How much exercise does a puppy need?

Why puppies are different

A puppy's bones grow from soft areas near the ends called growth plates. The PDSA explains that these need to fuse before a dog is ready for high intensity exercise. Until they do, they are easier to damage than adult bone.

When that happens depends on size. VCA Animal Hospitals says growth plates close at a little over six months in small dogs and closer to a year and a half in giant breeds. The PDSA says most dogs are fully grown by a year, and large breeds at 18 months to 2 years.

The five minute rule

The best known guideline is five minutes of exercise for each month of age, up to twice a day. The Royal Kennel Club describes it as a good rule of thumb for formal exercise until a puppy is fully grown. Formal exercise means lead walks and the like. It does not include pottering in the garden or playing at home.

• 3 months. 15 minutes at a time, up to 30 minutes a day.
• 4 months. 20 minutes at a time, up to 40 minutes a day.
• 6 months. 30 minutes at a time, up to 60 minutes a day.
• 9 months. 45 minutes at a time, up to 90 minutes a day.

What the rule gets wrong

You should know that not everyone accepts it. The PDSA says there is no scientific evidence behind the rule and that it is not appropriate for most puppies. Preventive Vet makes the same point, and argues that 25 minutes is too little for a lively five month old.

So treat it as a simple, cautious limit on structured walking that stops well-meaning owners from overdoing it. It is not a target to reach, and it is not the whole of a puppy's day. This is how Zoomies uses it. A puppy gets a daily limit that grows with age, not a goal to hit.

Free play matters more than the stopwatch

What the sources do agree on is the kind of exercise. VCA advises letting a puppy self-regulate, and the Royal Kennel Club notes that puppies tend to limit their own play. A puppy tumbling about on grass can stop, flop and start again whenever it likes. A puppy on a lead beside a marching adult cannot.

There is some research behind this. A Norwegian study of 501 large breed dogs found that puppies who used stairs daily in their first three months had a higher risk of hip dysplasia, while puppies who had off-lead exercise on soft ground in the same period had a lower risk.

What to do with a puppy

• Short walks, several times a day. The American Kennel Club says several brief walks are safer than one long one.
• Let them sniff and stop. A puppy walk is for exploring, not for distance.
• Free play on soft ground, such as grass, at their own pace.
• Gentle games and short training sessions. These tire the brain.
• Meeting the world. Calm exposure to new places, people and sounds is as important as exercise at this age.
• Plenty of sleep. Puppies need a great deal of it.

What to avoid until they are grown

• Running and jogging with you. The AKC suggests waiting until about 18 months for most breeds. See do I need to run with my dog.
• Repeated ball chasing. The Royal Kennel Club advises avoiding exercise with sharp, sudden turns.
• Long hikes and cycling alongside you.
• Stairs for very young puppies. The Royal Kennel Club says to avoid them until at least 12 weeks.
• Exercise on a full stomach.
• Hard exercise in the heat.

Signs your puppy has had enough

Sitting or lying down on a walk, lagging behind, heavy panting and limping all mean stop. Carry your puppy home if you need to. Take this seriously, because the PDSA warns that a puppy is unlikely to show obvious signs of being over-exercised until damage has been done. It is better to finish too early than too late.

When can a puppy exercise like an adult?

Once it is fully grown. As a rough guide from the AKC, that is about 6 to 8 months for small breeds, 12 months for medium breeds, 12 to 18 months for large breeds and 18 to 24 months for giant breeds. Your vet can tell you when your own dog is ready. Then look up an adult goal in the breed exercise guides.