How much walking for a small dog?

[RainingFrogsAndHats]

Had dogs all my life, but current DDog is like no other one I've had before.

He's a spaniel/shiatsu cross.

He gets 3 v short walks + one longer one each day. The longer walk isn't very long - 20 mins-1/2 hr.

He hates it and always just wants to come home.

Is it too much exercise for such a small dog?

He's 2 and fit and healthy. He's done much longer walks and loved them, but doesn't much like the fields around our house. But realistically, I don't have the time to drive to the woods he prefers every day

A quick Google says that a Shih Tzu needs 2 x 20-30 mins walks a day. Spaniels are much more energetic - 1-2 hours. If your long walk is 20ish mins, I don't think that's enough overall - small doesn't mean sedentary.

It isn't the size of the dog that ductates how much exercise, it is the breed genetics and health. shihtzu need medium exercise to get heart and lungs going but not in hot weather. Spanials need mental stimulation. He may prefer games and finding things? I have greyhounds who need little exercise other than a 5 min free run. I would do some research in the breed characteristics to see what instincts they need fulfilling, although they all have their own pecadillos.

Spaniels usually have masses of energy. Does he get to use up some of it playing with balls/family members in the garden?

If not, maybe a dogwalker would be able to take him to the woods?

My standard dachshund can't be bothered with local walks - pretty much just over the road and along to the corner, plenty of sniffing and back. If it's bad weather he won't want to even do that, just looks at me as though I'm mad and turns round. But he'll do a good long walk somewhere interesting. He's done up to 20km, and Lake District/Yorkshire Dales mountains in the past. He's 13 and a half now so we don't take him that far any more. But he's fit and well on this pattern of longer irregular walks rather than daily ones.

My chihuahua yorkie cross has one 20 minute walk a day now and usually sits in the basket of dcs pushchair when we go out. But he is 14 years old and had a hip op earlier this year.

Up until about 18 months ago he had a 20 minute walk in the morning, came to work with me so went out with me on my breaks (3 x 15 minutes) and then half hour after dinner.

I'm now on maternity leave so he goes on and out of the garden when he wants to.

As PP have said, breed matters more than size here.

My beagle, for example, wouldn't be remotely interested in a 5-10 minute walk, it needs to be 45 minutes at an absolute minimum. You're calling your longest walk 20/30 minutes but your dog is part spaniel - that's nothing to them.

If all you're doing is taking the dog around the block or to the same park all the time, he's probably bored. Can you not do one or two longer walks and give him a chance to run and sniff?

Walking on a lead doesn’t use much energy. Can’t you let hi loose in safe places to run and play, socialise with other dogs and explore?
Lots of small dogs dislike cold or wet weather and need a coat.

Following and jumping in for advice too if that's ok new rescue is (probably) JRT x chi. I'm told the chi side is why he likes to sleep as much as possible he's always happy to go on a walk, unless it's raining. Currently gets 20-30 mins in the morning and 2 x 5-10 mins afternoon and evening, with about once or twice a week a 45-60 minute longer walk somewhere different(exciting) on a long line. He will get more once I'm more well (sods law I fell ill just after he came to me and i still have significant fatigue) but feedback welcome.

Hi all

Thanks for the advice.

He already has a coat, which he loves in the cold. And yes, he hates the rain although he loves puddles, streams and rivers.

We've tried him on longer walks, and he's not usually keen. He gets scared by various things (especially fireworks at this time of year) and he would rather not go out at all.

I took a ball out today and he loved it.... it was like having a different dog, so I think you guys were right about him being bored.

Thanks very much for the tips.

Other than balls, what else do you do to entertain your pooches on walks? I'm thinking I might get a frisbee

You can great some good tough toys that are straps with bits of fluff and/or balls in the end. The ball ones can then be thrown easily and then tugged.

Off the top of my head I think tuff-e-nuff make them?

We got our spaniel a Kong frisbee - so soft rubber rather than rigid plastic. It is absolutely his favourite toy, he will fetch, find and catch it for as long as we are prepared to throw it! It's also a good distraction if we want to call him away from other dogs or bushes/puddles/poo, and it keeps his attention on us for training. But he can't be left with it as even the Kong rubber can't cope with his power chewing