If you’re a beagle mom or dad, you likely already know just how much your dog needs to move. Like, all the time. Curious about how much exercise a beagle actually needs throughout his various life stages? Here’s everything you’ll want to know!
How Much Exercise Does a Beagle Need? A beagle will need at least an hour of exercise per day, split up into two fast-paced walks to help spread his exercise up throughout the day itself. He should split his time between cardio exercises and mental-related exercises, which are both equally important. Puppies will need to have their exercise carefully controlled and monitored until they reach 18 months, however, to make sure they don’t over-do it. Below, learn about the exercise numbers in greater detail, when to and how to exercise your beagle and its benefits!
Beagle puppy vs adult exercise levels
Since puppies are tiny lil things and all, they can’t be expected to do as much exercise as adults. If you’ve got a sweet pup in your household, you’ll want to really focus on limiting his total exercise in walks to 1 mile (preferably less) per day.
It’s still important to keep him active, of course, but try to limit it to short spurts of walks and playtime, rather than long walks or hikes. Puppies are still developing their joints and bones until they are approximately 18 months old, so overdoing exercise can stunt their growth and give them premature joint issues that will follow them throughout their life.
Once your beagle is full-grown, however, all bets are off! Sorta. Daily exercise should be at least an hour, split into two 30-minute walks. This will help take the edge off of his seemingly endless energy, but you will want to keep him moving at a brisk pace (jogging is even better) and you’ll also need to combine it with playing and other activities in your home and yard, too.
In a nutshell: beagles are going to be extremely active and keeping them properly exercised can take some serious creativity and commitment!
Types of beagle exercises
To help you on your journey to keeping your beagle properly exercised and healthy, you’ll want to focus on the main types of exercises required for a clean bill of doggy health. There are:
- Long-distance exercise
- Cardio exercises
- Mental exercises
Long-distance exercise
This would refer, of course, to his daily walks/jogs where you’ll keep him moving at a consistent pace for 30-45 minutes per walk. For the best results, you’ll want to do one walk in the morning and another in the evening. This helps him get the zoomies out at the beginning and end of the day and also minimizes any chance of hurting himself because he’s moving too much in a short time. This will help stretch his muscles and keep his bones and joints working properly. These can be done safely every single day since your dog needs to move every single day!
Cardio exercises
These exercises can be done once or twice a week. They should be done on top of his daily walks, as both are important! Cardio exercises will help get his heart pumping and his body moving intensely. Your beagle will absolutely love these cardio sessions and it’s great for his emotional health as well as, as the name suggests, his cardiovascular health!
Since these are exercises that focus on high energy and lots of wear and tear, it’s important to keep them limited to short bursts and only once or twice a week to make sure he doesn’t injure himself. Common examples of exercises in this category include swimming, running, and playtime. But, more on that later!
Mental exercises
While it doesn’t always make sense to us humans, mental health and exercise go hand in hand for your sweet doggo. This means that you’ll need to prioritize exercising his brain as much as his body (ideally both at the same time) every single day for a complete picture of health. Common mental “exercises” can be anything from leash training to advanced training, to hide and seek. These activities will engage his brain and his body!
When to start exercising your beagle pup
Your puppy relies on you to make sure that he doesn’t overdo his exercise routine and injure himself, as we mentioned above. You’ll walk to make sure that he starts walking and running early in his doggy life, but you’ll need to do it carefully, too.
Walking
As mentioned, you’ll want to limit his maximum walking distance to 1 mile per day, or less, until he is at least 18 months old. Make sure that his walks are in short sessions, too. 5-10 minutes per walk is a great time frame, though he’ll need more of them. The goal is to keep his movements frequent but coupled with lots of rest and nap time in between — puppies can sleep up for up to 18 hours per day.
Running
Even though you’ll need to protect his health and distance moved, don’t panic every time you see your puppy running around on his chubby little legs! It’s perfectly normal and recommended for your pup to run around and explore. Again, the focus is on short running sessions with lots of time to rest in between. This helps his muscles, joints and cardiovascular system get their workouts without injuring any of them!
How much exercise is too much for a Beagle?
The honest truth is that our Beagle can absolutely outdo you when it comes to exercise. Because of their breeding as hunting and seeking dogs, they can literally walk all day and be completely fine as far as stamina goes. There is no “hard and fast” limit to how much your beagle should walk, meaning that you’ll want to pay careful attention to what he is telling you.
