How Much Exercise Does My Dog Need?
This article is written by Pet Circle veterinarian,
If you've ever witnessed the sheer joy in your dog's eyes when you reach for their leash or heard the excited jingle of their collar, you know that dogs and exercise go hand in paw. Beyond being a source of boundless enthusiasm, daily exercise is a fundamental requirement for the well-being of our canine companions. The question that often crosses the minds of dog owners is, "How much exercise does my dog really need?"
The answer is as diverse as the array of dog breeds, encompassing factors such as age, health, and individual personality traits. In this guide, we'll explore the intricacies of canine exercise needs, offering insights into tailoring activities to specific breeds, accommodating different life stages, and providing a comprehensive understanding of the various ways to keep our furry friends fit, healthy, and happy.
So, buckle up - or rather, leash up - as we embark on the journey to unravel the mysteries of just how much exercise our beloved dogs truly require.
1. The Importance of Regular Exercise for Dogs
2. Factors that Influence Exercise Needs
3. Different Ways to Exercise Dogs
1. The Importance of Regular Exercise for Dogs
Regular exercise is essential for all dogs, no matter their age or breed. It helps keep them in shape and is really important for their mental health. Fit, active dogs are much less likely to suffer from problems such as arthritis, obesity and behavioural issues. Here are some of the key benefits of regular exercise for dogs:
- Prevents premature aging: As dogs age, their lean muscle mass diminishes. Regular exercise helps maintain their muscle mass and keeps them limber.
- Maintains strong bones: Exercise helps strengthen your dog's bones, which can help minimise the risk of injury or arthritis later in life.
- Helps with arthritis: Exercise can help alleviate the symptoms of arthritis in dogs by reducing joint pain and stiffness.
- Reverses obesity: Regular exercise helps dogs burn calories, keep their metabolism healthy, and lose extra weight. It also builds muscle and stops unhealthy fat from building up.
- Reduces behavioural problems: Exercise helps reduce behavioural problems such as excessive licking, barking, chewing, digging, and other anxiety-related behaviours. It also helps dogs build trust and confidence in their environment.
It's important to note that the amount of daily exercise a dog needs depends on their breed, age, health, fitness, and personality. Before deciding how to exercise your dog, it's important to consider these factors and consult with your vet for advice.
Factors Influencing Exercise Requirement
1. Breed
Your dog's breed heavily dictates their natural energy levels. Some breeds need more exercise than others.
• Herding breeds such as Border Collies, Cattle Dogs, Kelpies, and mixes of these breeds, have by far the heaviest requirement for exercise. Simply keeping these dogs in a yard and letting them 'exercise themselves' is nowhere near sufficient and can lead to extreme boredom and mental health issues. A minimum of 2 hours per day of heavy exercise like running, swimming, ball games or agility - with a special focus on mental stimulation - is required for these super smart, athletic pooches.
• Working breeds such as the German Shepherd, Alaskan Malamute, Boxer, Dobermann, Rottweiler, Samoyed, and Siberian Husky also need high levels of exercise, between 1-2 hours per day. Mental stimulation is important for these clever doggos, who were bred to work by either pulling sleds, guarding property, or completing rescues. Running and walking with their master, ball games and swimming are great for these pooches.
• Sporting breeds, including the retrievers, pointers, and spaniels, all require a moderately high level of exercise - between 1-2 hours per day. These breeds include Labrador, Golden Retriever, German Shorthaired Pointer, Springer Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel and mixes of these breeds. Retrievers typically love swimming and benefit from extra exercise due to their propensity to gain weight and develop joint conditions. Pointers and spaniels typically love to run and chase, and do well with long walks with their master and ball chasing games. All sporting breeds generally require a minimum of 1-2 hours of exercise per day.
• Non-Sporting Breeds are perhaps the most diverse bunch. This group tends to be the 'no category' breeds that don't fit into the other buckets, and include the Poodle, Bichon Frise, Chow Chow, Dalmatian, Shiba Inu, and French Bulldog. As they are so diverse, their exercise needs vary greatly - so we recommend checking their individual breed recommendations for more advice.
