How much exercise does your dog really need?

"Does my dog get enough exercise?" is one of the most common questions new owners ask, and the honest answer is: it depends on more than most guides let on. Breed, age, build and temperament all change the picture.

It's not one number for every dog

A general rule you'll see everywhere is 30 to 60 minutes of activity a day, and it's a reasonable starting point. But a working-line Border Collie and an eight-year-old Bulldog have almost nothing in common physically, and treating them the same way does neither dog any favours.

A rough guide by life stage

• Puppies need frequent, short bursts of play rather than long structured walks, their joints are still developing.
• Adult dogs, most breeds do well with 30 to 60 minutes a day, split across one or two sessions.
• High-energy working breeds (Collies, Spaniels, many terriers) often need 60 to 90 minutes, plus mental stimulation.
• Seniors usually do better with shorter, gentler, more frequent sessions than one long walk.

Signs your dog isn't getting enough

Restlessness in the evening, chewing or digging that wasn't there before, and a dog that seems to have endless energy at exactly the wrong moments are common signs. It's rarely about the dog being "badly behaved", it's usually a dog with nowhere to put its energy.

What to do when a walk isn't possible

Rain, short winter days, an injury, a schedule that doesn't leave time, there are plenty of days when a proper walk isn't realistic. A treadmill won't replace the sniffing and exploring a real walk gives a dog, but it gives you a reliable way to burn physical energy indoors, on your own schedule, in ten or fifteen minutes rather than an hour.

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Building a routine that sticks

Consistency matters more than intensity. A dog that gets a predictable amount of movement every day, even a modest amount, tends to settle better than one whose exercise varies wildly from a two-hour hike on Sunday to nothing at all on Wednesday. Start with what you can realistically keep up, and build from there.