Beagles are active dogs that have a lot of energy to spend. To keep yours healthy and happy, you have to find appropriate ways to satisfy his exercise needs.
If you want to meet your Beagle’s requirements, you have to start by understanding them. Thus, you may wonder what amount and type of exercise you should provide him with?
How Much Exercise Does A Beagle Need?
A healthy adult Beagle can require anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes of exercise per day. This should ideally include around 30 minutes of daily walking, 30 minutes of vigorous activity, and some mental stimulation. Your Beagle’s exercise needs can vary according to his age, health, energy level, and many other factors.
Bred as scent hounds, such an energetic dog breed can’t be left at home all day long. Maintaining an active lifestyle is essential for your Beagle’s well-being. Exploring the great outdoors, running in your backyard and free playtime are, therefore, great ideas to care for him.
However, there’s a lot more information about your dog’s exercise requirements you should be aware of. Too much or too little physical activity can both have bad repercussions on a Beagle’s life. Thus, let me help you figure out what amount and type of workouts he needs!
What Can Influence Your Beagle’s Exercise Requirements?
Every dog has unique conditions and needs. The breed is only one of the elements you should consider to figure out how much exercise is appropriate for your Beagle. His age, health, and personality can also have an impact on his requirements.
How Old Is Your Beagle? (Puppy/Adult/Senior)
The ideal amount and type of exercise your dog needs will vary during his different stages of life. 45 to 90 minutes of physical activity is a general guideline that’s mainly accurate for adult Beagles.
Young, mature, and old dogs don’t necessarily have the same requirements and limits, even if they are from the same breed. That’s why it’s essential to adapt how much exercise you provide your Beagle with depending on his age.
How Much Exercise Does A Beagle Puppy Need?
As puppies are still growing, they are much more fragile than adult dogs. They also don’t have as much stamina to withstand long periods of physical effort.
That’s why too much or too vigorous exercise can have serious bad repercussions on their health, development, and well-being.
A good rule of thumb for young dogs is 5 minutes of exercise for each month of age up to twice per day. For instance, a 4-month-old Beagle can require anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes of moderate physical activity every day.
| 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 |
How Much Exercise Does A Senior Beagle Need?
After 7 to 9 years old, your dog will slowly become less energetic and more prone to health problems. Thus, you must adjust how much and what type of physical activity you provide him with as he ages.
A healthy senior Beagle can require anywhere between 30 to 60 minutes of daily exercise. The most important is to find appropriate ways for him to stay active with as few risks as possible.
My main recommendation to keep an old dog happy and healthy is with moderate walking, swimming, or any other low-impact physical activity.
Is Your Beagle Fit & Healthy?
Another important element to consider is your dog’s physical and medical conditions. If he suffers from joint issues, obesity, or any other health problem, his exercise needs won’t be the same as another Beagle that’s in good shape.
That’s why you should seriously consult a veterinarian to understand better what your dog’s requirements are. An expert point of his health will definitely help you to care more properly for his well-being. You could also ask him for specific advice on how much exercise you should provide your Beagle with.
How Much Energy Your Beagle Has To Spend For Exercise?
Scent hounds are generally active dogs, and Beagles are no exception. But they don’t all have the same level of energy. Some of them have more strength and vitality to exercise for longer periods than others.
Your Beagle’s capacity to sustain physical or mental activity will therefore influence how much time he needs to be satisfied. The more energy he has, the more exercise you should provide him with.
Now let’s dive into the 3 main ways to keep your dog happy and healthy!
- Daily Walks.
- Vigorous Physical Activity.
- Mental Stimulation
Walking As Exercise For Your Beagle!
Daily walks aren’t only “potty breaks” for your dog. They can help him to spend some energy, maintain muscle mass, and improve his metabolism.
Thus, it’s an essential source of moderate physical activity and mental stimulation. Besides exercise, walking also allows him to get some fresh air, socialize with other pets, and work on his leash manners.
How Long To Walk Your Beagle?
A healthy adult Beagle should walk for at least 20 to 40 minutes per day. This can ideally be divided into 2 or 3 walks of approximately 15 minutes each. For the perfect walking distance, anywhere between 1 and 4 miles per day is sufficient for most Beagles.
However, such high-energy dogs are suitable for much more vigorous physical activity. With proper preparation and training, your Beagle can be an excellent partner for long walks or hikes.
How Long To Walk A Beagle Puppy?
For young dogs, too long or too vigorous walks can be dangerous. That’s why you should stick with 5 minutes of daily walking per month of age.
Your puppy Beagle’s limit can vary according to his age and conditions. Nonetheless, it’s generally not recommended for him to walk more than 1 or 2 miles per day.
