Is too much walking bad for a dog

5 Signs Your Dog Is Getting Too Much Exercise

Exercise provides your dog with physical and mental benefits. It keeps joints limber, promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, decreases the risk of obesity, strengthens the human-animal bond, and reinforces your dogs need for routine.

However, this isnt an invitation to overwork your dog. One misconception I sometimes encounter is that if a dog is overweight or obese, then the pet parent must suddenly erupt into a rigorous exercise plan for the dog, says Dr. Robin Downing, hospital director of The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management in Windsor, Colorado.

But how can you tell if your dog is getting too much exercise? Here are some signs of overextension to look out for.

Signs of Overextension in Dogs

1. Wear-and-Tear on Paw Pads

For some dogs, playing is more important than painful feet, says Dr. Susan Jeffrey, a veterinarian with Truesdell Animal Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Some dogs will run until the pads on their feet tear and will then run some more.

Pad injuries can be extremely painful, and Downing describes it as like walking on a ruptured blister on the bottom of your foot. This makes walking painful for them.

Look at the bottom of your dogs paws. Overworked pads may have tears with visible flaps of skin present, and they may appear red, worn away, or thinner than normal. If the dogs pads are infected, you may see swelling or pus.

2. Sore Muscles

Muscular pain and stiffness are also signs your dog may be getting too much exercise. This typically shows up after the dog rests following excessive exercise, Downing says.

Signs of sore muscles in dogs include:

• Struggling to rise after lying down

• Refusing to walk up or down stairs

• Reluctance to jump, such as up onto the couch

• Whining when moving

You can help reduce soreness and stiffness by unsubscribing to weekend warrior syndrome, says Jen Pascucci, a rehab therapist and veterinary technician at Haven Lake Animal Hospital in Milford, Delaware. Many pet parents work all week and try to fit in a week's worth of exercise into two days off, she says. This is not good for the dog because they are usually not properly conditioned but will push through warning muscle and joint pain and fatigue for playtime.

Some dogs have such a strong drive to work and play that theyll push through severe fatigue and potential injury, Pascucci says. That is the real danger. It is up to the pet parent to set boundaries and limit the high-drive dog to avoid over-exercise-related injury and exhaustion.

3. Heat Sickness

Heat exhaustionand heatstroke are especially a concern during warmer months when dogs can overheat, Jeffrey says. If the body temperature increases to above 106 degrees, it can be life-threatening. Aside from causing potentially life-threatening hyperthermia, dogs can also become dehydrated or have difficulties breathing.

Brachycephalic (flat-faced) dog breeds like Boxers, English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Pekingese, and Shih Tzu, are at even greater risk because they cant cool off as efficiently as dogs with longer snouts.

Your dogs age is also a factor. Very young and old dogs have difficulty regulating their body temperatures, so too much exercise can cause them to overheat as well, Jeffrey says.

Pet parents should always use caution when exercising their dog during summer months, especially when its humid or hot. Consider short activities during the cooler parts of the day.

4. Joint Injury

The impact associated with extreme exercise can cause strain and sprain in various dog joints. Toe joints are particularly susceptible, but the wrist and elbow are also at-risk, Downing says.

Dogs carry about 60% of their weight on their front limbs, which puts quite a bit of stress on those joints, she says. In dogs with very straight rear legs, excessive exercise can lead to problems in the stifle (knee) joints, including strain, sprain, meniscal tears, and tears in thecranial cruciate ligament.

Some dogs are at greater risk of developing joint injuries. Breeds that are long and low to the ground (like Basset Hounds and Dachshunds) have unusually shaped joints, which puts their limbs at risk for easy injury in the face of excessive exercise. Back problems are also common in these breeds.

If an older dog has osteoarthritis, over-exertion can cause immediate pain and accelerate the ongoing degeneration of joint tissues. Young puppies (especially large and giant breeds)need some exercise, but too much high-impact exercise like running can result in joint issues as well.

5. Behavioral Changes

Also be aware of behavioral changes. For example, if your dog normally likes to run with you but plops down on the pavement and refuses to go farther, this is something you might want to investigate with your veterinarian.

Inconsistent conditioning can contribute to this behavior and to injuries, Pascucci says. Playing off-leash for one hour does not mean [its] one hour of exercise, she says. Most dogs will have bursts of activity and then rest when off-leash and left to their own devices. Being free to run and play in the backyard five days a week and then expected to jog with a pet parent 10 miles one day is a recipe for injury.

