The amount of exercise your dog requires depends on several things. One important factor is his type of breed. But his energy level and even his personality also affect his need for exercise.

Some breeds come from working dog stock, and really require a workout to be happy and well adjusted. Hunting dogs, herding dogs and sled dogs all have great intelligence accompanied by high energy levels. Over the years, they were bred for tireless activity — and even if they’re house dogs now, they just can’t turn all that energy off.

Although a little breed research will give you a good idea of what your dog requires, he’ll also tell you himself. Some dogs leap out of bed at 6 a.m., raring to go. Others can barely pry their eyes open at noon — at which point they make the great migration to the couch and sleep some more.

Younger dogs tend to need more exercise than older dogs. Also, dogs without another canine companion tend to burn less energy than dogs with someone else to play with. Two dogs free to run in a fenced yard will typically exercise themselves a little more than a housebound dog who’s alone, or even a dog alone in a fenced yard who only has passersby to excite him.

It’s not your dog’s size that determines how much exercise he needs. A small dog doesn’t necessarily need less exercise than a large dog. Some terriers, for example, are absolutely tireless. On the other hand, greyhounds are notoriously sedentary, notwithstanding their short bursts of speed. Really large breeds, like the Newfoundland, usually don’t require a lot of exercise. Perhaps just moving their bulky frame from one room to another amounts to a mile-long run in a smaller dog!

In fact, as you’ve doubtless noticed, some of the large and giant breeds could easily be mistaken for handsome furniture, while toy Chihuahuas and their brethren can resemble rockets on legs, posed to attack. While a Mastiff might give you that doggy smile after only a short walk around the block, you can run a Jack Russell terrier for three miles, and he’ll still ask you when the walk is really starting.

We already know that humans need regular exercise to stay mentally and physically healthy. Sometimes we forget that this is even truer for our canine companions. And dogs get the health benefits from longer walks and runs, not just a quick jaunt around the short loop of the park.

Also, if you notice your dog panting during exercise time together, don’t mistake this as indicating exhaustion on the part of your dog. Dogs don’t have sweat glands, and panting is the only way they can cool themselves. Of course, if it’s a hot day you’ll want to monitor your dog’s panting, since dogs can get heatstroke just like we can. If you’re near a lake, a creek, or even a puddle, splash him off with cooling water periodically, every quarter-mile or so, and make sure he can get something to drink.