How much daily exercise should my dog get to lose weight safely?

Question

What would be good amount of exercise for Buddy? He gained 5 pounds in a month and was eating 5 cups of Merrick Backcountry Pacific Catch per day. I have cut him down to 4 cups a day to try to keep him from gaining more (per vet instructions), but I would like an amount of exercise I should shoot for per day too? Thanks! Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | neutered | 4 years and 1 month old | 100 lbs

Kevin Sanada, DVM · Accepted Answer

Ideally, you would be able to exercise him for 4-5 hours throughout the day, but this is not realistic for the average person. If Buddy has not been regularly exercised before now, then it's best to start with 30 minute daily walks and work your way up from there. If you are able to do the 30 minute a day routine for a month, then you can go up to an hour a day. This should be good enough for him (and you as well!). More intense exercise should only be done as directed by your veterinarian. If Buddy is obese, or has other conditions that could predispose him to injury, then it would not be good to start running and jumping exercises yet. When it comes to weight loss, the best intervention is diet. Ensure that you stick with the diet - avoiding treats and table scraps is a huge part of the diet. If he is not losing weight within the first month, then I would consider cutting the food back even more. I hope that helps and all goes well with Buddy.

How much daily exercise should my dog get to lose weight safely?

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