The Poodle is a sweet, loving, and intelligent breed known for its beautiful curly coat and love of water. Poodles were bred to retrieve in the water, so they’re very active and must be exercised throughout the day.
The amount of exercise needed depends on the size of your Poodle, however. For example, a standard Poodle will need more exercise to burn its energy off than a miniature or teacup variety. In general, Poodle should have 5 minutes of exercise for every month of age and adult Poodles should have around 1 hour of exercise a day. This article clarifies the amount of activity a Poodle needs and will help you to discover the perfect exercise regime for your perfect Poodle.
The Ideal Amount of Exercise for Poodles
Toy Poodles, miniature Poodles, and standard Poodle puppies up to 18 months will still be growing, and as such, their bones are still forming. A good rule of thumb for Poodle puppies is to give them five minutes of exercise for each month of age.
So, for example, a 3-month-old Poodle needs 15 minutes of exercise, and a 6-month-old will need 30 minutes. Adult Poodles (from 1 year for the toy variant and 2 years for the standard) should have around 60 minutes of exercise per day, but think about your Poodle’s surroundings and how individually active they are.
If your Poodle lives in a smaller home, consider taking them on long walks and giving them more time to sniff, search, and generally do all the doggie things they want to do while exploring with you. This smelling game will give them the physical exercise they need, provide meaningful mental stimulation, and allow them to perform natural behaviors.
Equally, if you have a home with a large outdoor space that your Poodle has access to (such as a secure garden), a high-impact game of fetch followed by a walk to cool down may be an excellent way to give your Poodle the best amount of exercise.
You can split this time into walks three times a day, generally with some running or games. Make sure to go at your dog’s pace and remember that toy and mini Poodles on the same walk will get more exercise than a standard poodle would.
How Much Attention Do Poodles Need?
Because Poodles are intelligent dogs that bond closely with their owners, they need to be given enough attention to stave off boredom and dissuade destructive behavior. Poodles are known for barking; when they’re understimulated, Poodles may resort to performing attention-seeking behaviors to get their owner’s attention.
Toy and mini poodles are often easier to manage in this respect, as they’re smaller and will be more content to sit on an owner’s lap or follow them around the home, but for the standard Poodle who is larger and is not exactly a lap dog, this will not do. Dedicated time is needed for all variants of Poodles for training, bonding, and having fun.
Final Thoughts
Poodles are smart and active breeds that hail from water retrieving dogs and need moderate exercise to keep them happy and healthy. One to 2 hours a day will be enough for most Poodles, with toy and mini variants requiring less than their standard variants, as their size makes even a short walk effective at burning off excess energy. A standard Poodle will need longer walks and a good game of fetch or training to tire them out.
Featured Image Credit: Steven Van Elk, Pexels
