How often should I walk my Cavapoo?

It does not matter how big or small your Cavapoo is, owning any dog comes with responsibility. And, even though a Cavapoo is considered to be a smaller breed, they still require plenty of love, food, training, attention, and exercise.

Cavapoos typically need to be walked for around 30-35 minutes every day, although this should be adjusted to suit your individual dog. Running, hiking, free play and fetch, all offer great ways to exercise and mentally stimulate your Cavapoo.

Fresh air is good for the body, mind and soul, and just like humans, dog’s benefit physically and emotionally when they are regularly walked. But just how much exercise is good for our Cavapoos?

How long should I walk my Cavapoo puppy?

As a family, we love exploring the great outdoors. From walking along remote beaches to ambling along riverbanks and meandering around mountain tops, we love discovering the best routes, paths and trails our wonderful country has to offer. Which is one of the reasons why we knew that a dog would suit us so well.

Just like any puppy, however, our Cavapoo Rosie had to wait until she was in tip top shape having had all of her vaccinations before her paws could hit the pavements. And even then, it was a case of taking “puppy steps”. For although Cavapoos can enjoy moderate exercise, puppies should only be taken on short walks.

As a general rule of thumb, your Cavapoo puppy only needs to be exercised for 5 minutes for every month of their age, twice a day. Therefore at 4 months old, Rosie can enjoy 2 x 20 minutes walks each day of the week.

Once fully grown, she will be able to benefit from much longer walks, as adult Cavapoos are able to enjoy leisurely strolls of up to 45 minutes at a time.

And the good news is, that it does not matter if you live in the city or the suburbs, because exercise can be classed as indoor or outdoor play as well as walks either on or off the lead. The most important thing is that your Cavapoo is mentally and physically stimulated daily, to prevent weight gain and boredom creeping in.

How much exercise does a Cavapoo puppy need?

Cavapoos need regular exercise, regardless of whether they’re tiny puppies or fully-grown dogs, so it is best to start implementing some sort of routine from the moment you bring them home.

It is important that you do not take your puppy outside of your home until they have had all their relevant vaccinations to protect them against any disease. This does not mean that you cannot exercise your Cavapoo pup, however, as a simple game of fetch, tug of war, hide and seek and chase provide plenty of physical exertion – especially when you add in the “zoomies”!

And when the day comes that they can finally put paw to pavement, don’t be surprised if your walk feels more frantic than fun. Walking small puppies is extremely challenging, as they are surrounded by thousands of exciting new sights, sounds and smells. Practice makes perfect though and before you know it the mere mention of “walkies” will have them up off the floor and waiting by the door.

Just remember that when your Cavapoo puppy first gets introduced to the concept of walking, make them short. This will allow your dog to familiarise themselves with their surroundings without feeling overwhelmed. Then over a period of a few days or weeks, you can start to extend the time of each walk, making them slightly longer.

If you are interested to know just how far a Cavapoo can walk,once fully grown, check out on blog for information on our outdoor adventures with Rosie.

As mentioned above, try and ensure that you only exercise your puppy for five minutes per one month of age. This can be for a total of two walks twice a day.

Remember that puppies need much less exercise than fully-grown dogs, and by overdoing it you could damage their developing joints and even cause premature arthritis.

How long does an adult Cavapoo need to be walked?

Although puppies tend to be much livelier than an adult Cavapoo, a fully-grown dog can participate in more strenuous exercise.

A healthy adult Cavapoo should be exercised daily for around 30-60 minutes and ideally taken out twice a day. In fact, my husband cannot wait to start jogging around our local park with Rosie. Like most dogs, a sprint is not recommended, but a short run or jog can actually do them the world of good and helps to burn off any excess energy.

To find out if this breed of doodle make good jogging companions, check out our guide on Can I run with my Cavapoo dog?

Why your Cavapoo needs exercise

Cavapoos have playful personalities and just love to be out and about with other people and dogs as often as possible. Failure to exercise your Cavapoo properly can not only result in long term health problems but can encourage negative behaviors too.

These include:

• Excessive barking and whining – which will soon start to annoy the neighbours!
• Hyperactivity. Dogs need plenty of sleep and without enough shut eye, they could start to develop health issues.
• Destructive activities – these can include chewing on furniture (particularly when left alone) or digging in the back yard are not only a pain to fix but a sign of boredom.
• Weight gain – regardless of whether there is an increase in food intake, without burning enough calories, weight gain can be serious for a Cavapoo.
• Toileting in the house – even if they have been fully toilet trained before, a lack of exercise can make them lazy.

It is not sufficient to simply open your back door and expect your dog to exercise themselves. They need plenty of space to run around.

Ways to exercise your Cavapoo

Sometimes walking your dog will not be enough to tire them out. They need mental stimulation as well as physical. Therefore in addition to their daily stroll why not include some everyday games into their routine to keep their muscles strong and brains engaged.

Here are some top tips for keeping your Cavapoo fit and healthy:

1. Fetch – Get your dog chasing their favourite ball around the garden. This will not only keep your Cavapoo occupied for hours, but it requires little energy from you.
2. Tug of war – Whether it’s a sock, shoe or an old toy, this game is great for a Cavapoos grip. Just be careful not to let them yank too hard and damage their teeth and try not to be too competitive, allowing them to win every now and again.
3. Hide and seek – instead of offering your dog a treat, why not get them to work for it. Hide some of their favourite foods around the house and get them to go and sniff them out.
4. Agility – Cavapoos are intelligent dogs and relatively easy to train. Why not make your own agility course in your garden using household objects and train them to crawl through a tunnel or fling themselves over a jump?
5. Swimming – Most Cavapoos enjoy swimming and playing in the water and it is one of the best exercises for any dog. Not only does it burn energy fast, but it helps to strengthen and tone muscles through resistance. It is also low impact so puppies and dogs with arthritis or recovering from surgery will benefit greatly from taking a dip.

Please remember to exercise your dog with caution during the summer months. Puppies and adult dogs are extremely sensitive to heat and should always have plenty of cool freshwater nearby. Pavements and sidewalks can be dangerous for your dog’s paws, as can artificial grass and sand, so try and exercise your Cavapoo in the morning and evening when the temperatures are at their lowest.

Conclusion

For us, one of the most exciting things about getting a dog was the opportunity to enjoy long leisurely walks as a family. Although Rosie is still only a puppy, our Cavapoo has come on leaps and bounds when it comes to exercising.