How long should I walk my 9-month-old German Shepherd puppy daily?

I'm very sorry that you may have to give Max away. As a GSD, he will need a lot of daily exercise. As a breed, they are very high energy dogs who require at least 45 minutes twice a day when fully grown, so he will need more exercise as he gets old. At his age, 30 minutes of exercise is fine, but he should get that twice a day. I would make an effort to get him more exercise in order to meet his needs.

As a GSD, Bruno really needs exercise twice a day at least 30-45 minutes at a time. That's because they are very high energy dogs that need lots of exercise to keep them healthy and their mind stimulated. If you have no time to play or walk Bruno, I would see about hiring a dog walked to give him that exercise. If you don't have time to play or exercise him, it may be best that you find him a home where he can get the play and daily exercise he needs, and you can get a breed of dog that's much more low maintenance in terms of exercise.

As you said, as long as you take them out 2 to 3 times daily they should be perfectly all right. They are large breed dogs and they need space; they can be indeed adaptable but walking them for at least one hour a day is essential. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

I don't think you need to worry about psychological damage to Bruno. However, German Shepherds are very intelligent dogs that require a great deal of mental stimulation to be good companions. As a result, the more exercise they receive or jobs they have to perform, the happier they usually are. If you do not think you will have time to walk him enough during the day, you should try to get him somewhere to run at least a few times a week, either in a park or a field. There are also daycares where dogs can go to interact with other dogs. The most common negative side effects I see in my practice with dogs that are understimulated include destruction of property, eating things they aren't supposed to, or self-inflicted injuries.

At 60 minutes twice daily, you are doing a little more exercise than Sammi needs at the moment. Puppies do not require as much [exercise](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-start-an-exercise-routine-with-your-dog) as adult dogs. Over exertion may lead to lifelong [orthopedic issues](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-common-orthopedic-conditions-in-dogs). The general recommendation is 5 minutes of exercise per month of age twice daily until fully grown, which for most dogs is about 1 year of age, although larger or giant breeds may not be fully grown until about 2 years of age. I recommend cutting back to two 20 minute walks per day, increasing it by 5 minutes each when she is 5 months, and so on. Because she has a lot of energy, you can work on [obedience training](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-obedience-commands-every-dog-should-know) with her (teaching her to sit, stay, lay down, etc.). That will use up some energy, and have the positive effect of [training](https://www.petcoach.co/article/new-dog-survival-guide-tips-for-training) her.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Pharah. It sounds like you are doing a great job providing her with physical and mental stimulation each day. Seeing as she is tired after your walks, I feel the distance is appropriate. You can vary the distance between walks and the route if possible. This will help her from getting bored. Overall though, I feel like you are providing her with excellent care. Great job!

Walking is good for dogs because it keeps their weight down, and their body strong. Because Bruno is a German Shepherd, their exercise requirements are higher because they are active dogs. He should be getting at least 30 minutes twice a day of exercise, but it's fine to keep it shorter when it is hot outside. You can't exercise him too much in the heat because it will lead to heat stroke, which is deadly. There are dogs who don't get much exercise and still lead full lives, so I wouldn't listen to your friend. But that doesn't mean Bruno wouldn't benefit from more exercise when it's cooler outside. Best of luck, I hope this helps.