.
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German Shepherd Exercise Routine
The German Shepherd is energetic, strong and has bucket loads of stamina. Ideally, you need to find activities that can burn energy in a short period of time and use these skills. This can include high-intensity games and strength training is recommended to keep their muscles in peak condition. By keeping the muscles strong they will support the joints and tendons preventing injury.
Providing the right type of toys for German Shepherd is also a great way to provide exercise and mental stimulation for them. For the best type of toys for German Shepherds see here.
These are some of the recommended activities and exercise ideas to play with your German Shepherd.
How Much Exercise Do German Shepherds Need Everyday
Owning a German shepherd dog requires a huge commitment on your part in terms of time, money, and energy to ensure their well-being. And an important part of that commitment is making sure your German shepherd gets enough exercise. So heres the question that every German shepherd owner has got to ask themselves: How much exercise does my German shepherd need?
According to the Kennel Club, German shepherd dogs need at least 2 hours of exercise a day. However, the actual amount of daily exercise that your shepherd needs can be different for each dog depending on their age, level of fitness, and condition as there are no fixed rules about it.
Be aware, however, not to exercise your dog too much. You need to find a fine balance between exercise and over-exercise, notably since the latter can cause an irreversible strain on the dogs skeletal structure.
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Hiking With Your German Shepherd
Hiking with your Dog can be a great workout. If you and your Dog are new to this, you should prepare your Dog physically for the trip.
Start with practicing by taking small hikes ahead of time.
Start small with simple and short walks. See if your Dog has enough stamina for these walks and how it reacts.
Then start to increase the distance and time of hiking slowly to build up his stamina and strength.
Your GSD Dog Must Be Trained To Hear Your Commands
Your German shepherd dog should always be close enough to hear and follow your commands.
While practicing hiking your pup should follow, the sit, stay, and come commands.
Take in mind that a whistle can be heard 400 yards away.
When Do You Exercise Your German Shepherd
What time of the day you choose to exercise your German shepherd should be very important. You want to prevent heat exhaustion in your dog. So the best part of the day is exercising your German shepherd either in the mornings or evenings.
Depending on which part of the world you live the weather has an impact on exercising for your dog. So work within your timezone and choose the best time to exercise your German shepherd.
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Self Playing Dog Toys
There are a variety of dog toys that your dog can use to play by themselves. These are great for times when your dog is home alone, you dont have the time or you are otherwise occupied. This way your dog can still get some physical activity and mental stimulation without your direct involvement. See Self Playing Dog Toys for some ideas.
Running Or Jogging Exercise Routine
Introduce jogging and running with your adult Shepherd gradually. While your breed is a natural-born runner its best to limit their exposure to this physically demanding activity to 3 to 4 times a week if youre looking to add in distance.
Once your dog is more conditioned you can increase both the time and distance they run with you.
Give them plenty of time to recover so their muscles dont become overworked or fatigued. Check their paws daily after each run to look for any sores, abrasions, or cuts. Dont run with a German Shepherd under 18 months of age without your vets approval.
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How Much To Exercise Your German Shepherd
If you have a German Shepherd or you are thinking of getting a German Shepherd then youre probably wondering how much exercise it should be getting.
So, how much exercise do German Shepherds need? German Shepherds are a breed that require s a lot of exercise . Vets will typically recommend that you give your German Shepherd at least one hour of exercise per day and the American Kennel Club actually recommends that they get at least 2 hours of exercise.
German Shepherds are a breed that was bred to do energy-intensive tasks for hours daily. With that being the case, they require a lot of exercise to be properly stimulated. Youll often find that your German Shepherd will be able to handle all the exercise that you can throw at it and still have energy to spare.
Despite that, its very important that you make sure that your German Shepherd gets lots of exercise on a daily basis. Maybe you wont be able to get rid of all of its energy but you will still be able to wear it out a bit. And that will go a long way in reducing hyperactive behavior that is caused by not getting enough exercise.
