Appropriate exercise is central to canine welfare, but both insufficient and excessive exercise cause harm, and breed-appropriate exercise is often misunderstood.
Exercise insufficiency in dogs is one of the most common welfare problems in pet keeping, contributing to obesity, frustration, and behavioural problems. Conversely, inappropriate exercise for breed, age, or health status causes physical harm. Working breeds including border collies, spaniels, and huskies in sedentary households without adequate physical and mental stimulation develop frustrated behaviour that is often incorrectly attributed to aggression or disobedience. Brachycephalic breeds are marketed to sedentary owners but have exercise restrictions imposed by anatomy that are not always communicated at point of sale. Age-appropriate exercise is critical to prevent both orthopedic underload in senior dogs and overload injury in juvenile dogs.