As working dogs, Australian Shepherds are active, smart, and they always need to be busy. Originally bred to herd livestock, they are now one of the most popular breeds for companionship in the United States.
Their endless energy is, however, not ideal for everyone. If you already own an Aussie or you’re considering adopting one, you probably wonder what his exercise needs are?
As hyperactive and athletic dogs, Australian Shepherds need at least 1 or 2 hours of daily exercise. They must have as much time as possible to run, play, and spend their energy to stay healthy and happy. An Aussie can be an excellent partner for long walks, hiking, agility training, or any other physical activity!
There are many different ways to keep your dog busy and in good shape. If you have (or want to have) an Australian Shepherd in your house, you must be ready to exercise with him every day.
As an intelligent breed, mental stimulation is also essential to satisfy this type of companion. At the end of your reading, you will have all the information you need to provide proper exercise to your Aussie!
How Much Exercise Does An Australian Shepherd Need?
High-energy breeds such as Aussies require a lot of physical activity. The general guideline of 1 or 2 hours is the minimum, but they will never say no to more. This time dedicated to exercise should include daily walks, vigorous activity, free playtime, and other fun activities.
As herding dogs, they were bred to run after animals all day long. Thus, your Australian Shepherd needs a lot of your time to work out as much as they would have on the field.
Your Aussie’s intelligent nature is another thing you should consider to provide him with proper exercise. Mental stimulation is as important as physical activity, especially for smart breeds. Training, dog agility, brain games, and stimulating toys are great ideas for cognitive enrichment.
Why Is Exercise So Important For Australian Shepherds?
Neglecting your dog’s need to move and think can lead him to develop serious behavioral issues. If you don’t entertain your Aussie, he will find a way to keep himself busy. Lack of exercise can explain why he’s barking, chewing, nipping, or digging excessively.
Keeping your Australian Shepherd active and busy is also important for his health and happiness. If you’re looking for a dog with moderate energy that doesn’t require too much care, this breed is probably not ideal for you. On the other hand, it’s an awesome companion for sportive people!
What Can Influence Your Aussie’s Physical Activity Requirements?
Apart from your dog’s breed, many factors can have a huge impact on how much exercise he needs. His age, energy level, health, physical conditions, and other elements will help you figure out what amount of physical activity and mental stimulation you should provide him with. Thus, here are the main things to consider about your Australian Shepherd to exercise him properly!
Health & Physical Conditions.
The general recommendation of daily exercise (between 1 and 2 hours) is only appropriate for healthy Australian Shepherds. If your dog isn’t in good shape or has specific medical restrictions, he may have lower or different requirements. Thus, it’s important to adapt the frequency and the type of physical activity you do with him depending on his limits and conditions.
Age. (Puppy + Senior)
How old your companion is will also drastically change how much exercise he needs. A minimum of 1 to 2 hours applies for an adult Australian Shepherd. That much physical activity might be too much for a young puppy or senior dog.
Australian Shepherd Puppy Exercise Needs!
If your pup is still very young, his bones, muscles, and joints are still growing. At an early stage of life, an Aussie should mainly focus on socialization, playing with toys, and having fun with his owner. Too much exercise, dog sports, or vigorous walking isn’t always good for puppies.
As a general rule of thumb, a puppy should get approximately 5 minutes of exercise per month of age up to twice a day. Hyperactive breeds such as Australian Shepherds have enough energy to do a little bit more. Thus, 3-month-old puppies should have around 20 minutes of daily exercise
| Puppy Age | Exercise Needs |
| 3 Months Old | 15-30 Minutes |
| 4 Months Old | 20-40 Minutes |
| 5 Months Old | 25-45 Minutes |
| 6 Months Old | 30-60 Minutes |
Consistency is the key to helping your young Aussie build stamina, improve his health, and stay busy. Moderate physical activity such as walking, free playtime, and fun interactive games can be great ways to exercise a puppy!
What About Working Out With An Old Aussie?
