Dachshunds need a minimum of 60 minutes of exercise per day, while miniature dachshunds require less, with a minimum of 30 minutes per day.
These little dogs aren’t just cute but are considered hunting dogs. Dachshund is the German word for badger dogs, which meant they were bred to hunt badgers. This means they have high energy so require exercise every day to maintain their health and stop them from getting bored, which can cause behavioral issues.
In this article, we will look at ways to give your dachshund more exercise and keep them stimulated.
Why Should You Exercise Your Dachshund?
Okay, so this might seem like an obvious question but hear me out.
We all have remarkably busy schedules and routines, which can take up a lot of our attention and energy. So, sometimes we can get too complacent when it comes to dog care. So, it is important to stay mindful of why exercise is important for your pet.
Now, dachshunds are small and adorable and so they don’t need as much exercise as other larger dogs. But it’s still just as important to give them exercise even it’s a smaller amount of time.
Keeping your dachshund fit with a daily exercise routine can keep them from getting overweight. Exercise is also good for their mental health and keeps them occupied, so they won’t get bored and develop bad habits, like excessive barking and destructive tendencies. Good for your dachshund and good for your home life!
How Do You Make Exercise Routines Manageable?
Like a said, life can get hectic! So, a great way to manage your day and still give your dachshund the exercise it needs is by breaking up the activity each day.
The average time a dachshund needs is an hour a day. So, you could break that to 20-25 minutes of walking, twice a day, then 10-15 of play to keep them stimulated. This can fit early in the morning and when you finish work – whatever works around your schedule.
Miniature dachshunds need an average of 30 minutes per day, so you could break it down to 20 minutes of walking and then 10 minutes of play – once again you can schedule these around your time.
If you think your dachshund is not getting enough exercise, or they are getting bored or gaining weight, then you may need to increase their exercise times.
How Can I Keep My Dachshund Active And Healthy?
Here are ways to give your dachshunds enough exercise and stimulation to keep them healthy and happy:
Daily Walk
Daily walks are perfect in giving them the exercise they need. It can release pent-up energy and help stimulate their mind with new smells, sounds, and scenery. The walk needs to be 25-45 minutes minimum every day, which you can break up to suit your schedule.
Walking them around the block is not enough.
You should find a park so they can get full stimulation and exercise. If your dachshund is trained well on recall and comes back to you upon command, then walks off-leash would be ideal for them. But, most dachshunds are tough to trust without a leash.
Remember, they were bred to be hunting dogs, so it is in their nature to chase and runoff. You could use a retractable leash as an alternative, which gives them freedom while keeping you in control.
Activities & Exercise Games
Daily walks can get monotonous so it’s good to add extra stimulation to keep your dachshund from getting bored. One of the best ways to keep them stimulated and exercised is by finding activities to complement their hunting instincts.
Here are some activity ideas to add to their daily exercise routines:
- Fetch – a perfect game to suit their instincts to chase, especially with balls or frisbees. Just make sure that the ball your using is lightweight.
- Digging games – create a digging pit for your dachshund, which is a great way to tap into their hunting instincts. You can bury one of their favorite toys and watch them frantically dig them out. If you don’t have a digging pit yet, then you definitely should!
- Toys – dachshunds love playing with toys, the squeakier the better. They love biting and ripping into them, plus you could train them to fetch their toys. Keep in mind that tug of war games with their toys could be harmful to their backs.
- Swimming – is another great exercise for your dachshunds. It’s a low-impact exercise and perfect for their front legs and shoulder. Some people probably assume that dachshunds can’t swim or hate the water, but this is not true. Just make sure to keep an eye on them because their short legs can get tired quickly.
Why Exercise And Active Games Are Mentally Important For Your Dachshund?
It is important to keep your dachshund active with daily exercises and games because it can help stimulate them mentally.
If they are not stimulated then they can often develop some terrible habits and bad behaviors, like barking a lot, digging, trying to escape, and other destructive traits. Keeping them mentally stimulated along with their daily exercise can help tire them out.
It’s important to challenge their brains as well as keep them fit because they were bred to be energetic and intelligent. You can buy them some puzzle toys, or train them to play nose games with their surroundings and toys, for example, you can get your dachshund to nudge with their nose.
Final Thoughts
Dachshunds are adorable, but they can be energetic, stubborn, and often cocky.
So, it is important to keep them active and stimulated by creating a good exercise routine and playing games with them, for example, an activity like digging, can help tap into their instincts as hunting dogs. Keeping them healthy and exercised can stop them from gaining weight and developing bad behaviors, both of which can cause you and your lovable pet problems!
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