Health & Diet

How Much Exercise Do Border Collies Need?

Dogs also need to flex some muscles just like humans. It’s a common thing that whenever humans go for exercise, they also bring their dogs to accompany them, to also workout, and also for a change of scenery. You may be wondering; how much exercise do Border Collies need? The short answer is a lot.

Although even if the answer is a lot, there are no real definitive answers and it will solely depend on you. This article will tackle in a detailed manner why Border Collies need to have a routine exercise and why they are so notoriously energetic.

Border Collies: where it all began

Border Collies are very well known for their high energy, playful dog breed, and undying loyalty for their master. They are bred for greatness and as a champion of a sheepherder. One of the unparalleled features is their strong work ethic and they are able to keep on working for long days, and even in all kinds of terrain and any weather conditions. So, it’s normal if your Border Collie is hyper all of a sudden as if wanting to go outside and play for long hours.

Coming from the border of the England and Scotland area, these pure energetic dogs have been born and bred to guide the farmers for assisting the flock of sheep. Although there are contentions of their place of origin whether it was brought by Romans two millennia ago or the Viking folks who invaded England. Regardless of the origin, the modern dog breed has an astounding characteristic.

Also, what’s unique about them is their intimidating and scary stare in deafening silence. This kind of stare is a way on how to control the flock of sheep.

In addition, this breed is gaining more and more popular than ever before. Mainly because many Border Collies are used in films and television. Many celebrities and famous personalities also own Border Collies that makes them gain popularity and support from all over the world.

On to the question: How much exercise do Border Collies need?

Going back to the topic, as I have previously stated that Border Collies requires a longer amount of exercise than average canine breeds. Their muscles need to be “loosey goosey” due to their enormous amount of energy level. In addition, what they also need is also mental exercise to stimulate and keep the mind honed.

When it comes to physical exercise, the Border Collies need about half to an hour of running and walking. These basic form of exercise greatly boosts Collie’s mind and body which makes them smarter, fit, and alert. This is needed much especially when your Border Collies are taking a job as a sheepherder and someone who lookouts to the farm or ranch.

Furthermore, if you want to get a detailed and calculated amount of exercise, you can set an activity goal for your lovely Collie. This is a recommended phone application for more accurate monitoring and if you want to achieve a goal within a timeline. Kindly head to https://www.pitpat.com/app/

How much exercise do border collies need (for puppies)?

There are no actually fixed or authoritative standards as to how much exercise do Border Collies even for a puppy. It’s a matter of debate from various experts coming from trainers, breeders, and veterinarians. The only consensus they have is that too much exercise is not good for any dogs at all. This is partly due to a lack of scientific studies, varied personal opinions, and false information from the internet.

But what’s so interesting is that even for a puppy stage of Border Collie, they will be needing a fairly high amount of exercise activities, not to mention its high level of energy when you are playing with a young pooch. Why not give your Border Collie puppy an outdoor play or basic throw and catch.

Also, you must know their limitations. It’s true that there is no unifying answer as to the specific amount of exercise needed. But what you can do is to know when to stop. Sometimes you will just notice by holistic approach or in some instance, your pooch will turn away their attention. In some cases, the answer usually lies on the owner, not from the vet, trainers, and other canine gurus.

Some useful dos and don’ts

Do: Make a 5-minute rule for every set of exercise

The 5-minute rule will determine how often you should allot a special time limit for your Border Collie puppy. For example, a 3-month old should only have a time limit of 15 minutes maximum. Hence the 5-minute rule.

Don’t: Strenuous activities that may damage your puppy’s soft joints

Border Collie puppies should not be jumping higher obstacles or undergo agility training, because this can damage the young pooch’s joints. It’s advisable that they must be at least 1 year of age to do these activities. Instead, choose simpler activities such as playing fetch, walking with your puppy, and jogging with them.

Do: Teach them the basic obedience commands

It’s more suitable to teach the Border Collies basic obedience command while they are young. This is part of their mental activity to further hone their cognitive abilities. Take note that Border Collies are smart and they are relatively easy to train, but they can be stubborn at times. Better to hire a professional trainer for this. Moreover, learning these basic obedience commands early on will make them smarter and have a strong state of mind while on the field.

Border Collie adults

When they reach the dog adulthood stage, this is the time to get more extensive in physical and mental exercise. With their natural instinct as herding dogs, their stamina is built for longer activities that deal a high amount of energy.

You are going to need to get him physically and mentally hyped daily or regularly. So, spending a maximum of 2 hours a day is considered enough amount for Border Collie adults.

Top exercises for your adult Border Collies

Physical activities:

Running

Be it out in the open or when you are going to run in a park, they are game for it. It’s preferable to keep them off the leash and enjoy the wide-open space of your field or farm. This activity is a 2 in 1 application whereby the Border Collie is exercising as well as having fun because of the great bonding with you.

Throw and catch

It’s a common thing to do with any of your dogs. While this maybe a basic activity that you might think it’s for amusement, in fact, this can also serve as a form of exercise for your Border Collie dog. Every canine loves to throw and catch and almost all of them know this activity well as if it’s preprogrammed in their brains.

Long walks

Don’t just go out for a solo walking, if you have a dog bring them along whenever you are about to take long walks. It’s probably the easiest but this is extremely helpful to the Border Collies. For a better result, you must at least take 30 minutes of the long walk and you can make it longer by the time your dog is picking up your pace.

Hiking

One of the best forms of exercise is taking hiking with your dog. This strenuous activity will greatly increase both the mental and physical attributes of the Border Collie. Why both? Because hiking involves a lot of varied terrains and long treks which is good for joints improvement. Also, it’s good for mental health because Collie’s olfactory senses will become much more diverse in terms of smell.

Swimming

Dogs are naturally good swimmers because of their instinctive paddling motion. They may not be good swimmers at the start, but by the time they know the art of swimming, they will not hesitate to swim with you whenever it’s possible. Moreover, swimming is an excellent exercise and it’s a form of low-impact exercise which means that their joints are strained too much. Spending time with your Border Collie with swimming activities will improve your master and servant relationship as well as the muscles.

Mental activities

Puzzle Toys

Even Border Collies needs to hone their brain capacity. By increasing the capacity, you must devise a puzzle toy game that will test the mind and their problem-solving skills. Collies are known for their superior intelligence. You can put them to the test such as Kongs or cup games. Over time, they will be smart enough and have an attentive response with regards to their work and also as loyal pets.

Final Thoughts

Border Collies needed exercise to become great at their work and to maintain their overall fitness and condition. They are built for herding, search and rescue, and also as a pet. Moreover, by giving them outdoor activities and exercise, you are extending your love for them, and in return, they will have their undying loyalty to you as a master. What’s fascinating about them is their strong work ethic and their unique scary stare to intimidate the sheep.

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