Senior dogs are prone to more physical conditions and have less energy than adults and puppies. But it doesn’t mean that old Australian Shepherds don’t need exercise. They are just not as active as they have been and are more fragile, so you must adapt the type of activity you do with them.
| Stage Of Life | Exercise Needs |
| Puppy | 5-10 Minutes For Each Month Of Age |
| Adult | Between 1 And 2 Hours |
| Senior | 45-90 Minutes Of Moderate Physical Activity |
You only have to know and respect your dog’s limits, no matter how old he is. Otherwise, he’s more likely to hurt or injure himself. You should also make sure to adapt how much exercise you provide your Australian Shepherd with depending on his immediate needs!
Energy Level.
The last trait about your pooch you should take into account is the energy he has to spend. Even if Australian Shepherds are well-known to be extremely active, some are more hyper than others.
With limitless energy, they can enjoy more physical activity and mental stimulation without getting tired. The vigor and enthusiasm of your Aussie will help you understand how much exercise he needs.
How Much Exercise Does The Toy & The Miniature Australian Shepherd Need?
For people who have Mini or Toy Aussies, you won’t have to provide them as much physical activity as the standard breed. Their size will influence how fast they fulfill their exercise requirements. However, they are still excellent companions for active people.
Miniature and Toy Australian Shepherds need around 45 to 60 minutes of daily exercise. With their high-energy level and good physical conditions, they are suitable for vigorous sports such as hiking and running. These small dogs will also require daily walks, a lot of mental stimulation, and free playtime.
How To Provide Your Australian Shepherd With Proper Exercise?
Once you have figured out what your dog’s needs are, it’s time to understand how to meet them. Fortunately, there are several ways to exercise your Aussie. With all the dog sports, games, toys, and equipment, spending his energy should not be too difficult.
Walking & Running As Exercise For Your Aussie!
As for any other high-energy dog breed, long walks are essential to provide your Australian Shepherd with enough physical activity. It’s also an excellent source of cognitive enrichment because walking allows him to stimulate his brain by analyzing smells, hearing sounds, and seeing things. Now you may wonder how often you should walk your Aussie?
In general, between 30 to 60 minutes of walking every day should be the bare minimum for an Australian Shepherd. If you have the energy and time to go out for longer periods and a few times per day with your Aussie, it’s highly recommended. This type of working dog is suitable to walk all day long.
For athletic people, running with your dog is an awesome way to exercise together. The Australian Shepherd is actually one of the best breeds for this type of physical activity.
With their impressive stamina, limitless energy, and good physical conditions, they are ideal running partners. (Here’s why!) However, cardio exercise can’t replace daily walks.
Other Exercise Ideas For Australian Shepherds!
There are many other ways than walking or running to spend your dog’s pent-up energy and have fun together. Physical activity is essential if you both want to be fit, healthy, and happy. With the huge amount of exercise your Aussie needs, you may have no idea how you will keep up with his pace. Thus, let me share with you 5 great ways to work out with him!
Urban Mushing Sports.
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast and your dog loves to run, you have to consider starting canicross, bikejoring, or skijoring. What is urban mushing? It simply consists of cross-country running/biking/skiing together. Thus, you will be doing one of your favorite sports and get an extra boost with your Australian Shepherd’s pulling force.
Interactive Games.
Playing tug-of-war, tag, or hide & seek with your dog are great ways to exercise him physically and mentally. Australian Shepherds love to interact with people, so you have to find games in which you are both implicated. Interactive play is also an excellent idea to bond with him and have a lot of fun together.
Dog Toys For Physical Activity.
There is also a lot of exercise equipment available on the market to help you tire out your Aussie. My favorite toy for dogs with a high prey drive is the Flirt Pole.
It’s a long stick with a cord and a toy attached at the other end. If you want to make your Australian Shepherd run and chase something in relatively small areas, you should seriously consider this piece of equipment.
