Exercise for Senior Dogs: How Much, What Kind, and Warning Signs
Older dogs need regular, gentle exercise to keep muscle and joints working. How to adjust walks, which activities help and which harm, and when to stop.
Muscle keeps an old dog mobile, and muscle only stays with use. Senior dogs that stop moving lose strength, gain weight and lose more mobility: a spiral that gentle, regular exercise prevents.
Principles
Short and often. Two or three 15 to 30 minute outings beat a weekend hike. Muscles and joints warm up with movement, and stiffness after a long rest is worse than after a short one.
Consistent. The same amount every day, not a lot on Saturday and nothing on Monday. Joints tolerate what they are used to.
The dog sets the pace. Sniff walks, at the dog’s speed, with stops. A senior on a route it chooses walks further than one being marched.
Soft ground. Grass, trails and sand over pavement. Avoid slippery floors and steep stairs.
Warm up, cool down. Five minutes of slow walking before and after anything faster.
What helps
- Walks, as above
- Swimming and underwater treadmill for arthritic dogs
- Gentle hill walking for hind-leg strength
- Balance and strength exercises from a rehab vet: sit-to-stand repetitions, weight shifting, cavaletti poles at ankle height
- Scent games and food puzzles for mental exercise on bad-weather days
What harms
- Ball throwing and frisbee: repeated sprinting, skidding and twisting on aging joints and cruciate ligaments
- Jumping from the car or off furniture (use a ramp)
- Long runs on hard ground
- Exercise in heat, especially for flat-faced and heavy-coated breeds
- Rough play with young dogs
Warning signs: stop and call the vet
- Lagging behind, sitting down, refusing to go on
- Limping during or after exercise; stiffness the next morning that lasts more than an hour
- Coughing or heavy breathing that does not settle within 10 minutes of rest
- Collapse or fainting (heart or a neuromuscular disease)
- Pale or blue gums
- Dragging the hind feet or scuffed nails (nerve or spinal disease)
Pain first
A senior that will not exercise is usually a senior in pain. Treating arthritis often restores a dog’s willingness to walk within days. See arthritis in senior dogs and keep the dog at ideal weight with the ideal weight calculator: every extra pound is carried on every step.
It cannot diagnose your dog. If your dog is unwell, in pain, or you are unsure, call your veterinarian. Emergencies do not wait for the morning.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I walk my senior dog?
Two or three walks of 15 to 30 minutes a day suit most seniors better than one long walk. Let the dog set the pace and the sniffing. Stop before the dog is tired, not after.
Is swimming good for old dogs?
Excellent for arthritic dogs: it builds muscle without loading the joints. Use a life jacket, warm water, short sessions, and dry the ears afterwards. An underwater treadmill at a rehab clinic is the controlled version.
Why does my senior dog lag behind or stop on walks?
Pain (arthritis, most often), heart or lung disease, muscle loss, or simply overheating. A dog that used to keep up and now stops needs a vet visit, not a shorter leash.
More senior care guides
Senior starts in the last quarter of expected lifespan: 11 for toys, 8 for large breeds, 6 to 7 for giants.Senior Dog Checklist: Home, Vet and Monthly Routine
The home, vet and monthly routine that catches problems early in older dogs.Arthritis in Senior Dogs: Signs, Treatment and What Works
Most senior dogs have it and most are under-treated. Signs, treatments and evidence.Senior Dog Nutrition: Calories, Protein and Choosing a Food
Fewer calories, not less protein. Portions, labels and claims to ignore.
Sources
- Creevy KE, Grady J, Little SE, et al. 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. 2019;55(6):267-290. www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/
- Kealy RD, Lawler DF, Ballam JM, et al. Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. JAVMA. 2002;220(9):1315-1320. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11991408/