How Much Exercise Does My Corgi Need? Tips & FAQ

Corgis are known for being chubby and adorable, so it may be easy to assume that these dogs don’t get much exercise. In reality, Corgis are incredibly active dogs with a lot of energy to spend all day.

If you’re considering adopting a Corgi or already own one, it’s crucial to learn their physical activity needs. In most cases, they need approximately 1 hour of exercise daily. Failing to ensure that your Corgi gets the exercise they need can lead to long-term health issues, such as obesity or even depression.

Here is all that you need to learn about how much exercise your Corgi needs.

How Much Exercise Does My Corgi Puppy Need?

The daily requirements for physical activity for a Corgi puppy are different from an adult Corgi. Since their bones, joints, and muscles are still growing, there’s no need to include overly strenuous activities in their routine.

In some cases, too much exercise can even harm your puppy. Any high-impact activity, such as frisbee or agility obstacles, should be avoided until your Corgi puppy is at least 1 year old. A very young Corgi puppy does not yet have the endurance for such exercise.

At 3 months old, Corgi puppies only need 15 to 30 minutes of activity. By the next month, you can increase this time to between 20 and 40 minutes. Meanwhile, 5-month-old Corgi puppies need 25 to 45 minutes of exercise, and 6-month-old ones require nearly 1 hour a day.

If these numbers are hard to remember, you can increase 5 minutes of activity every time your puppy gets a month older. Simple walks are enough exercise for Corgi puppies, but you’ll need to make sure to monitor them the whole time.

If the puppy seems too tired or is panting excessively, it’s time to end the walk. It’s also best not to walk the Corgi puppy before its final round of vaccinations at 16 weeks. You can use this time to train your puppy at home by teaching them simple tricks like sit, stay, etc.

Social acclimation is also crucial at this stage, as you can train your Corgi puppy to focus on you in unfamiliar surroundings. Not only does this make for a much more well-behaved and happier puppy, but you’ll also build a strong relationship at this stage.

How Much Exercise Does My Adult Corgi Need?

A full-grown adult Corgi needs approximately 1 hour of physical exercise daily. That may sound like a lot, but one hour passes by surprisingly fast when playing with your pup!

Don’t let the appearance of these chubby dogs confuse you; they’re shockingly intelligent and incredibly energetic, and they need one way or another to utilize their stamina. You may even hear stories of Corgi owners walking their Corgi over 2 miles without the dog getting tired.

Initially, Corgis were bred as working dogs for the field, so there’s no doubt that activity comes to them as second nature. So, a brisk walk around the block may be enough exercise for you but not for your adult Corgi.

If you’re not a fan of walking an hour every day, you can find a list of activities that you and your Corgi both enjoy. That may be strength training exercises or high-intensity games that challenge their intelligence while keeping their bodies in the ideal condition.

With the help of a well-rounded workout routine of various exercises, you can ensure that your Corgi is healthy, happy, and making use of all their stamina in a day. Plus, exercising and playing together are great ways of strengthening your relationship with your dog.

How to Exercise Your Corgi More

Here are a few activities that Corgis enjoy while getting their daily dose of physical exercise:

Swimming

Swimming is one of the most enjoyed exercises for a Corgi, and it’s also, luckily, a complete form of exercise. This means your dog can get its daily requirement for physical activity in one swimming session.

Since swimming is joint-friendly, non-weight bearing, non-concussive, and low impact, it’s an excellent exercise for all adult Corgis. They’re able to work every major muscle by swimming in the water, which allows them to improve their muscle tone and overall strength.

Swimming has proven to be beneficial for dogs in more ways than one. For example, many orthopedic specialists use hydrotherapy to help dogs overcome chronic conditions, such as elbow or hip dysplasia. This method also helps rehabilitate dogs after surgery or a significant injury.

Walking

A simple walk isn’t enough to utilize all the energy in your Corgi, but that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy it. Plus, regularly walking your Corgi has endless benefits for your dog’s physical and mental health.

The entire experience of watching other people with their pets, exploring new smells, and seeing squirrels and birds is a mentally stimulating activity for your Corgi. To ensure that your dog is receiving enough stimulation, you can keep changing your routes and activities.

Walking is also a great warm-up activity for your dog before engaging in more vigorous exercises such as fetch, hiking, or swimming. This allows them to have the ideal blood flow in their muscles to have maximum flexibility while exercising.

Hiking

If you’re bored of the standard walk around your block, it may be ideal for you to switch to hiking. This is an innovative way to introduce your Corgi to new sensations, smells, and sceneries and allow them to activate all their senses.

Hiking allows dogs to enhance their balance and hunting skills while fulfilling their daily exercise requirement. More importantly, the stream crossings, declines, and inclines involved in hiking add to your dog’s exercise.

Fetch

Fetch is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding games to play with your dog, as it can always put a smile on your face to see your Corgi’s enthusiasm whenever they get the ball or stick back to you. Plus, you can play fetch without having to leave your property.

If you’re not in the mood to exercise yourself but want to ensure your dog gets its daily exercise requirement, fetch may be just what you need. This high-intensity game helps your dog burn the right amount of energy in a short time.

However, the loyal and people-pleasing nature of Corgis prevents them from explicitly telling you that they’ve had enough. If your dog starts to pant excessively, slow down, or limp, it’s time to end the game of fetch and get some rest.

Agility or Sporting Events

Corgis are one of the most common dogs to be involved in various sporting events. The high-energy and enthusiastic nature of these dogs allows them to thrive in most sporting categories, including races, herding, lure coursing, and agility.

If you own a Corgi, look for local sporting events dedicated to the breed to ensure that they get their daily exercise while meeting other dogs to socialize. We recommend trying our multiple events before finding one that suits your Corgi best.

The best part about Corgi sporting events is that they’re entirely ethical and arranged for recreational purposes. There’s no betting involved, and it’s simply an excellent evening for pet owners and their pups to interact.

If your pup is lucky and well-trained, you may be able to take home a trophy.

Soccer Ball or Herding Balls

If fetch in your backyard has become repetitive, you can change things up by buying a soccer or herding ball. This is the simplest way to exercise with your dog while giving them a new object to interact with.

In most cases, you won’t even need to be there for them to complete the exercise, as dogs will tend to herd the ball around with no help. Corgis especially love herding balls, which are too heavy to bounce, so they’re only pushed around to play.

Flirt Pole

Flirt poles are long sticks with a rope and toy attached at one end. These toys are typically used for cats, but Corgis tend to love a larger version of these toys. Playing with them is as simple as dragging them across the floor while the dog chases them.

If your Corgi is often lazy and unwilling to exercise, a flirt is a great way to capture their attention and maintain their required exercise limit. It also enhances your dog’s hunting skills with this high-intensity game of chase and tug.

Flirt poles can also teach your Corgi better targeting, self-control, and striking while building their muscles and draining excess energy for the day. You can find flirt poles in any pet shop, and playing with them requires little to no effort on your end.

In some cases, you’ll find your Corgi playing with the flirt pole with no help at all.

Conclusion

Despite their chubby appearance, Corgis are pretty active dogs. That’s why they require approximately 1 hour of exercise every day to ensure healthy and stimulated muscles and overall strength. A few ways to help your dog reach that goal daily include swimming, hiking, playing fetch, and participating in sporting events.

• See also: Is a Corgi a Good Herding Dog? (Corgi History & Purpose)

Featured Image Credit: NPstock, Shutterstock