Pro Walking Tip For Beagles: Off-Leash Is Not Safe For Hounds.
Your hunting dog should always be on a leash when you are going outside together. Beagles have a strong instinct to follow scents, so walking freely in the great outdoors is not safe for them.
Even if your hound has excellent recall, he might not be able to resist his desire to track wild animals.
How To Provide Your Beagle With Proper Physical Activity?
Moderate walking isn’t enough exercise to keep your hound healthy and happy. As an energetic dog, he also needs vigorous activity. Fortunately, there are many other ways to spend your Beagle’s energy more efficiently and improve his fitness at the same time.
Consider Running With Your Dog To Exercise Together!
If you’re an active person, running with your Beagle can be an excellent source of physical activity for both of you. Bred to hunt and chase scents for hours, Beagles are generally good running partners. With his natural stamina and unlimited energy, your hound should be able to keep up with you on trails.
How Many Miles Can A Beagle Run?
With proper conditioning, most Beagles can be suitable to run between 2 and 4 miles. Thus, running 3 miles a few times per week is an excellent idea to care for their health and happiness.
If you have an energetic Beagle with good stamina, he might be able to run longer distances. Before running any distance over 4 miles together, you should check with a vet to make sure it’s safe for him.
Learn more about running with your beagle!
Other Physical Activity Ideas For Beagles!
Running with your dog isn’t the only cardio exercise out there. You can do many other things together to keep you both fit and healthy.
Hounds are energetic and playful enough to enjoy pretty much any physical activity. Thus, let me share with you a couple of fun ways to exercise with a Beagle.
Dog Agility.
Running through an obstacle course is the perfect activity for your Beagle to burn excess energy and improve his fitness level. But don’t worry, there’s no need to sign up for an official event to get started.
You can simply build your own dog parkour directly in your backyard. If you’re not a handy person, I highly recommend you to check out this agility equipment starter kit on Amazon.
Fetch/Frisbee.
Another efficient way to tire out your Beagle is with retrieving games. Fetch is an awesome idea to engage with his prey drive and keep him active.
It’s also accessible to everyone because you only need a ball and some space to play. To make this activity even more fun for everyone, you should consider investing in the ChuckIt Ball Launcher.
If fetch is too easy for you and your Beagle, know that he can also be an excellent partner to play frisbee with some training. Throwing and catching a disc is more challenging and impressive than with a ball. For this sport, you will only need a dog-friendly frisbee like the Kong Flyer Disc.
Tug Of War.
Interactive tugging is great to provide your Beagle with plenty of physical activity and mental stimulation. It’s a fun game to spend his pent-up energy, build up confidence, and teach him self-control.
Contrary to what most people think, tug-of-war is totally safe and good for dogs if you play properly. First of all, you should choose an appropriate tug toy such as the West Paw Zogoflex Bumi, Goughnuts Tug MaXX, or Mammoth Flossy Rope.
Then, you have to play by the rules.
3 Fundamental Tug-Of-War Rules:
- You Are The One To Initiate The Game, Not Your Beagle.
- Master The Command “Drop It”.
- The Game Stop As Soon As Your Dog Touches You or Your Clothing.
Dog Toys.
Apart from balls and tug toys, there are many other items designed to keep your Beagle busy. For physical activity, my favorite exercise equipment is the Flirt Pole for dogs.
It’s similar to a cat feather teaser (stick, cord & lure), but it’s a giant version made from more sturdy materials. If your Beagle has a high prey drive and a lot of energy, it’s the perfect solution to tire him out.
Hiking With Your Beagle.
Hounds were bred to spend most of their time in the great outdoors. That’s why hiking with your dog might be the ideal activity to get some fresh air, escape your busy life, and exercise simultaneously.
Beagles have enough stamina and energy to be excellent adventure partners. With the right gear and some preparation should be all set. If you’re both well-suited and ready for hiking, what are you waiting for to head out on trails together?
Free Playtime.
Providing your dog with the proper type and amount of physical activity doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need any accessories, equipment, or toys to exercise together.
As long as you have some energy and creativity, there are unlimited options to help him maintain an active lifestyle. Simple games such as tag and hide-and-seek are great to burn energy and have fun at the same time.
You can also teach your Beagle to chase bubbles or play with the hose together. There are several ways to do some physical activity together; you only have to open your eyes and think outside the box!
How To Exercise Puppy Beagles Safely?
As you already know, young dogs are too fragile to enjoy vigorous activity safely. That’s why most of my previous exercise recommendations like running, hiking, and frisbee aren’t suitable for them.
Puppy Beagles need more gentle ways to spend their energy to avoid negative impacts on their development. Here are some ideas to provide your pup with moderate physical activity.
