Is walking enough exercise for a dog?

When a walk is enough

The American Kennel Club says a walk around the block might be enough for breeds with lower exercise needs. That covers many small companion breeds, flat-faced breeds, older dogs and dogs with health problems. The PDSA, for example, suggests up to an hour a day for a Pug, split into several shorter walks.

For a dog like that, a couple of unhurried walks a day and some play at home is a full and happy life. More is not better. Flat-faced dogs in particular struggle to cool down, so gentle outings in the cooler parts of the day are the right call.

When a walk is not enough

High-energy breeds are another story. The AKC says they often require significantly more physical activity and mental stimulation. The PDSA says some breeds need a minimum of one to two hours of exercise a day, and working breeds significantly more. For a Border Collie it suggests at least two hours every day, spread over several walks, with time off the lead.

A lead walk at human pace is barely a warm-up for a dog bred to work sheep all day. These dogs do best with something faster in the mix, such as running, fetch, swimming or a good hike, and a job for the brain.

Breed is a guide and not a rule. As PetMD puts it, breed is not everything, and individual dogs have their own preferences. There are lazy Collies and tireless Cavaliers.

Not all walks are the same

Thirty minutes of trotting briskly and thirty minutes of pottering between lamp posts are different kinds of exercise. The PDSA describes a slow, meandering walk with lots of sniffing and exploring as great for mental health, and a brisk walk as the way to burn extra energy.

Most dogs benefit from both. An easy pattern is a brisk stretch to begin, then a slower stretch where the dog picks the pace and follows its nose.

This is also why Zoomies counts a walk minute for minute and gives faster activities more weight. Twenty minutes of fetch moves the meter further than twenty minutes on the lead.

Brains need exercise too

The AKC makes a useful point. Mental stimulation is not a replacement for physical exercise, but it is an important complement. Training, puzzle feeders, hide and seek with treats and scent games all tire a dog in a way that a walk does not. The PDSA notes that dogs benefit from scent games at any age.

On a day when the walk has to be short, ten minutes of training or a scatter of treats in the grass makes up some of the difference.

Age changes the answer

• Puppies need short, gentle outings and not long walks. The PDSA advises avoiding long walks and running until a puppy is fully grown, which can be 18 months to 2 years in large breeds.
• Adults in good health are the dogs the breed guidelines describe. Younger adults usually need the most.
• Seniors still need to get out. The PDSA advice is little and often, at the dog's pace, on shorter and flatter routes.

How to tell if your dog is getting enough

Signs your dog may want more include restlessness in the evening, pestering, chewing or digging, and creeping weight gain. A dog that comes home, has a drink and settles down contentedly has usually had what it needs.

There are signs of too much as well. PetMD lists slowing down partway through a walk, limping, and sleeping for hours afterwards. If you see those, do less and build up gradually.

What to add if a walk is not enough

• A faster stretch. A few minutes of jogging or a run in a safe open space.
• Fetch or tug. Short, lively games. See is fetch enough exercise for a dog.
• Swimming. Hard work and easy on the joints.
• Hills and trails. A hike is a walk with more to smell and climb.
• Play with other dogs, if your dog enjoys it.
• Brain work. Training, scent games and puzzle feeders.

We compare these in the best exercise for dogs. For a daily number to aim at, find your dog in the breed exercise guides.