Exercising your new puppy is important, but perhaps not in the way that you might expect.
The daily dog walk is a big tradition in many families. And it has massive benefits for both two-legged and four-legged participants. So its not surprising that most new puppy parents assume that puppies need walks as their main source of exercise.
In fact there are lots of different ways to exercise a puppy that don’t involve going for a walk. Which is a good thing because most experts now agree that long walks may be harmful to a young puppy’s growing bones and joints.
We’ll be looking at some of the activities you can set up that will provide your puppy with both the exercise and the mental stimulation they need to support their growth and development.
Then I’ll give you some guidelines as to when you can start more formal walks, including how often and for how long, you need to exercise your new friend.
Self Motivated Play
Puppies get much of their exercise from exploring the world around them. Whether that’s running around the backyard, digging up the flower beds or playing with the toys alone, they are moving those muscles without you needing to intervene.
For the most part, self motivated play is also self limiting. You don’t usually need to stop your puppy from having fun, they will flop down and have a rest when they are tired. There are exceptions of course.
Sometimes puppies will get very puppy over-excited about a toy, or an object in your back yard. They’ll circle it, barking and jumping about. This can be amusing provided it doesn’t last long.
My young Lab Bonnie used to do this occasionally if I fed her in a stainless steel bowl. When she had finished eating, something about the bowl, perhaps the light reflected from it, seemed to get her quite worked up.
If your puppy seems unable to break away from the object that’s exciting them, then it’s okay to remove the toy and give them a chance to calm down!
Playing With Other Dogs
If you have an adult dog in the home, your puppy is likely to try to initiate play with them too. And it can be difficult to know how long to let this go on, and when to intervene.
Puppies, much like toddlers, don’t have an off switch when playing with other dogs. So you will need to intervene from time to time. Both to prevent the puppy getting over-tired and overwrought. And potentially to prevent the older dog from getting irritated.
If your puppy’s playmate if fairly young then you’ll need to step in to prevent things getting too rough and puppy from getting exhausted. If the older dog is a senior citizen or not a big fan of puppies, then you need to make sure that they don’t get distressed or even start to snap at the puppy.
In either case, a baby gate that the other dog can retreat behind when its time for the game to end, will be helpful to you.
Dogs outside the home can also be great play companions, make sure they are fully vaccinated, and friendly towards small puppies. This is important because even the nicest dogs can find puppies a bit much and an attack from another dog can be a life changing event for a little one
Make sure that games with other dogs are in situations that you can control. Indoors or in an enclosed yard for example. And keep them short. Ten or fifteen minutes of vigorous play is plenty for a puppy under three months old.
Water Play And Swimming
The water is a great place to exercise your puppy in a way that in unlikely to damage those growing joints and muscles. As long as you are supervising, and it’s not too deep.
Whether it’s a kiddie pool in the backyard or a muddy puddle, shallow water on a warm day is a fun way to entertain most puppies.
Some will be reluctant to swim or paddle, and that’s totally normal. Just introduce them to even smaller amounts of water to get them used to it, and use lots of praise and encouragement.
A Caveat
Extra special care needs to be taken around water with some breeds of dog, particularly those with flatter faces such as Bulldogs and Pugs. I’d actually avoid swimming activities in deeper water for these breeds at any point in their lives, and if they need to travel on water by boat for example, make sure you’ve got a properly fitted life jacket for them.
Playing Fetch
Many types of dog have been selectively bred for generations to love fetching objects, but it is surprisingly easy to accidentally put them off in puppyhood by making the game too hard or too boring.
Because fetch is such a fantastic form of exercise for dogs throughout their lives, it’s worth putting in the effort now to keep them engaged.
Use a toy that they love, and throw it no more than a couple of feet from you. Repeat just a handful of times, and stop as soon as your puppy stops reacting excitedly. We have a course on Fetch starting in 2025 so keep an eye out for that!
Physical Play
There is a big temptation for some puppy owners to rough house with their dog. They enjoy the physical tussle, and rolling about on the ground with a dog. There are problems with this approach to playing with a puppy.
This kind of play is very exciting to many dogs. And especially to puppies. It also causes a lot of confusion to dogs because we humans are not great at recognizing, and offering, the body language that dogs use to stop and start their games.
If you play with a dog on their terms they are likely to think you are ok with the kind of biting and barging that they use with each other. And may be unable to recognize when you want the game to end. Which you will at some point because you don’t have the benefit of a thick fur coat to protect you from those play bites.
A lot of the serious problems I see with adolescent dogs behaving inappropriately with people are caused by this kind of play, and I really recommend you don’t do this with your puppy.
There is however an alternative that you might enjoy.
Playing Tug
Tug is a great alternative to rough housing. It gives a similar benefits in terms of the play experience, but with a clear physical boundaries, and rules that you control, rather than the dog.
With tug, you can match your strength against your dog in a contest that they understand and with the important ability to end the game whenever you choose.
Obviously, you need to build up to a full-strength game, and let puppies win a lot at first if you want them to develop persistence and enjoy the game. You also need to teach your puppy how to start and stop the game. There are video demonstrations of tug games in our Puppy Games online course
Training Through Games
Training can form a huge part of your dog’s exercise regime throughout their life, and puppyhood is no exception.
Early training games that are reward based and focus on confidence and attention are not only a brilliant way to bond with your dog, and to lay foundations for great behavior. Many training games are a good source of exercise!
Recall is a great example of this, and recall games are great fun for puppies because they love to chase. Whenever your puppy turns away from you in the back yard, step a few feet away from them. When they notice and turn to follow you, crouch down and give them lots of pets and treat when they arrive.
Once your puppy realises that running towards you is rewarding you can start to move away from them at a jog and turn it into a game of chase where catching you is the prize.
When To Start Walking
Puppies under four months old don’t need formal walks of any kind. Exercise through play and games is sufficient.
And I recommend that you work on getting your puppy used to walking at your side without a leash. And to walking on a loose leash, before you start leash walks in earnest. Especially if your puppy is a large breed dog.
That’s because pulling ahead on a leash can become a difficult habit to break.
How Often?
There is no rigid rule that says you must walk a dog every day. Just like us, dogs can get the exercise they need in different ways. So if you prefer to spend half an hour playing frisbee with your dog than going for a walk today that’s fine too.
The main benefit to a daily walk (or two) is that it becomes a habit that’s easy for you to remember to do. And for your dog, the benefits of being out and about with opportunities to sniff and explore are hard to beat.
There’s no limit to how many walks you can give your adult dog each day, provided they are still keen to go with you. But there are limits to how far you should walk a puppy.
How Far To Walk A Puppy
Once you start going for proper walks with your puppy from about four months old, there is a useful rule of thumb to guide you when it comes to the duration of your walks. And that’s five minutes per month (of your puppy’s age) per day
So that’s twenty minutes for your four month old puppy. And thirty minutes for a six month old. Once your puppy is fully grown you don’t need to worry too much about guidelines, but do make sure that any significant increases in exercise are introduced gradually.
And just as with swimming, take extra care when walking a flat faced puppy such as a Pug. Breeds with flat faces may struggle to cool and oxygenate themselves and may need shorter, less strenuous walks and games. Especially in walk weather
Enjoy Your Puppy Exercise Sessions
Exercise is absolutely important for your puppy’s health, but remember that there are many different ways to exercise a puppy. And puppy play, and exercise sessions, should be fun for both of you.
Above all, young puppies need plenty of opportunity to rest, play, sleep and grow. Long hikes and jogging sessions can come later.
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