Dog exercise requirements vary enormously between breeds, with welfare harm arising from both insufficient exercise in high-energy breeds and excessive forced exercise in low-energy or health-compromised dogs.
Exercise welfare is bidirectional - insufficient exercise causes suffering through boredom and physical health impacts, while excessive forced exercise causes pain and physical harm. High-drive working breeds confined to small apartments with minimal exercise suffer behavioral distress that manifests as destructive behavior, anxiety, and compulsive behaviors. Brachycephalic dogs forced to run in hot weather or over long distances suffer respiratory distress. Arthritic dogs pushed beyond their comfortable exercise tolerance experience pain exacerbation. The welfare obligation is to match exercise provision to individual need rather than applying breed generalizations or owner preferences that may diverge from the specific dog's requirements.