Border Collies are very active dogs, and to keep your furry friend happy, you want to make sure they are getting enough time outdoors to stay healthy. But how much exercise is recommended for Border Collies to have?
Border Collies adults need 2 hours of exercise per day, while Border Collies younger than 8 months should get minimal exercise. However, the exact amount of exercise your Border Collie needs depends on their age and health.
In this article, we’ll be going in-depth into topics such as how age should affect your Border Collies exercise time and level and what kind of exercises your Border Collie will thoroughly enjoy. If you’re interested in learning more about these topics, keep on reading.
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Exercise Needs of Border Collies Depend on Age
As we stated above, Border Collies are very active dogs, and they are known to require more exercise than other breeds of dogs, depending on their energy levels. Not only does your Collie’s energy level play a factor, but their age does as well.
Exercise Habits for Young Border Collies
From birth to about the first eight months of your Border Collie’s life, you should keep exercise to a minimum. Excessive exercise at a young age can be harmful to your furry friend’s health, so things such as daily walks are not recommended.
There are plenty of indoor, puppy friendly toys that your young Border Collie will enjoy that will still enable them to get their exercise. This Sharlovy Chew Toys For Puppies contains a pack of puppy friendly toys that will help your pet gain strength and burn energy through small amounts of exercise.
With this puppy pack, you can easily play fetch or tug-a-rope with your Border Collie, and it’s something they’ll enjoy doing as they grow older as well.
Once your Border Collie has reached about 12 months of age, you can begin taking them on regular walks. It’s important to introduce them to more physical activity slowly, that way you won’t do any kind of damage in the long run to your pet’s health.
Exercise Habits for Adult Border Collies
Once your Border Collie has grown into an adult, you can begin exercising them regularly. At this point, 2 hours of exercise is recommended and encouraged as part of your pet’s daily routine.
Your Border Collie will enjoy physical as well as mental exercises that will keep their minds as well as their bodies strong in the long run.
Border Collies have natural herding instincts, so if you think you can keep an adult Border Collie inside all day, you are mistaken. Their natural herding abilities keep them active and energized, and keeping them in a small space most of the day is asking for trouble.
It’s important to enrich your Border Collies schedule with plenty of physical and mental activities that will help them burn off energy, which will keep them happy and healthy in the long run.
What Kind of Exercises Your Border Collie Will Enjoy
As we stated above, your Border Collie will thoroughly enjoy a variety of exercises that range from physical to mental activities that will help them burn off that all active energy.
Below, we’ll explore some of these exercises and keep your Collie excited to exercise with you every day. By including a variety of exercises in their routine, you can keep things interesting for both you and your pup.
Physical Exercises Your Border Collie Will Enjoy
There are many different options your Border Collie has in terms of physical exercise.
One of the best physical exercises you can introduce your furry friend to is running. Running with your Border Collie every day or at least every other day is a great physical workout that will keep you and your Collie in shape.
If you and your pet aren’t big fans of running, you could also start with long walks. Starting with a 30-minute walk is ideal if you’re looking to give your Border Collie a decent exercise, while also slowly introducing them to more physical activity.
If your pet isn’t painting at the end of their workout, they probably didn’t get enough of a walk or run. While you want your pet to be tired at the end of the exercise, it’s important to start slow at first, so it’s okay if your Collie isn’t excessively painting in the beginning.
Fetch is another great alternative if you’re looking for an ideal physical exercise for your pet. As long as you have a large and wide-open space to play fetch with your friend, this is one of the easiest ways to exercise your Border Collie.
Another great way to keep your pet physically active is through bonding and playing with another animal. Especially if your Border Collie has another active dog to run around and play with, this will be beneficial to all animals involved.
Your Collie will stay active, but they’ll have a friend to play with as well.
Mental Exercises Your Border Collie Will Enjoy
Above, we discussed some of the most popular ways to physically exercise your Border Collie. But mental exercises are just as important, as it will help stimulate and strengthen their minds.
A great example of helping your Border Collie receive mental stimulation and exercise is by teaching them a variety of tricks. Consistently teaching your Border Collie how to perform certain tricks and tasks will strengthen their memory and their brains very easily.
The harder the trick, the more mental stimulation your beloved Collie will receive, keeping them happier and healthier at the end of the day.
Another great way to exercise your Border Collie mentally as well as physically is through agility courses. You can easily set up your Collie’s personalized agility course in their backyard with just a few basic equipment pieces.
Well-thought-out agility courses will help your Border Collie receive all the physical and mental stimulation they need in a day. It’s a fun and creative way to keep your pet active in more ways than one.
If you’re looking for a simpler option to keep your Collie’s mind stimulated, there are plenty of fun and interactive toys you and your Border Collie can enjoy. Toys such as this Pet Zone IQ Treat Dispenser are a unique way to keep your pet active while rewarding them with treats along the way.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to keep your Border Collie’s mind and body active. No matter what option you go with, as long as you keep your Border Collie active every day, you’re sure to keep your furry friend happy and healthy for a long time.
Conclusion
So how much exercise do Border Collies need?
It’s recommended that adult Collies receive at least 2 hours of physical and mental exercise every day. We discussed multiple different ways you can keep your pet stimulated and active throughout the day.
For physical exercise, taking your Border Collie on long walks is a great start to introducing them to a regular exercising routine. Once your Collie has become accustomed to long walks, you can begin taking them on longer runs.
As for mental exercises, they are just as important as physical exercises and shouldn’t be neglected. Activities such as at-home agility courses and interactive toys will keep your pet busy and engaged for hours.
So while a minimum of 2 hours of exercise is necessary for your Collie, it’s important to exercise them correctly to keep them healthy and happy. They will thank you.
