How much exercise does an Australian Shepherd need?
Australian Shepherd dogs are very active. They are a breed of herding dogs whose bodies are built for hard work in the farm. Because of this, your Aussie needs plenty of exercise daily to release all the energy within him.
Constant physical exercise and mental stimulation will keep your Aussie busy and satisfied. If he doesn’t get the physical and mental exercise that he needs, it can cause behavior problems. He can get destructive and tend to bark for a long period which can be really annoying. On average, your Aussie needs between 30 and 60 minutes of high-energy exercise each day. This can be running for miles or playing with a Frisbee in a large open area. Teach your Aussie house chores such as cleaning the floor with a mat or picking up dirty laundry scattered all over the house. Constantly stimulate his mind by giving him food puzzles to work on and practice obedience training. Aussies are very intelligent and hardworking and they love to play and work all day. Aussies are also fit for dog competitions. They are agile, medium-sized, and have a bobbed tail that make them the perfect qualifier for agility, flyball, herding, and obedience tests. They are also great as guide dogs, service dogs, hearing dogs, and search and rescue dogs. They love it when you give them something to do. All those physical exercises and mental stimulation will make him tired at the end of the day and keep him calm and relaxed as he rests for the night.
Those planning to get an Australian Shepherd should take this into consideration before getting one. Make sure you can provide him with an environment where he can move around and you can set aside quality time with him each day for his daily exercises. This will help promote his optimum growth and development. It is also a great bonding activity between the two of you as you go on these exercises together. Keep up with his energy level and you’ll be able to keep your Aussie happy and healthy.
