How Much Exercise Does My Poodle Need? Facts & Care Tips
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The Poodle is a dog of extraordinary class and prestige. A poodle’s owner has a responsibility to help the dog stay in peak condition, including ensuring it eats the proper diet and gets enough exercise. The Poodle is a brilliant dog for an active owner, and they are naturally very active.
But exactly how much exercise does a poodle need? And how does that change based on the type of poodles? If you’re curious about these questions, you’re in luck; below, we’ll explain exactly how much exercise your poodle needs.
How Much Exercise Does a Standard Poodle Need?
The Standard Poodle needs 60–90 minutes of exercise a day. The Standard Poodle weighs anywhere from 40 to 60 pounds and has a length of over 15 inches. If you’re active, a great way to get your poodle exercise is to bring them with you when you jog. Your Poodle will gladly run along beside you while getting its daily exercise.
The Standard Poodle might be the most misrepresented dog in history. It is typically viewed as a pompous and lazy lapdog, which couldn’t be further from the truth. It was initially bred in Germany to be water retrieval dogs, and the Standard Poodle was made to be athletic and active from the very beginning.
How Much Exercise Does a Miniature Poodle Need?
A Miniature Poodle requires much less exercise than the Standard Poodle. Since it’s so much smaller, the Miniature Poodle weighs 15 to 20 pounds and needs an hour-long daily walk to be happy and healthy. This makes it an excellent dog for moderately active people who can’t jog 2–3 miles a day for their Poodle.
Unlike Standard Poodles, Miniature Poodles were never meant to be active. Miniature Poodles were bred as companions and sleeve dogs. A sleeve dog is meant to be carried around for show, sort of like an accessory.
How Much Exercise Does a Toy Poodle Need
Toy Poodles are tiny dogs. Standing at a maximum of 10 inches and weighing about 4 to 12 pounds, they live up to their names. Because of their small stature, Toy Poodles require less exercise than Standard and Mini Poodles. A Toy Poodle needs 30 to 45 minutes of daily exercise, so a brisk walk every day should do it. However, they get bored easily and need mental stimulation to keep them entertained.
The Toy Poodle was bred for the same reasons as the Miniature Poodle since it was never meant to be more than a companion and a sleeve dog; it’s not an active canine.
Summing Up
The three types of Poodle all require different exercise regimens. The Standard Poodle is the largest of the three and requires upwards of 90 minutes daily. The Miniature Poodle requires at most 60 minutes, and the smallest Poodle, the Toy Poodle, needs no more than 45 minutes.
This difference comes from why the dogs were bred in the first place. While the Standard Poodle was bred to assist hunters and to be a good swimmer, the other poodles were bred for their appearance. No matter which Poodle you have, you now know how to keep them healthy and happy.
Featured Image Credit: ugglemamma, Pixabay
