Dogs come in a variety of shapes and sizes and then there are the breeds. It is important to consider the dogs breed because a lot depends on that. Everything from the type of food they eat, amount of food, diseases, behaviour, grooming and much more varies from one breed to another.

If we were to take a look at a German Shepherd or a Pomeranian for that matter then you will see that they require a lot of grooming due to long hair but due to the size difference the German Shepherd will eat more than the Pomeranian. Now if we take a Dalmatian and a Doberman, we see that both are large dogs but the exercise requirements for Doberman are much more than a Dalmatian. Hence, dog breeds are a major determinant in exercise requirements.

In fact each of the dog breed profile is different from the other in spite of the fact that all dogs came from Wolves. Such a huge disparity of color, shape, size is not visible in any other type of animal and definitely not in the wolves. The exercise requirements mostly depend on the dog breed profile. There are some dogs like a pooch or a Pomeranian that active indoors and hence don't require too much of outdoor activity. On the other hand dogs like the Labrador retriever, the Golden retriever, the shepherd dogs belong to a different dog breed profile that can be classified muscular dogs and hence need anything from moderate to heavy outdoor activities.

Some of the dog breeds like the Labrador and German Shepherd are more intelligent than others and hence, require a lot of mental stimulation apart from physical exercise. A member of the herding group, the German Shepherd is fearless, bold, hard working, and alert. They are esteemed for their loyalty, deep devotion, and courage. This breed thrives on human interaction from their family and does not like to be left alone for extended periods of time. It is a highly intelligent breed and as such, needs a great deal of mental stimulation. The GSD will develop a very close bond with his handler and will want to be with him/her as much as possible.

The Labrador Retriever needs fairness, firmness, consistency, reward, and respect. They excel in tracking, police work, search and rescue, agility, competitive obedience, guide for the blind, and as service dogs for the disabled. Intelligent dogs, Labradors are easily trained, making them ideal for use in field sports, obedience competitions, as search dogs, as guide dogs and as hearing dogs. These dogs take a great pleasure in any of these activities.

Both these dog breeds are deployed in bombing squads or anti-narcotics due to their intuitiveness and sense of smell. There is a certain misconception that many people have regarding the larger dogs. There are many who think that if they have a big backyard in their home then that is sufficient. The truth is that big dogs and especially guard dogs or sniffer dogs need more than a big backyard. They need proper behavioral training and miles and miles of outdoor space like a park for exercise and fun activities.

It is always crucial to see the dog breed profile first and then pick up a dog. If you are living in an apartment and are working 8am-8pm then according to the dog breed profile what you really need is a pooch or a smaller dog that doesn't need too much of exercise. But if you are living in a ranch and can take your dog out for regular walks or runs then according to the dog breed profile you can choose a bigger dog.