Last Updated: 21/01/2026
How Much Exercise Do Dogs Need? A Vet's Guide
Is your dog getting enough activity? From high-energy Kelpies to relaxed Pugs, our vets explain the exercise requirements for different breeds and life stages, along with safety tips and creative ways to keep your furry friend moving.
Author: Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 13 minutes - short read
If you have ever reached for the leash and watched your dog transform into a whirlwind of excitement, you know that exercise is the highlight of their day. Beyond the wagging tails and zoomies, regular physical activity is a cornerstone of canine health, impactfully reducing the risk of obesity and supporting long-term joint mobility.
However, a "one size fits all" approach doesn't work for our four-legged friends. From the high-octane energy of a working Border Collie to the gentle strolls suited for a senior Greyhound, understanding the specific needs of your pet is essential. This guide delves into how breed, age, and health status dictate the ideal fitness routine to keep your dog happy and thriving.
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 that influence exercise needs
1. Breed-specific exercise requirements
Your dog's breed heavily dictates their natural energy levels. Some breeds need more exercise than others.
Herding breeds
- 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
- 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
- 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.
Non-Sporting Breeds
- 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
- Terrier breeds include the Bull Terrier, Staffy, Australian Terrier, Fox Terrier, Jack Russell, Schnauzer, Scottish Terrier and Westie
- These 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.
- 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)
Hounds
- 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
- The Toy Poodle, Chihuahua, Maltese, Italian Greyhound, Shih Tzu, Papillon and Pomeranian also vary in their exercise needs
- Generally require less exercise than other groups. 30 minutes to 1 hour is usually sufficient for these guys
- 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
- 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, and predisposition to heatstroke
Read more about exercising Brachycephalic breeds in our guide to Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome.
2. How age affects your dog's activity levels
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
- 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.
- 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
- 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, as above
Senior dogs
- 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.
- They may also suffer from blindness and vision loss, dementia, deafness, and heart disease which can affect exercise options. 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.
- The age at which your dog is considered a senior varies with breed size
- Small breeds (under 10kg) are considered mature at 8 years and senior at 12 years
- Medium breeds (10-25kg) are considered mature at 7 years and senior at 10 years
- Large breeds (over 25kg) are considered mature at 5 years and senior at 8 years
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!
Safety tips for active dogs
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.
FAQs
Finding the right exercise balance is one of the kindest things a pet parent can do. By tailoring activities to your dog's unique breed, age, and physical abilities, you are not just managing their weight; you are enriching their mind and strengthening the bond you share. Whether it is a refreshing swim, a game of flyball, or a sniff-heavy stroll around the block, every bit of movement contributes to a longer, healthier life for your best mate.
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Is your dog keen to get in the water this Summer? Check out the important things you should know if your dog loves swimming.
Learn about arthritis in dogs including the signs to look out for and ways you can support your dog's comfort and mobility.
Do you own a senior dog? Check out our guide on the best senior nutrition health and comfort tips from our vet team.
Banish boredom with our proven tips and engaging toys, ensuring your dog stays mentally stimulated, happy, and well-behaved.
Does your pet suffer from anxiety? Check out our Vet-guide for treatment options to help your pet.
History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Wed 21 Jan 2026
Edited by Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc (Hons)
Veterinarian
Dr. Carla graduated from the University of Queensland in 2013 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and worked for a number of years in small animal clinics across South East Queensland. While Carla enjoys most facets of clinical veterinary work, she holds a special passion for feline medicine, pocket pets, and nutrition.
