A Veterinarian’s Guide to Dog Exercise at Every Age

Whether you have a new puppy or are the experienced parent of an adult dog, understanding your furry friend's exercise needs is crucial for their health and development.

Like humans, dogs require physical activity to stay fit, mentally stimulated, and happy. However, the type and intensity of exercise should vary depending on age, breed, size, and overall health.

In this guide, I’ll review the general exercise requirements for each life stage: puppies, adult dogs, and seniors.

By tailoring your dog's workout routine to their developmental stage, you can support them in maintaining a healthy weight, strong muscles, and an even temperament!

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Tailor exercise to your dog's age: puppies, adult dogs, and seniors have different needs.

• Regular exercise is necessary for all dogs: it provides physical and mental benefits, including improved health and well-being.

• Consider breed, size, and overall health when planning your pet’s activities.

• Consult with your veterinarian: get personalized advice on the best exercise plan for your dog.

Why is Exercise Important for Dogs?

Regular exercise offers numerous benefits for dogs, including:

• Builds and maintains muscle strength: prevents muscle atrophy and helps dogs stay physically fit.

• Lowers the risk of obesity: helps burn calories and maintain a healthy weight, reducing the risk of obesity-related health problems.

• Promotes flexibility: improves joint mobility and reduces the risk of injuries.

• Helps to regulate the digestive tract: regular physical activity aids digestion and prevents constipation or diarrhea.

• Supports the cardiovascular system: increases heart rate and strengthens the heart, improving overall cardiovascular health.

• Promotes mental stimulation: keeps dogs engaged and mentally sharp, reducing boredom, anxiety, and destructive behaviors.

• Strengthens the bond between pet parent and dog: spending quality time together during exercise activities can deepen your bond with your furry friend.

Exercise Guidelines for Puppies

Puppies are full of energy and eager to explore the world around them. They will have bursts of energy throughout the day between naps and feeding times.

However, their growing bodies need gentle exercise to prevent stress on their developing joints and bones.

• Aim for 5 minutes of exercise per month of age, up to twice a day. For example, a 5-month-old puppy would benefit from 25 minutes of exercise twice daily. 

• Keep activities short and varied, focusing on gentle play and socialization. 

• Avoid strenuous or high-impact exercises that could stress their developing bodies.

Puppy Exercise Ideas 

1. Walks: keep walks short near your home or park.  

2. Interactive play: games like fetch, tug-of-war, and hide-and-seek provide mental and physical stimulation

3. Swimming: if your puppy is a swimming breed, get them used to the water and swimming early on. Start in the bath and the wading pool before moving to larger bodies of water. Until they are a strong swimmer, always hold your puppy in the water.

4. Puppy obedience class & basic training: your puppy will get plenty of exercise while learning basic commands.

5. Social time: controlled playdates with other vaccinated puppies develop social skills and safely burn energy

6. Puzzle toys: challenge puppies mentally while at the same time keeping them physically active

7. Alone time: if your puppy starts playing with a dog toy or entertaining themself, don’t interrupt. The ability to stay occupied helps to keep your dog happy when left alone.

Exercise Needs for Adult Dogs

The type and duration of exercise will depend on your dog's breed, size, and energy level.

• High-energy breeds, such as border collies, need more intense exercise throughout the day
• Lower-energy breeds, such as bulldogs, do well with shorter, gentler sessions.

Balancing exercise such as walking, running, and interactive play ensures your dog stays fit, healthy, and mentally stimulated.

Adult Dog Exercise Ideas 

1. Daily walks: regular walks help maintain muscle and joint strength, cardiovascular health, and mental stimulation.

2. Agility classes: jumping, weaving, and running through obstacle courses provide healthy physical and mental challenges.

3. DIY agility courses: make a line of cones or backyard furniture your dog can weave through. Lead him over homemade hurdles.

4. Hide and seek: place your dog’s favorite toys or treats around the yard so he can ‘discover’ them.

5. Fetch: provides a good workout while utilizing a dog’s natural retrieving instincts

6. Visiting dog parks: a great way to exercise with friends and socialize.

7. Hiking: a trek in the woods or on a mountain trail provides mental enrichment and a chance to build endurance.

8. Swimming: an excellent, low-impact, full-body exercise for dogs who are strong swimmers. (Short-legged breeds, brachycephalic breeds, and especially lean breeds are typically not strong swimmers.)

How to Exercise a Senior Dog

Senior dogs may have health issues, such as arthritis, vision loss, or dementia, that limit their ability to perform certain exercises. However, regular, low-impact activity is still essential for maintaining their overall health and well-being.

Tips for keeping your senior dog active include:

• Low impact activities such as walking and swimming, which are beneficial by avoiding straining on aging joints.

• Shorter, more frequent sessions to prevent exhaustion or overexertion.

• Keep to a regular familiar routine and let your dog’s pace guide you.

• Watch for signs of fatigue such as slowing down or excessive panting.

• Walking on grass or softer surfaces is more gentle on the joints.

Suggested Forms of Exercise for Senior Pets

1. Gentle Walks: multiple short walks throughout the day prevent strain and exhaustion.

2. Fetch: keep games of fetch and catch shorter than in their youth.

3. Continuing Education: teaching your older dog new tricks and reinforcing the commands they already know, will keep them moving while also offering important mental stimulation.

4. Hide and Seek: similar to continued training, hide and seek encourages movement and concentration.

5. Swimming: if your older dog is a swimmer, it’s a great exercise that is easy on aging joints.

Indoor Exercises For Pets of All Ages

Sometimes, the weather or our schedules do not permit outdoor exercise and activities for our pets.

Here are some alternatives for a rainy day or a break during your workday:

1. Inside Fetch: toss a ball or dog toy around the living space.

2. Indoor Hide and Seek: hide a treat in different rooms of the house.

3. Tug of War: a good option, but make sure your dog follows the ‘leave it’ command during playtime when a break is needed.

4. Indoor Obstacle Courses: navigating around, through, or over household items provides exercise and mental stimulation

Conclusion

Exercise is essential to a healthy lifestyle for dogs of all ages. From short strolls in the park to hiking in the mountains, exercise strengthens muscles and joints, provides mental stimulation, and improves overall longevity and health.

The amount of exercise your dog needs depends on their age, breed, size, and overall health. Consult your veterinarian to determine the best exercise plan for your dog's abilities.

Regular checkups with your veterinarian are crucial to ensure the exercises you are doing for your dog are appropriate for their level of fitness and health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to take my dog running?

Running may be appropriate for certain breeds of dogs, such as border collies or other working breeds, once they become adults.  It is not recommended to run puppies, senior dogs, or certain breeds.  Consult your veterinarian to know if your dog is a good running mate.

Why is it important to avoid strenuous activity with growing puppies?

Puppies are rapidly growing and maturing in the first year of life. Strenuous or high-impact activity puts extra strain and stress on their developing bones and joints, which can negatively impact their overall growth and development.

What is a good activity for my senior dog with arthritis?

Short, controlled walks on grass or softer surfaces are a good way for seniors to keep their joints and muscles less stiff. For seniors who love swimming, a dip in a pool or calm lake can keep those joints lubricated and muscles strong.