She says a good conditioning plan for active pet parents and their dogs is to alternate days of cardio exercise (consistent exercise for 20 minutes or more) and strengthening with one full day of rest, which is a free day with no planned activities.

How Much Exercise Should I Give My Dog?

Dogs need exercise to maintain peak physical and mental well-being, but the type and length of that exercise depends on their condition, health history, breed, and age. Some dogs, like Labrador Retrievers, are built to be heavy exercisers while others, such as French Bulldogs, are not.

Moderation is key, and time spent exercising isnt as important as the intensity of that exercise. For example, going on a walk is much less likely to overexert a dog than running, jumping, or harder play.

Its good to know the signs of over-working your dog, but its even better to prevent issues. The best way to do this is by working with your vet to create a sensible exercise plan for your furry pal.

By Paula Fitzsimmons

Featured Image: Adobe/Sebastian

The Pacer Blog: Walking, Health and Fitness

It is possible to walk too many steps or miles in a day, which can lead to physical and mental symptoms of overtraining and burnout. How many steps or miles per day is too much depends on each individual walker, but your body will tell you youre walking too much with some common signs. If youre trying to build up to a new step goal, or trying something ambitious like walking an extra hour a day, you should expect to run into these symptoms at one point or another.

Read on to find out how to know if youre walking too much, how your body will likely react, and what you can do for a much-needed break or change so that ultimately you can become a better and faster walker for years to come.

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How much walking is too much?

Theres no one number or formula that will tell you how much walking is too much. While some people get more than 10,000 steps per day as part of their daily job, others need to put in effort to get half that. There are some number of steps walked or time active thats too much for each of us, however. Even marathon runners cannot run a marathon every day without serious stress and impact on their body.

Walking is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health, heart health and more. The key to sticking to walking long term is to pace yourself, not overdo it, and work on your endurance for the long haul.

How to Know if You Are Walking Too Much?

Most people assume that because walking is a low-impact activity, they can walk for as long a distance as they want to without issue. It is possible to overdo walking, just like any form of exercise! The key to knowing when your walking routine is becoming too much is listening to your body. As you exercise, it is essential to take a scan of whats going on from your head to your toes and not ignore any muscle pains or injuries, especially if they are consistent. To understand how much walking is too much, follow the below suggestions to see if you are overdoing it with your walking routine.

• Joint Pain/Soreness/Foot pain: If you notice new, persistent soreness that doesnt seem to be coming from any injury that you remember, you could be overtraining. Since your feet bear the brunt of your weight, youll often get sore feet as well if your feet do not have enough chance to rest. While its never good to have soreness while walking, it doesnt automatically mean youre overtrained. However, if the pain persists and lasts for several days, then it may mean you have been overtraining. If youre not sure, taking rest days is always a good idea.
• Recovery Time: If you notice that youre taking longer and longer to feel normal again after a walk, you may be overtraining. Everyone reacts differently to walking, but if youre taking more than 15 minutes to recover from a walk, you may want to dial down the intensity for a bit. Try walking for shorter periods or taking a few days off and see if the recovery time improves.
• Bad Posture: Good posture is key to getting your steps and avoiding injury. If youre not getting enough rest, it will be harder for you to maintain good posture. If you find yourself staggering with your shoulders slumped and your arms swinging in front of you, it may mean that your body needs a break. Poor posture is one of the first signs that indicate your body is fatigued and needs some rest to recover. Losing good posture is also a good sign of when to cut any particular walk short. Its better to walk less, but maintain good posture than try to force steps with bad posture and risk injury.

Stay consistent

Another way to know if youre walking too much is to compare your steps with your past walking history. Pacer is a great way to do that, but you can do it other ways as well. While you might be fine having one day well above your normal average steps, doing this for a long period of time can lead to overuse or chronic injuries, like IT band pain or lower back issues.

While most people track their steps to try to walk more, if you have joint or other health issues you can track your steps to ensure youre not walking too much!

What Happens When You Walk Too Much

Overtraining is the term for exercising beyond your bodys ability to recover. Walking and other exercises put wear and tear and your joints. Exercise also creates small tears in your muscles, that your body heals through rest and recovery. When youre in an overtrained state, your body is unable to keep up with the wear youre putting on it.

