Daily Exercise Needs Calculator
Pick your dog's breed group, age, and weight. Get a daily plan: walking minutes plus high-intensity play, with adjustments for puppies, seniors, and brachycephalic breeds.
Estimates only. Adjust to your individual dog and ask your vet if you're unsure — especially with cardiac, respiratory, or orthopaedic conditions.
Your plan
Fill the fields on the left and tap Calculate plan.
How it works
Each breed group has a baseline daily target in minutes, weighted toward either walking or higher-intensity play. We then apply age and health multipliers:
- Puppy (< 12 mo): reduce duration, replace continuous walking with frequent short bursts of free play to protect growth plates.
- Senior (7+): reduce intensity, keep duration close to adult for joint mobility.
- Brachycephalic: base time cut significantly, intensity capped at moderate, never in heat.
- Overweight: shift toward longer low-intensity walking.
- Arthritis: shorter sessions, soft surfaces, swimming preferred.
The output splits total daily minutes into moderate walking and high-intensity play so you can plan a real day rather than a single 90-minute slog.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
How much exercise does a dog need per day? +
It varies enormously by breed and age. Toy breeds may be content with 20–30 minutes total. Working and sporting breeds (Labradors, Border Collies, Huskies) often need 90–120 minutes including high-intensity play. Senior, arthritic, and brachycephalic dogs need shorter, gentler sessions.
Why do brachycephalic dogs need less? +
Brachycephalic breeds (Bulldogs, Pugs, Boxers, French Bulldogs) have shortened airways and struggle to dissipate heat through panting. They overheat fast and have a real risk of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) episodes. Their plan should be shorter, cooler, lower-intensity — never in heat or humidity.
Can I run with a puppy? +
Not for sustained running. Large-breed puppies have growth plates that close at 12–18 months. Forced repetitive impact before then increases joint disease risk. Free play in soft grass and short walks are ideal until at least 12 months.
What counts as high-intensity play? +
Off-leash fetch, flirt-pole sessions, swimming, tug, agility, recall games, structured nose work in challenging environments. Sniffing on a slow walk is good enrichment but doesn't count as cardio.
How do I know if my dog is getting enough? +
A well-exercised dog is calm at home, sleeps well, holds a good body condition score, and isn't destructive out of boredom. Excessive zoomies, leash pulling, barking, and chewing are common signs of under-exercise. Limping, panting at rest, and refusing walks are signs of over-exercise or pain.
Does weight affect exercise needs? +
Yes, both directions. Heavier dogs need more calories burned but cannot tolerate high-impact bursts as well. Overweight dogs should start with longer low-intensity walking — pair this with the Calories Per Meal Calculator.
Related tools & reading
Feed for the work
Match calories to activity in TopiBowl.
Active dog? Senior dog? TopiBowl rebalances macros and ingredients to match your dog's real workload. Free on the App Store.
