Insufficient exercise is a widespread cause of behavioral and emotional welfare problems in pet dogs, with significant consequences for both dogs and their owners.
Exercise deprivation is one of the most common but least visible welfare problems in companion dogs. Frustrated energy in dogs without adequate exercise commonly manifests as behaviors that owners find problematic, leading to relationship breakdown and abandonment. Matching breed energy requirements to lifestyle at the point of acquisition, and providing diverse enriching exercise throughout a dog's life, is a fundamental welfare responsibility.