The exact amount of exercise that your German Shepherd needs will depend a lot on your German Shepherd. Some German Shepherds are less energetic and will only need an hour a day of exercise to be properly stimulated. While others will require a lot more than that and youll need to find ways to wear it out quickly.
What Exercises Do German Shepherd Puppies Like
German Shepherd puppies usually like fun outdoor and indoor exercises.
Managing the exercise sessions of a young puppy can be quite easy if you have the proper knowledge.
If your pet is small, that is 8 to 12 weeks old, no extra exercise is needed except a daily walk.
Taking your pet out for a puppy play is enough as over-exercise can cause various health problems.
Puppy exercises are usually different from the adult dog exercises.
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A Flirt Pole Increases Endurance
A flirt pole helps exercise your German Shepherd in small spaces.
The flirt pole is a gift to worn-out German Shepherd owners!
It not only helps your dog improve their basic manners and impulse control, but it also gives them a workout. And in just a few minutes of play!
You dont have to do much work yourself, either!
Look for a pole with an enticing lure to excite and interest your dog. I prefer this fun tail-teasing lure flirt pole since its easy to handle and the fuzzy toy really encourages my GSD to chase it.
How a Flirt Pole Works
- Lure your dog to play by dragging the toy on the ground in a large arching half-circle pattern.
- They chase the lure while you move the toy in different ways to keep them moving.
- They catch the lure and tug.
- You give their release or drop command and start the exercise game again.
Its like a giant cat toy, but better because its for German Shepherds!
Avoid playing this game by moving the lure in tight circles or making your dog jump high in the air for it. Thats not the point of the game. Its made to mimic chasing prey along the ground in large movements.
If your dog is slipping frequently, definitely find another surface to play on. You dont want a German Shepherd, even an adult, making quick twists and abrupt turns that could cause them damage.
Playing A Frisbee Game Can Be An Excellent Workout
Frisbee is an extra fun activity for dogs because they love it.You can do it in the park you jog in.
Here is a guide on how to get started this game with your GSD.
- BUY 2 dogs discs because human frisbee are different and they can injure your Dog because it will catch them with his mouth.
- There are two types of discs . These are available at most of pets stores.
- Let your Dog get excited about the disc by playing gently with the disc and let the Dog always win.
- To begin, Start with throwing the frisbee slow to let your Dog understand how to catch it.
- It may take 50 to 100 times before your Dog starts to grab it in the air.
- After sometimes when your Dog will understand how to catch the disc in the air, he will not let the disc touch the ground and will catch it in the air and this is the moment you were waiting for.
Now you have another exercise to do with your Dog and have fun.
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How To Exercise Your German Shepherd
One or two daily walks will satisfy their need for activity for some dogs, but most German shepherds will not fall into this category. Theyll appreciate having tasks to complete as well as the chance to release energy through physicality, whether it be running, hiking, playing with other dogs, or even agility drills.
Some of these activities check off both physical and mental needs, but your dog will appreciate having a variety of activities as well. Even training can be fun and confidence-building for your dog so, what are you waiting for?
If you feel like your dog is letting you know its time to get outside, go ahead and get creative with your activity time. Theres so much to do and explore together, and with the right mental stimulation, your dog wont even feel like hes exercising!
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How Long Should A German Shepherd Be Walked
A typical mature German Shepherd may want to walk for around 90 minutes to two hours. At normal speeds, this would translate into around 5-10 miles of distance.
In general, younger German Shepherds shouldnt walk for more than 5 minutes for each month theyve been around. That means that a 10 minute walk should satisfy a two-month-old dog.
Three-month-old dogs would need a 15 minute walk and so forth. Eventually, youll find that your dog will probably want to talk longer and longer walks until they start going for a full hour or longer.
Some German Shepherds, especially those from small breed pools, will start to develop hip dysplasia as they get older. As this happens, theyll likely find that walking is hard for them.
If your dog has difficulty walking, then you wont want to force them to do so. Alternative types of play might be necessary to accommodate German Shepherds that have developed this all too common condition.
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