Another awesome dog toy for herding breeds is a huge ball such as the Jolly Ball. If you want to keep your Aussie busy for hours in your backyard without too much effort, this toy might be the perfect investment for you. He will play, chase, push, herd, and run after this large plastic ball for an efficient workout.
Play Frisbee With Your Aussie.
Fetch is an excellent way to exercise your Australian Shepherd at the dog park or anywhere else outdoors. However, this activity can become quite boring and repetitive if you play regularly.
That’s why teaching your buddy how to catch a frisbee may be an awesome alternative. Even if Aussies are great at this sport, it’s still more challenging and fun than playing with a ball for both of you. If you’re looking for a dog-friendly frisbee disc to play with, the Hyper Pet Flippy Flopper.
Exercise With Training.
To tap into your dog’s intelligence, teaching him new commands and tricks is inevitable. Australian Shepherds are great partners for obedience training, dog agility, or other sports that require physical and mental aptitudes.
It’s also an excellent way to improve your buddy’s manners and skills while having fun at the same time. For example, you could make an obstacle course in your backyard with this agility starter kit made by CHEERING PET.
How To Tire Out Your Australian Shepherd?
If you don’t have a lot of time to exercise your hyperactive dog, it can be quite difficult to spend his energy efficiently. Some of the best ways to tire out an Aussie is to play with a flirt pole, frisbee, or tug-of-war rope. If you don’t have any of those toys, you can also teach him to chase bubbles or provide him with exercise by playing with the hose.
Besides physical activity, mental stimulation is also important to tire out your Australian Shepherd. Thus, obedience training or teaching him new tricks is an excellent idea to wear out his brain. There are also other ways to exercise your dog’s mind such as feeding him with the Snuffle Mat and playing the Shell Game.
How To Keep Your Australian Shepherd Busy?
Even if you have a busy life, you still need to find some ways to exercise your four-legged buddy. Some of my recommendations to keep him entertained are interactive dog toys and puzzle games.
The GoBone is the ideal motorized chase toy for your Aussie. The iFetch Ball Launcher and the Spring Tug-Of-War Pole are two other options to let him work out while you’re not at home to play together.
What About Mental Exercise For Australian Shepherds?
Most people that start to worry about meeting their dog’s exercise requirements think about fitness, physical activity, and sports. But it’s also essential for dogs to engage in cognitive work, especially with smart breeds such as the Australian Shepherd.
I’ve already shared with you several ideas to exercise a dog mentally. Training, dog agility, brain games, and challenging toys are some of the most efficient ways to stimulate your Aussie’s mind. This type of exercise is as important as physical activity to improve his health and care for his well-being!
Can You Over Exercise An Australian Shepherd?
Even with high-energy dogs, too much physical activity can be bad and dangerous. If you don’t respect your Aussie’s limits and conditions, you can easily cause him serious pain or injuries. Here are some signs you must know to avoid over-exercising your pooch!
Short-Term Signs:
- Excessive panting.
- Confusion.
- Extreme thirst.
- Decreased energy.
- Trouble breathing.
- Drooling.
- Trouble walking or standing.
- Etc.
Long-Term Symptoms:
- Sore muscles.
- Damaged paw pads.
- Joint injury.
- Behavioral changes.
- Etc.
With such an active type of dog, I wouldn’t worry about providing him with too much exercise unless you’re working out together all day long. The most common problem is people that don’t ensure their minimum requirements are satisfied. Thus, you can enjoy practically any type of physical activity with your Aussie.
Last Thoughts About The Australian Shepherd’s Exercise Needs!
Finally, your Aussie is an energetic companion that’s always ready to move, learn, and try new things. To keep him fit, healthy, and happy, you should provide him with at least 60 minutes of daily physical and cognitive work. The three main ways to exercise your dog are daily walking, purposeful activity, and mental stimulation.
I hope my article helps you understand how much exercise your Australian Shepherd needs. Don’t forget that his age, health, and energy can influence his requirements. Now it’s time to go work out, play, and have fun together!