Does a Boxer need a lot of exercise?

Before you get a German Boxer, you need to be aware of how much exercise a Boxer needs. Just because you like the look of the Boxer doesn’t mean he is the right dog for you. I go into more detail about this in this article.

The Boxer is an active and above all playful dog that needs at least 2 hours of exercise and activity in the form of walks, playtime and mental stimulation. The Boxer can be motivated to do almost anything, he is up for almost anything. This means that the possibilities to keep him busy are endless. But you have to do it.

How much exercise does a Boxer need?

The Boxer is a very active dog. With at least 2 hours of activity in the form of normal exercise but also mental stimulation a day you have a good basis so that your dog does not get bored.

It is important that you do not train your Boxer to be a high performance athlete. The motivation to work is very high.

The boxer wants to do exercise always. Just because your boxer wants to tug in the garden or run after a ball after 2 to 3 hours of reasonable walking with you does not mean that this is always good.

It is important that your boxer also learns that there are rest periods when nothing happens.

How often do boxers need to be walked?

You should take your boxer outside at least 2 times a day better 3 times and keep him physically busy.

In my opinion, it is best to take the first walk directly in the morning and feed the boxer afterwards. This has the advantage that your boxer has already had his first walk of 30 -45 minutes or longer.

Afterwards he can have “breakfast” and lie down comfortably on the couch or in his dog bed. It is important that your Boxer does not jump or run wild after eating as they are also more prone to gastric torsion due to their size.

The main reason for gastric torsion is when the dog becomes physically active right after eating.

How much exercise do Boxer puppies need?

Even with Boxer puppies, you can start with the 5 minutes per month of life as a baseline. It is important that you see the 5 minutes only as a rough guideline.

A Boxer is fundamentally different from a St. Bernard in its urge to move, to give an extreme example.
So the puppies cannot be satisfied with the same amount of exercise. The Boxer will probably need a little more and the St. Bernard a little less.

But back to the 5 minute rule. So a 4 month old Boxer can walk for about 20 minutes at a time.

The information does not say that your Boxer can no longer run afterwards. Rather, it refers to how long your dog can concentrate, absorb and process new smells, impressions and situations.

When we took our Broholm puppy for a walk and trained her, she ran around the yard like a crazy person.
Our trainer told us that the training was so exhausting for her and that she now had her “crazy” 5 minutes and now shook off the stress.

After that she lay in her dog bed completely exhausted and slept.

How to exercise a boxer?

As mentioned before, you can do anything with a Boxer. The Boxer is made more for physical exercise. They have power and want to run. Here are a few examples:

Walks in nature

The foundation to exercise a Boxer properly is to take walks. It’s important that you don’t just let your Boxer walk beside you.

Let your dog, be dog. That means he can run free or on a drag line through the woods sniffing, digging, or doing whatever he enjoys.

Besides our daily walks, in the morning right before work and in the evening, we try to make a big trip to a forest area on the weekends that we can’t reach so quickly on foot.

We try to offer our dogs just like our children, variety and entertainment. To take in new smells, to collect impressions and then to process them. All of this is exercise.

Lynxking Check Cord Dog Leash*

• Different lengths: 10 ft 15ft 30ft 50ft

*Amazon Affiliate/Ads Link

Running or cycling

The Boxer is also ideally suited for sports. If you like running or cycling, the Boxer is a great companion.

However, you should be careful in the summer when it is too warm. The Boxer has problems with breathing because of the short nose. You should avoid strenuous exercise at all costs.

Your Boxer is not very happy when it gets too warm. On hot summer days, move your walks or runs to early morning or late evening and protect your dog from the heat.

In the summer it is already warm and bright at 05:00 in the morning. The advantage is also that you already have a sports unit behind you.

Agility

The Boxer is enthusiastic about all kinds of dog sports. You can take him to agility, because they love to run and jump.

Nose search games

Even though the Boxer with the short nose does not have the best condition to be a successful detection dog. But still they are quite enthusiastic about it.

Tug games

The Boxer likes to play physically and is of course enthusiastic for tug games with for example a rope.

Basic obedience

Learning and executing basic commands is also a suitable form of activity for the Boxer.

Is a boxer right for you

The Boxer is suitable for active people who have time and desire to spend time with their dog. He is definitely not for people who are looking for a cozy dog for the couch.

The Boxer can stay alone for a few hours, if he has enough activity and work.

Basically, no dog should be left alone for 8 hours every day. From time to time it is possible, as I have read.

Conclusion: How much exercise and occupation does a Boxer need?

The Boxer needs above all physical exercise in the form of walks, running or cycling. But the Boxer is also up for dog sports like agility. They love to run, jump and generally play. With at least 2 hours of activity daily, you have a good guideline.

Jale Ibrak-stock.adobe.com (Contributed Image)