• Terrier breeds are typically full of beans as they were bred to sniff out and chase prey animals, so these guys do best with 1-2 hours of exercise per day - and particularly love fetch and chase games. However, some terriers such as the Boston Terrier have brachycephalic faces and special attention needs to be paid to their needs (see the section below on brachycephalic breeds!) Terrier breeds include the Bull Terrier, Staffy, Australian Terrier, Fox Terrier, Jack Russell, Schnauzer, Scottish Terrier and Westie.
• Hounds, including the Beagle, Dachshund, Greyhound, Whippet, Afghan Hound, Irish Wolfhound, and Rhodesian Ridgeback were bred for their keen sense of smell. These dogs do best with a moderate amount of exercise - one hour of walking and ball games is usually sufficient depending on their age.
• Toy breeds including the Toy Poodle, Chihuahua, Maltese, Italian Greyhound, Shih Tzu, Papillon and Pomeranian also vary in their exercise needs, but generally require less exercise than other groups. 30 minutes to 1 hour is usually sufficient for these guys - however some tiny pups like the teacup poodle don't even need to be walked every day, and can be perfectly happy playiing brain-exercising games and puzzles with their master indoors. Meanwhile, the Papillon and Pomeranian are particularly good at agility sports and benefit from a little more exercise than their toy counterparts.
• Brachycephalic breeds are a special bunch with special needs. The term 'brachycephalic' refers to the anatomical squished faces of breeds such as Pugs, French Bulldogs, British Bulldog and Boxers. These dogs require daily exercise, but special care must be taken not to exert them during the warmer parts of the day due to their inability to cool themselves by panting.
Read more about exercising Brachycephalic breeds in our guide to Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome.
2. Age
As your dog ages, they have different energy requirements. It makes sense that puppies have different energy expenditure requirements than adult and senior doggos.
• Puppies should be introduced to exercise gradually, due to their developing bones. Puppies that experience too much exercise, particularly high impact exercise, are at risk of joint and bone damage. This can lead to conditions such as arthritis and hip dysplasia.
However, puppies still need regular activity to reduce the risk of boredom, frustration and behavioural issues. Playing with toys, short walks, and obedience training are all great activities to build your puppy's fitness and confidence. Puzzles are a great way to keep your puppy's mind busy and can help exercise their body too!
• Adult dogs who have finished growing (this is at the age of 12 months for small breeds and 18-24 months for large and giant breeds) require daily exercise to help prevent weight gain, promote mental health, and keep their body healthy. Younger adults typically benefit from more exercise than older dogs. The amount of exercise required from your adult dog varies greatly and depends mostly on their breed.
• Senior dogs require less activity than young dogs, but still benefit from daily exercise to keep them happy, fit and healthy. Senior dogs are more likely to habour secret arthritis pain, which means that non-weightbearing exercise such as swimming is ideal for them.
When is my dog considered a 'senior'?
| Lifestage | Small Breed | Medium Breed | Large Breed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | 10 - 12 months | 12 - 14 months | 18 - 24 months |
| Mature | 8 years + | 7 years + | 5 years + |
| Senior | 12 years + | 10 years + | 8 years + |
In addition to arthritis, senior dogs may also suffer from blindness and vision loss, dementia, deafness, and heart disease. All of these issues can affect your dog's ability or willingness to complete certain types of exercise and it might be worth trying something new and easier to achieve. For instance, if your dog has issues with their sight, consider slow walks on-leash along a familiar route that they can navigate easily with their sense of smell.
Different Ways to Exercise Dogs
There are many different ways to exercise your dog - and each form of exercise brings with it different benefits. With so many options, there's no reason your dog's injury or old age needs to stop them from staying active!
Daily walks
Daily walking should be part of every dog's routine to keep them physically fit and mentally healthy. Most dogs need at least 1-2 walks per day, varying from 15-60 minutes per walk depending on their breed, unless your vet has recommended otherwise. Quick walking is a great way for your dog to burn off extra calories and build fitness, while slow, leisurely walks - particularly off leash where you let your dog sniff and explore - is great for their mental health.
Did you know? A dog uses their sense of smell as much as a human use their sense of sight. This means that a long walk in which your dog has been allowed to smell lots of different things is the equivalent stimulation to a human watching a movie or reading a book!
