APOP Dog Walking Calorie Estimator
Estimate the number of calories your dog burns during a walk. Enter your dog's weight, and the distance and minutes walked and we will auto-calculate speed and suggest an intensity. We use a standard veterinary energy formula based on body size and time, then adjust for pace, surface, and temperature. Results are estimates and don’t replace advice from your veterinarian.
Enter your walk details
Switch units if needed. We’ll convert automatically.
Enter your walk length in miles or kilometers.
Enter how long you walked. If you also enter distance, we calculate speed and pace from those two numbers.
If distance is blank, we assume ~3.0 mph only to suggest an intensity; calories still use your chosen intensity and minutes.
— mph
—
We also suggest intensity based on speed and size.
Choose lower if lots of stops; higher if hills, pulling, or running.
Suggested: —
Heat increases energy cost and risks.
Estimated calories burned
—–— kcal
Range uses an intensity-based model ±15% (terrain/heat applied).
How we estimate
- We use
(MET × 70 × BWkg0.75 × timemin)/1440based on NRC (2006), with your category mapping to MET and adjustments for footing and temperature.
This tool provides estimates only and does not replace veterinary advice. Results vary with breed,
body condition, fitness, temperature, surface, grade, and leash handling. Use extra caution for
puppies, seniors, brachycephalic breeds, pregnant dogs, or pets with heart, lung, joint, or
metabolic disease. Stop exercise and contact your veterinarian if you see excessive panting,
coughing, limping, vomiting, disorientation, or collapse. Keep water available, avoid heat and hot
pavement, and adjust distance and pace to your dog’s condition.
Key factors that increase calorie burn
Typical add-ons relative to a comfortable, flat walk:
Rough terrain +10–20%
Cold weather +5–15%
Warm / hot weather +8–15% (use caution)
Pulling on leash +15–30%
Young, high-energy dog +10–25%
Overweight dog +5–15% (initially)
Cold weather +5–15%
Warm / hot weather +8–15% (use caution)
Pulling on leash +15–30%
Young, high-energy dog +10–25%
Overweight dog +5–15% (initially)
Combine thoughtfully (effects aren’t always perfectly additive). Monitor for over-panting or fatigue.
What each walk category looks like
Speeds are on flat ground with a healthy adult dog. Bigger dogs often prefer slightly faster paces; tiny/giant or brachycephalic breeds may trend slower.
| Category | Speed (mph) | Human pace | What you’ll see | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leisurely (Light) | ~2.0–2.7 | ~30–22 min/mi (19–14 min/km) | Loose leash, frequent sniffing/stops, little to no panting after a few minutes. | Potty break, meandering neighborhood walk, hot days, seniors. |
| Brisk (Moderate) | ~2.8–3.6 | ~21–16 min/mi (13–10 min/km) | Steady forward pace, light–moderate panting; recovers within 2–3 minutes of rest. | Exercise walk on sidewalks or park paths. |
| Vigorous | ~3.7–4.5 | ~16–13 min/mi (10–8 min/km) | Noticeable panting during the walk; mild tugging; fewer sniff stops. | Power walk, rolling hills, grass/uneven paths, some pulling on leash. |
| Very strenuous | ≥4.6 or jogging bursts | <13 min/mi (<8 min/km) | Heavy panting within minutes, wide tongue, may need regular breaks. | Hills/stairs, sand/soft surfaces, running intervals, working/athletic dogs. |
Quick reference chart
| Dog weight (lb · kg) | 15-min Light walk | 30-min Brisk walk | 60-min Vigorous walk |
|---|
Values use (MET × 70 × BWkg0.75 × timemin)/1440 with MET = 3.0 (light), 4.0 (brisk), 5.0 (vigorous). Current terrain/heat settings are applied. Shown as ±15% ranges.
Select References
- National Research Council (2006) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Link
- Kleiber, M. (1961) The Fire of Life: An Introduction to Animal Energetics. New York: Wiley. Library record
- Taylor, C.R., Heglund, N.C. & Maloiy, G.M.O. (1982) ‘Energetics and mechanics of terrestrial locomotion: metabolic cost as a function of speed and body size in mammals’, Journal of Experimental Biology, 97, pp. 1–21. Article
- Bermingham, E.N., Thomas, D.G., Cave, N.J., Morris, P.J. & Butterwick, R.F. (2014) ‘Energy requirements of adult dogs: a meta-analysis’, PLOS ONE, 9(10), e109681. DOI
- Schäfer, W. & Hankel, J. (2020) ‘Energy consumption of young military working dogs in pre-training in Germany’, Animals, 10(10), 1753. Article
- Coleman, K.J., Rosenberg, D.E., Conway, T.L., Sallis, J.F., Saelens, B.E., Frank, L.D. & Cain, K. (2008) ‘Physical activity, weight status, and neighborhood characteristics of dog walkers’, Preventive Medicine, 47(3), pp. 309–312. PubMed
- Johnson, R.A. & Meadows, R.L. (2010) ‘Dog-walking: Motivation for adherence to a walking program’, Clinical Nursing Research, 19(4), pp. 387–402. DOI
- Ward, E. (2010) Chow Hounds: Why Our Dogs Are Getting Fatter—A Vet’s Plan to Save Their Lives. Deerfield Beach, FL: HCI Press. ISBN link