Dogs are usually full of energy and therefore need regular exercise, but some dogs have more energy than others.
The Welsh corgi, both the Pembroke and Cardigan breeds, is known to be extremely energetic, which can cause negative behaviors for the dogs if they don’t get enough exercise on a daily basis.
So, how much exercise is enough? Most experts say that an hour a day should be a minimum, and it’s not as difficult as you think.
Why Is Exercise So Important?
First of all, let’s discuss why dogs need exercise on a regular basis. The first answer is obvious: dogs need physical exercise to keep them healthy.
Just like humans, regular exercise helps keep their weight down and keeps these bones and joints in much better shape. Exercise also keeps them happy and healthier emotionally.
Exercise is also a good way to socialize your corgi, which they also need to be healthy and happy. This is especially true if you bring them to a dog park to exercise and run around, where they can play with other dogs as well as with you.
Exercise also does something else very important: it gives the dog and the owner a great bonding experience.
Other reasons for providing your corgi with regular exercise include the fact that it’s a great time to teach or reinforce certain obedience commands that you want them to know.
Simply put, dogs can learn at the same time they’re getting exercise and having fun. For lots of physical and psychological reasons, it’s ideal to make sure that your dog gets exercise daily.
How Much Exercise Does a Corgi Need?
Keep in mind that your dog’s physical needs will change throughout their lifetime, but as a general rule, you should make sure that your corgi gets a minimum of one hour of exercise per day.
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to take place all at one time. Throughout the day, you can take them out for exercise twice a day for 30 minutes, or even four times a day for 15 minutes.
Many experts recommend giving them five minutes of exercise at a time for every month they are in age, which means that a six-month-old puppy will need 30 minutes of exercise at one time.
After that amount of time, you can stop and exercise them later on during the day. The younger the dog, the less amount of time they can exercise in any given period.
This means that if you take your six-month-old corgi for an hour-long walk in the woods, they may get tired before the walk is over, which can make it inconvenient for both you and the dog.
Keeping this basic rule in mind when you exercise your dog can make the exercise session a lot more useful and convenient for both of you.
What Types of Exercise Are Best?
Exercising your corgi doesn’t mean that you have to wear them out or go overboard. As long as they run around most of the time as they’re exercising, they’ll get the amount of exercise they need to be healthy.
Some of the things that you can do with your corgi include:
- Play fetch. When dogs run back and forth to retrieve a ball or a toy, their lungs are getting the exercise they need. The larger the area you’re playing in, the more exercise they’ll get and the more they can be challenged both physically and emotionally.
- When you go hiking and camping, you should take your corgi with you. This way, you can take 30- to 60-minute walks and not only get some exercise, but also allow your dog to enjoy the scenery along the way.
- Jogging or running. Yes, you can jog or run with your corgi, but only do it with full-grown dogs. Smaller and younger corgis won’t have the stamina or even the stature to jog or run, even for short distances.
- Tug games. Dogs love tug games, and corgis are no different. Tug-of-war games are fun for the dog, and you can even teach them the “drop it” command so the game can be a little less boring. It’s also good exercise both physically and mentally.
- Obstacle courses. Some obstacle courses are good for corgis, but be sure that you check the instructions and make sure that they are appropriate for this type of dog. Some obstacle courses are simply too difficult for the small corgi to try.
If your dog starts to bark a lot, destroys furniture or shoes, or acts nervous and fidgety around the house, it could be a sign that they need more exercise.
Paying attention to your corgi and getting to know their personality and temperament can help teach you when something is wrong, such as needing more exercise. After a while, it shouldn’t be difficult to spot.
Keep in mind that corgis were bred as herding dogs, which means they are used to getting a lot of exercise every single day. Making sure that they get that is a must when you own a corgi.
Conclusion
Corgis were bred as herding dogs and are used to running around all day long, so they need regular exercise every day.
A minimum of one hour of exercise is recommended, but you can take them out for exercise for two 30-minute sessions or even four 15-minute sessions. If you can exercise with them for two hours a day, that’s even better.
You can also walk your corgi, play fetch, play tug-of-war, or take them hiking with you. Any of these is perfect when it comes to getting the exercise they need.
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