Vet settles debate on how many times you should actually walk dog per day

While some people walk their dogs for hours every day, others quickly nip them around the block because they're strapped for time. But an expert says youcould be doing your dog a disserviceby walking them too many or too few times a day - despite their age and breed.

Taking to TikTok, vet Nichola Rous, who is known on social media as @drnicolerous.vet, shared how long you should walk your dog for per day - and whether it's better to give them one long walk per day or a number of shorter walks at various times. In her video, she says puppies need "five minutes of exercise per month of their life, twice a day". Providing an example, this means a four-month-old puppy should have two 20 minute exercise periods per dayto meet their needs.

She said: "This includes walks but it also include exercise in the back yard, games you're playing, things like that."

When it comes to adult dogs, she says the general rule is to exercise them for 30 to 60 minutes twice a day.

However, she acknowledges breeds like boarder collies may need more time outside than chihuahuas.

She added: "Senior dogs need a similar level - 30 to 60 minutes [twice a day] but the type of exercise [you do with them] is really important for their joints.

"We want to look at low impact exercises . Consider the surface of the types of walks you're going on and consider hydrotherapy.

"The exercise is so important to keep going, even if they have arthritis. We want to make sure that we're still using their brain because that's just as important as it is for humans."

Make sure you do your own breed-specific research about how often you should walk your dog.

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Commenting on her post, one user said: "My dog gets walked only one or twice a week for 20 minutes or so. He is 21-years-old."

Another user added: "My five-month-old pup goes for a 45 minute to an hour walk everyday, some days he only does for 30 minutes depending on plans for the day. If we didn’t walk him for that long he would be climbing the walls!"

A third user said: "My senior gets a walk every two-and-a-half to three hours since he doesn't like using our garden.

"Long walk in the morning and shorter walks for the rest of the day. He would never make it on only two walks."

Seconding her claims, the Kennel Club agrees it's best to walk your dog twice a day and say once a day should be an absolute minimum.

A statement reads: "Every dog should have at least one walk a day, often two given that in some circumstances under veterinary advice the dog should be rested.

"The government recommends that we get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day and this is something that everybody can achieve - and go beyond - on a daily dog walk.

"The amount of exercise your dog needs will vary according to its breed, but every dog should have at least one walk a day, often two."