Overtraining leads to:

• Decreased performance (and steps): Athletes who are overtrained may see their speed or strength actually drop. As a walker, you may find it harder and harder to hit your steps without knowing why.
• Pain & soreness: Because your body cant recover properly, youre likely to experience pain and soreness in both joints and muscles. Old injuries, like a sore knee, are likely to flare up.
• Increased risk of injury: Soreness from overtraining can lead to bad form and posture while walking, which can then lead to an increased risk of injury. Sore or injured joints are also at more risk for a sudden, severe injury than they would be with proper rest.
• Feeling tired & irritable: Overtraining damage to your body can throw your hormones out of whack, which can lead to difficulty sleeping, tiredness and irritability. This is the opposite of normal walking, which usually makes you feel happier.

Mentally Exhausted From Walking?

Walking can do wonders for your mental health. However, when those happy walking endorphins start dissipating or are replaced with a sense of anxiety or dread, this may mean it is time to make some changes to your walking routine. Theres also a mental component to overtraining that is often overlooked.

Mental signs of overtraining include:

• General tiredness and irritation.
• Lack of energy when walking.
• Feeling unmotivated or not walking to walk at all.
• Feeling burned out about your walking routine.

Often, the reason people burn out and give up on fitness walking is that theyre trying to do too much, too fast. Whats great about fitness walking is you dont need to go long distances to reap all the health benefits of walking. Whats important is remaining consistent with your daily walking regime. As soon as you catch yourself start resenting your step count or worrying you wont get in your miles for the week, dont be afraid to take a step back and change up your goals and lower your daily walking distance. While youre dealing with the physical aspects of overtraining by resting more, deal with the mental aspects using these tips:

• Stop Counting Steps: Instead of going for a walk to get your steps in, switch it up. Try focusing on an activity that you enjoy, such as grabbing a friend to go shopping or golfing. Not only will it give you the motivation to incorporate physical exercise into your day, but it may surprise you how much walking you get in without even realizing it.
• Park Farther Away: Tricking yourself into getting in those steps throughout the day is a great way to get in the physical activity without even thinking about it. If you need a few days off from fitness walking, get creative to get your steps without trying by parking farther away.
• Mix things up: Do something different than you usually do with your walks. Try doing a short stair workout instead of your daily walk, or walk inside if youre an outdoor walker (or walk outside if you usually walk inside).

Youre Overtraining Now What?

The issue with overtraining is not necessarily that it happens, its that people dont listen to their bodies and try to power through the pain. Most individuals fear that by taking a few days off, they will negate all their hard work and results. Yet, the opposite, in fact, is true. If these individuals dont take a break when they need it, they put themself at risk for injury or even a mental burnout. However, if you act early and make some simple changes to your routine, you dont have to stop exercising. So dont work through the pain, add these simple swaps into your practice to get the rest your body needs and all the health benefits that exercise provides.

• Walk a Little Less: If you are physically hurt or mentally worn out from walking, try scaling back the amount of walking you are doing. Go for a 10-15 minute walk and see how you are feeling. If you are still in pain or just feeling run down, then take a few days off and see how you are feeling after a break.
• Time for a Massage: If you find yourself in pain after walking, a good foot massager or a full body massage may be just the trick to work out your sore muscles and help stimulate your blood circulation in your legs and feet. Massage or other techniques will not only help reduce the pain but speed up your recovery time.
• Watch your Body:If you notice that you are closing your stride as you walk, it may indicate that you are becoming fatigued and need to reduce your speed or the length of your walk. Maintaining a good posture and stride can help you prevent injuries and let your body know when it is time to stop.
• New Exercise Regimen: Sometimes, the best way to improve your fitness walking is to try a new complementary exercise routine. Work on your flexibility with a stretching or yoga routine. For a fun cardio workout, try a Zumba or aerobics class instead. Maybe its just what you need to get back out there and enjoy walking again.

Final thoughts

With any exercise, it is essential to listen to your body and give it the care and rest it needs. Walking provides your body with many amazing health benefits; however, sometimes, you may be overdoing it with your walking routine. Remember with walking being consistent is more important than being intense, and even a little can go a long way. So if you need it, dont worry about taking that break. Rest up, switch it up, and get back to walking!

Get Pacer

If you havent downloaded the Pacer app yet,download Pacer for free (on mobile)! You can alsocheck out our website(mobile or desktop) orfollow our blogfor more great walking and healthy lifestyle tips.

Sources:

Is It Possible To Walk Too Much? (2019). Walk Secrets.

The Best Low-Impact Exercises That Burn the Most Calories. (2019). By Lisa Sefcik. LiveStrong.

How Walking Can Help Reduce Health Risks. (2016). Community Health Center.

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