Walking should be an important part of your Beagle’s exercise routine, no matter how old he is. Apart from daily walks, puppy playtime is also a great way to keep him healthy and happy. Just playing together in your backyard or at the dog park can be enough to tire him out.
Another alternative is to invest in toys that are appropriate for your Beagle’s age. The Kong Puppy is one of the best products to stimulate his body and mind while he’s still growing. If you don’t know what your pup likes to play with, you can consider investing in this pack of 12 puppy toys!
What About Mental Exercise For Your Beagle?
Meeting your dog’s physical activity needs is quite straightforward because it’s easy to see when his body is tired. However, you don’t forget to stimulate his mind properly too. Mental stimulation is also essential to keep your Beagle healthy and happy.
That’s one of the reasons why training is so important for dogs. Learning new skills is the ultimate activity to provide them with proper mental exercise. It’s also great to improve their manners, strengthen your owner-dog bond, and keep them safe when needed.
Challenging toys or games are as well very efficient to stimulate your Beagle’s brain. Whether you let him play the shell game, try to solve puzzles, or work for his food, it’s great for mind enrichment. Now here are some of my favorite toys you can use to exercise your dog mentally.
Another excellent way to keep your hound’s mind busy is with scent work and games. Beagles have an acute sense of smell, they love to use it, and it’s good for mental stimulation.
The snuffle mat, shell game, kong toy, and many other products use food/treats to keep the dog engaged in the activity. If you don’t want to invest in any gear, you can also play “Pick The Right Hand” or prepare a “Scent Trail” to satisfy his desire to sniff different smells.
Other natural behaviors such as chewing and digging are also great mental exercise for your Beagle. Thus, bones and dog toys for diggers can be excellent solutions to stimulate his brain.
Mental stimulation is as important as physical activity, especially for smart breeds such as the Beagle. With my ideas and the right items, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find an outlet for your dog’s mind. Now you may wonder why providing him with proper exercise is essential.
Why Is Exercise So Important For Your Beagle?
Working out physically and mentally is necessary for your dog to burn his pent-up energy, improve his health, and be satisfied. If he doesn’t have the opportunity to exercise every day, there will be consequences.
Lack of physical activity or mind enrichment can both lead your Beagle to get bored. In this state, he’s very likely to develop behavioral issues such as chewing or digging excessively. Thus, he will find a way to entertain himself somehow if you don’t meet his exercise requirements.
Another common health problem related to an inactive lifestyle in Beagles is obesity. Without proper physical effort, your hound will be more prone to gain a few extra pounds. If a dog is overweight, he’s more at risk to suffer from serious medical conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, breathing issues, etc.
It’s your responsibility to care for your Beagle’s well-being, and exercise him is included in your nonofficial tasks. If he’s restless, has developed destructive behaviors, or isn’t in good shape, it’s not a good sign. He may need more physical activity or mental stimulation than you currently provide him with.
Signs Your Beagle Needs More Exercise!
- Depression Symptoms.
- Destructive Behaviors. (Digging & Chewing)
- Difficulty To Focus.
- Excessive Barking.
- Restlessness or Hyperactivity.
- Stiffness.
- Unhealthy Weight.
- Etc.
Can You Over-Exercise Your Beagle?
If you’re an active person, you might be wondering what your dog’s limits for physical activity are. First of all, you should understand that too much or too intense exercise can be as bad as not enough. Without respecting his conditions, you are very likely to hurt or injure him.
Anything over 90 to 120 minutes of vigorous workouts can be excessive for most Beagles. Thus, I highly recommend you consult a vet before providing your dog with that much exercise. Everything should be good as long as you find the right balance to keep him healthy and happy.
Signs Your Beagle Is Getting Too Much Exercise!
Short Term Signs:
- Confusion/Incoordination.
- Excessive panting.
- Exercise-induced collapse.
- Extreme thirst.
- Decreased energy.
- Trouble breathing.
- Trouble walking or standing.
- Drooling.
- Wobbliness
- Etc.
Long Term Symptoms:
- Sore muscles.
- Damaged paw pads.
- Joint injury.
- Behavioral changes.
- Etc.
Last Thoughts About How Much Exercise Does Your Beagle Need!
Finally, it’s essential to provide your dog with proper physical activity and mental stimulation. To meet his requirements, you have to consider his age, health, energy level, and many other conditions. Nonetheless, most Beagles need between 45 and 90 minutes of daily exercise.
I hope my article has helped you understand more specifically what your hound requires to stay in good shape. Now you have all the information you need to provide him with proper exercise.
It’s time to go out and burn off your Beagle’s pent-up energy with regular walking, purposeful activity, and cognitive work.
Have Fun & Take Care!