For example, if your dog is limping, panting excessively, and lethargic, these are all signs that you may be exercising him a bit too much and he’s thoroughly worn out. That’s not to say that he won’t jump up in excitement as soon as you grab his leash, of course, because — as mentioned — beagles can absolutely outdo humans in their amount of activity. Just because they can physically keep going, though, doesn’t mean they should.
If your beagle is contentedly worn out and happy to snuggle up on the couch with you to watch a movie before bed, it’s a sign that you’re doing it right. A happy dog is going to be a calm dog, too, meaning that you won’t have to worry about him destroying the house while you are gone!
The best exercises for beagles
We’ve talked about walking already, of course, which should be a daily job for the responsible pet parent wanting to keep their doggo in great shape. However, the following exercises are fantastic for his cardio and mental health, too, so make time for them!
Fetch/Return
Whether it’s a frisbee, a ball, a stick, or a snowball (you sneaky human, you!), toss something and get him to retrieve it, and then drop it at your feet to throw again. This can be done in your yard, at a dog park (though you may have several dogs joining in!), or anywhere else where you have a bit of time and space. This will help get his heart pumping and his mind engaged as he tracks his ball.
Tug of war
Great for muscle development and also some dedicating bonding time with your doggo, tug of war is easy, fast, and a true favorite for puppies and adults, both. You’ll want a good rope or rubber toy, of course, and try to do it on terrain where your pooch can dig his claws in and really tug!
Obstacle course
This combines exercise with training, which is great for his physical, mental, and emotional health! Design an obstacle course around your yard and then teach your dog how to go through it. It can take some time, of course, but it’s a lot of fun for your doggo and you’ll enjoy it, too!
Hide and seek
Since beagles are hunting dogs, give them something to track! Whether you’re inside or outside, let your dog smell and see what you’re going to hide, and then have him sit in place while you do it! For extra fun, hide a few things. Then, allow your dog to go after them and bring them back to you!
How to keep your Beagle safe while exercising
We’ve talked a bit about safety, but it’s time to get more into the specific details to prioritize everyone’s safety and enjoyment of their time outside!
Keep your dog on a leash
Until you are absolutely sure that your dog will come back to you on command every single time (no matter what he smells), make sure that you keep your beagle on a leash. It can be a long one (say, 25 or 30 feet [7.6 or 9.1 meters]), but it keeps your dog within your control so that you don’t lose him
Keep your yard escape-proof
Beagles are natural escape artists. If you choose to let him wander and explore your yard, even if you watch him, you’ll want to make sure it is completely escape-proof! Beagles are prone to digging, too, so make sure you’ve got your fence properly prepared underneath to keep him in your yard!
Try to exercise on even ground as much as possible
Beagles are impressive runners and walkers, but you’ll want to protect tier joints and bones as much as possible by keeping him on even, controlled terrain. While it’s totally okay to go hiking every once in a while, don’t make it a daily thing where he can race around over rocks and stumps to his heart’s content.
Benefits of exercise for beagles
Feeling a little overwhelming and wondering if you really need to do all of this exercise for your beagle? There are many benefits to designing an exercise routine, many of which you can see above. However, here are a few more just to keep you motivated even on those busy days.
Relieves pent up energy
Proper exercise in the different categories and timeframes will help relieve his pent up energy. This means that he won’t be tearing around the house with the zoomies, knocking over pillows, and generally being a nuisance while you’re trying to put the kids to bed.
Keeps him from destroying your home
A beagle will absolutely turn to destructive behavior if he doesn’t get enough exercise. This is because these active dogs get bored and restless very easily and quickly. You may come back to a quick run to the convenience store to find your home a mess of feathers and shreds of shoes!
Helps him stay healthy and sharp
When your dog has the right amount of exercise, his body and mind (and spirit!) are at their strongest. This will help him stay strong and sound for a long time to come, meaning a better overall quality of life for your furry child!
Keeps anxiety and depression at bay
Since physical exercise is so strongly linked to mental health, especially for beagles that were literally bred to move constantly, all day long, you’ll find proper and regular exercise the best defense against anxiety and depression in your pooch. Time spent with you, on the move, is going to be the cure to his overall happiness. Kinda sweet when you think about it, huh?
Your beagle needs quite a bit of exercise to be his best self, but these tips will help you get to the bottom of it for everyone’s peace of mind!
