5 Reasons Your Dog Needs More Exercise

Between long workdays and unpredictable weather, life as a dog owner is often filled to the brim and exercising our dogs can often slip down the list of priorities. The thing is, skipping regular activity doesn’t just affect a dog’s waistline—it touches everything from their mood to their muscles. 

Below, we’ve pulled together five reasons your dog needs more exercise—and why making time for it is one of the best things you can do for both of you. Even a small sausage dog needs that daily burst of movement to stay healthy and happy.

1. Helps Maintain a Healthy Weight

Ask any vet and they’ll tell you that too many dogs are tipping the scales heavier than they should. A chubby dog might look cute waddling down the hallway, but carrying those extra kilos puts serious pressure on their bodies. No pet owner wants to have a shorter run of years to share with the ones they love, so it’s always a good idea to keep your pup at a healthy weight. 

Daily exercise is one of the easiest ways to keep that from happening. You don’t need to clock up marathon distances, even a solid walk around the block or a game of fetch in the backyard helps your dog burn through calories, keep muscle tone steady, and keep their frame in check. It also gives you a chance to monitor their energy levels, check their gait, and have a regular look to spot anything out of the ordinary.

The truth is, most dogs aren’t built for sofa life—at least not full-time. Their bodies are wired to move, stretch, explore, and work. Without that regular movement, the risk of weight creeping up behind the scenes gets real—and once it’s there, it’s much harder to shift.

Make it a habit and slot in a morning stroll or throw a ball around with them during lulls in the day. If you’ve got the space, maybe set up a quick indoor obstacle course. These little pockets of activity can keep the belly in check and the vet visits fewer and further between.

2. Reduces Problem Behaviours

If you’ve got a chewed skirting board, a garden that looks like it’s been hit by a backhoe, or a dog that barks like they’ve got something to prove every time a postie walks by, odds are they’re bored and likely spending too much time in the dog house. Dogs don’t act out because they’re spiteful—they’re just trying to burn off steam with the tools they’ve got. 

Structured, consistent, and engaging exercise can take the edge off that itch to misbehave. A brisk walk in the morning or a solid run around the park gives them a chance to stretch their legs and settle their nerves. For dogs, this is like getting their morning coffee before heading to work. Most of you will know the feeling of needing to have that little ritual before being to engage nicely with others, and it’s kind of the same for dogs.

Even indoor dogs need this. Without a change of pace, a different scent trail to follow, or something physical to do, their brains start cooking up ways to stay busy. Digging, barking, and other types of problem behaviours are all just symptoms of a dog with too much energy and nowhere for it to go.

3. Supports Mental Health

You’d be hard-pressed to find a dog that doesn’t light up when the lead comes out or the back door swings open. That’s because movement isn’t just about muscle and weight—it’s about what’s going on upstairs. Dogs, like people, need variety, stimulation, and a change of scene to keep their minds in a good place.

Mental exercise doesn’t mean sitting them down with a crossword. It means letting them sniff new smells, react to sounds, follow a trail, chase a ball, or even learn a new trick. These moments tick boxes in their brain that say, “I’m doing something that matters.” And for high-energy breeds or dogs with a bit of nervous energy to burn, it can mean the difference between a relaxed pet and one that’s pacing the house like a wind-up toy.

Walks alone are useful, but if you’ve got the time, mix things up. Try letting your dog sniff their way through a new park, introduce basic scent games at home, or rotate toys to keep things fresh. You don’t have to spend a fortune, either—sometimes a cardboard box with hidden treats can be just as exciting as a fancy puzzle feeder.

Your key takeaway is that dogs who get a good mental workout are less likely to stew in their own stress. That means you’ll have a calmer home with fewer anxiety-based behaviours, and less reactivity to everyday triggers.

4. Improves Joint & Muscle Strength

No matter if your dog’s built like a greyhound or shaped like a loaf of bread, their frame benefits from consistent use. Muscles stay strong through movement, joints stay flexible through repetition, and the whole body ticks along more smoothly when it’s not sedentary all day, every day.

For younger dogs, exercise helps in building strength and coordination early so they grow into a balanced, injury-free adult. For more senior pooches, a gentle exercise regimen helps in keeping what they’ve got. 

Letting them stiffen up on the couch only makes things worse with time. A slow walk, a bit of low-impact play, even swimming—these activities help keep them moving without pushing them too far.

Think of it like oiling a squeaky hinge. Without that regular effort, everything starts to creak. But with the right amount of gentle, steady exercise, even senior dogs can move better, rest easier, and stay active longer.

5. Strengthens Your Bond

There’s something about walking side by side or tossing a ball back and forth that builds trust in a way words never could. Dogs don’t need big speeches or fancy gifts—they need time with their person. And that’s exactly what regular exercise offers.

Shared movement does more than wear them out. It shows your dog that you’re there, that you’re paying attention, and that they can count on you to meet their needs. That sense of consistency helps them feel secure, which plays out in how they behave at home, how they respond to training, and how they carry themselves out in the world.

It’s also a chance to build up training in real-life settings. Every walk is an opportunity to practise recall, loose-lead walking, polite greetings, and general good manners. Those small, casual training moments build stronger habits than any ten-minute session indoors ever could.

More than anything, though, it’s fun. Watching your dog sprint after a frisbee, roll in the grass, or hop into a shallow creek—those moments remind you why you brought them into your life in the first place. The shared laughs, the post-walk snoozes, the nudge for “one more round”—that’s the good stuff. And if you ever need to preserve those moments, a good pet photographer should be able to capture those bonding moments. 

Don’t Wait for Restlessness to Show

A bored dog will always find a way to show it. Whether through chewed cushions, constant pacing, or wild bursts of energy at 9pm, the signs will come. The trick is to stay ahead of them—not with punishment or gadgets, but with regular, thoughtful movement baked into the day.

That doesn’t mean reshaping your whole routine. It could be as simple as swapping five minutes of screen time for a game of tug, or meeting a friend at the park for a dog-friendly catch-up. Throw in a walk before breakfast or some scent play while dinner cooks. These small efforts add up—and they pay off in the form of a calmer, happier, healthier pet.