Swimming
Swimming really is the best form of exercise. Not only does swimming use muscles in the entire body and burn 3 times more calories per minute than walking, but it is a completely non-weightbearing activity and therefore perfect for dogs with joint issues! Always make sure to clean your dog's ears after swimming, particularly if they are a breed prone to ear infections.
Read more about swimming with your dog in our guide to Swimming Safely with Dogs.
Running
Running is a fantastic way to stay fit while bonding with your best mate. When introducing your dog to running, make sure to start them off slowly - short bursts of gentle jogging throughout your normal walk, working gradually up to longer stretches. For the best experience, we highly recommend a hands-free lead with a shock-absorbing elastic component that allows you to run freely without either of you being jolted by the other.
Find out more about the best running leads in our guide to Running with Dogs.
Play
Many people forget to play with their dog, particularly after their dog reaches adulthood. But the act of playing is not only stimulating for the mind and body, it is one of the strongest activities for strengthening the bond you share with your dog. No matter what age your dog is, playtime is always beneficial. There are so many different ways to play - from fetch games to tug-of-war, chasing, or even just play wrestling. Play is also a great options for dogs who are unable to run or complete strenuous activity.
Need some inspiration? Check out our guide to Boredom Busters for Dogs.
Agility Training
Agility is a sport for dogs which involves manoeuvering through obstacle courses containing hurdles, tunnels and see-saws. Agility is a fun way to exercise your dog, especially if they have an active mind and love a challenge. It's also a great way to bond with your dog and socialise them with other dogs.
Curious about Agility? Check out our guide to Agility for Beginners.
Hiking
Hiking with dogs offers numerous benefits for both pets and owners. It provides a fantastic opportunity for dogs to explore new environments, engage their senses, and expend excess energy, which can help reduce behavioural issues stemming from boredom or pent-up energy. Additionally, hiking strengthens the bond between dogs and their owners, as it fosters shared experiences and quality time together. The physical exercise involved in hiking is also beneficial for dogs' overall health, helping to maintain a healthy weight, improve cardiovascular fitness, and enhance muscle tone. Furthermore, hiking in nature can be mentally stimulating for dogs, offering new sights, sounds, and smells that enrich their lives and contribute to their overall well-being.
Hiking in the bush or national parks? Make sure your dog is up to date with their Flea & Tick Prevention.
Flyball
Flyball is another popular canine sport, which involves running through an obstacle course and catching a ball released at a certain point. Flyball is a great sport for dogs with a lot of energy and an active brain. Due to the high impact nature of the sport, it is not suitable for dogs with joint issues.
Cycling
Riding your bike alongside your dog is a great way to exercise high energy dogs such as Border Collies, Kelpies or Cattle Dogs. However, due to the high level of fitness required to keep up with a bike it's important to gradually build your dog's fitness up slowly, allow them regular breaks, and take it slow. Always carry plenty of water and don't cycle with your dog at the hottest time of the day. Remember that bitumen can be very hot in summer, and this can burn your dog's feet.
Yoga
It might seem strange, but you can absolutely do yoga with your dog! It's a great way to bond with your dog and keep their mind active. Consult Youtube for some excellent yoga-with-dog classes, or better yet - check out some local classes!
Exercise Safety Tips
While exercise brings a wealth of benefits for your dog, there are a number of things you'll need to keep in mind while getting them fit:
1. Consider your dog's fitness level and health. Just like us, dogs have varying levels of fitness and not all dogs will be able to cope with a lot of exercise in one go. Take your pet's body condition (are they currently overweight?) and health status (do they have arthritis or a joint condition) into consideration and choose an appropriate type of exercise accordingly.
2. Weather and temperature. Living in Australia, you are no doubt aware that it can be a pretty hot and humid place, and many areas are prone to heavy rains and storms. Avoid heatstroke in summer by exercising your dog early in the morning or late in the afternoon and evening, and consider swimming.
3. Offleash safety. If your dog is trained well enough to walk or run off leash, only do so if you are in an area free from roads, livestock and wildlife. Dogs can easily suffer from injuries if they are tempted to chase a cat or bird, particularly if the route leads them into oncoming traffic.
Top Walking & Running Accessories for Dogs
Further Reading
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