Ask a Vet Archive

• My dog is about 27 pounds and I take him for about a half hour walk/run everyday while I roller-blade. By the end he seems pretty tired (sticking tongue out, gasping for air a little bit, etc), but I don't know if this is normal. Is there a limit as to how long these runs should be? I don't want to over-exhaust him, but he always appears so full of energy! Thank you!

  You don’t want to run your dog to the point of exhaustion (if his tongue “hangs loose” it’s too much) and you have to consider the heat and humidity. Running in the afternoon here in Oregon is much different than running in the afternoon in a much hotter/humid place. Running hard for more than a couple minutes is not the way dogs normally run. In their natural state they may run, stop and rest or sniff etc so constant running is harder on them. Not that you can’t do it but you have to be careful.
  
  He should not be running to the point he is gasping for air. I would recommend you slow down, give him a couple opportunities to rest along the way or go a shorter distance. Dogs aren’t always smart in the way they exercise with their humans-they tend to go until you stop or until they can’t go any more, which is dangerous. 

Answered by:

John Smith, DVM
Veterinarian

Dr. John Smith is a graduate of LSU, Class of 1998. He has over 10 years of experience...

Tags

Behavior