Is my working line GSD getting enough exercise walking 6 miles daily?

That amount of walking is WONDERFUL for mental health and maintain good muscle mass. Many German Shepards are under worked, bored, and start having behavioral problems are Bruno's age because of it. However, dogs don't suffer the same types of heart diseases that humans do (no heart attacks), so the walking isn't going to help with that specifically. Thanks for using Pet Coach and keep up those great walks!

German Shepherds are high energy dogs, especially as puppies. Ellie may need more vigorous exercise than just walking - although walking is great - such as 30 minutes of fetch in the backyard or secure (fenced) park area. With respect to walking, I would consider 3 walks of 30 - 40 minutes each to be sufficient. You might also investigate doggy day care in your area, to help her get some additional exercise and play time.

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In your first post you indicated that you and Bruno walked miles, so I think cutting it down just a little bit may help. If you can be more specific about at which point in the walk (which mile or how many minutes) he wants to turn around that would be helpful. I have never heard of short walks or no walks shortening the life span of a dog. Obesity shortens the life span of dogs. Exercise is healthy for the body and mind. If Bruno doesn't want to walk for miles at a time then try a dog park, or playing Frisbee or throwing a ball. If you want to push the walks then take breaks to let him stop and sniff or throw the ball or rough house for 5-10 mins then resume your walk. I hope this helps and I hope you have a great day!

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.

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.

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.