How much exercise does a pug need?

The pug is rightly a very popular dog breed. They are small, cute and love to spend time with their owners. But the pug also needs exercise. Exactly how much exercise and employment the pug needs you will learn in this article.

The Pug is a leisurely dog that needs less than average exercise. With about 30-60 minutes of exercise and activity per day in the form of walks, play sessions and mental activity, you have a good foundation to have a happy dog.

How much exercise does an adult pug need?

Unfortunately, the Pug is one of those dogs that have problems breathing due to their short nose.

You can not expect your pug to be an athlete

Nevertheless, the pug also needs exercise and movement. Relaxed walks are the basis and usually enough to keep a pug physically busy.

How much exercise does a Pug puppy need?

With Pug puppies, you need to start slowly. As a rule of thumb, you can plan on 5 minutes per month of life at a time.

However, you must remember that the 5 minute rule is a very rough recommendation for puppies in general. It applies to both the Husky and the Pug.

Of course, it may not fit. A husky will certainly be above the 5 minutes and a pug will be below the 5 minutes. It’s just to give you a rough guide so you don’t overwork your pug puppy.

The 5 minutes refers to activity in general. Be it mental training or even controlled exercise. The attention span of a puppy is much shorter than that of an adult dog.

Everything is exhausting for the little puppies. New noises, situations, smells, other dogs, etc. All this must first process your pug puppy.

That’s why they say you can’t keep a 3-month-old puppy busy for more than 15 minutes at a time, because he’ll be tired and exhausted. Both mentally and physically.

The Pug tends to be a bit of the more comfortable sort. For this reason, it’s important to get your Pug puppy used to regular walks from the start.

How often does a Pug need to be walked?

You should walk your Pug at least 2 better 3 times a day.

Short walks around the block, to a meadow where he can also play with other dogs or sometimes in the forest are good for this.

The pug does not need long walks. Unfortunately, neither can they, due to their short noses. But regular exercise is still a must.

How long can a pug walk for?

There is no blanket answer to how long a pug can walk.

One will lie down and pant for air every 5 minutes on a walk, the other can easily walk beside you for 1 hour at a moderate pace.

On average, you can take your pug for a walk of 20-30 minutes and cover about 0,5 – 1,5 miles (1-2 kilometers).

It is important that you get your pug used to the walks from the beginning and that you walk him regularly.

The pug is in no way a good companion on hikes. Anything too strenuous is not suitable and can cause more damage.

Avoid overexertion in the pug

Of course, it can happen that you are on the road longer than planned. Maybe you wanted to try a new route or you got lost.

Always keep an eye on your pug during walks to see if he is still fit or needs a break. Many dogs would run beyond their own pain threshold just to please you.

If your pug is panting or grunting heavily, he is having trouble breathing. Here you should definitely take a break and walk slower or even carry him a bit.

Especially in summer it can quickly lead to overheating. Dogs can not sweat, but regulate their body temperature by panting.

Now your pug already has problems with breathing when it becomes more strenuous. The warm weather is then additionally exhausting

In the warm summer months, move your walks to the early morning when it is cooler to protect your pug from the heat.

How much activity does a Pug need?

Even though the Pug does not need a lot of exercise and physical activity, it is important to challenge him mentally. The Pug is an intelligent dog that loves to play and eat.

So these are ideal conditions to keep him mentally busy. Besides the classic basic obedience, you can teach all kinds of tricks.

The Pug loves to learn tricks and commands and to execute them. Since they are greedy, you can practice this perfectly with treats.

It is important that you make sure that your Pug does not get too fat. Too much weight will in turn affect their breathing.

For example, you can subtract treats from the daily food ration, or you can let your pug work out an entire meal.

That means you train commands or tricks with him and reward him bit by bit with his food.

Playing with the pug

Besides “learning”, it is important to simply play with your dog. There are basically no rules when playing.

Find out what your pug likes. Be it classic ball playing, intelligence toys (which is at the same time mental occupation), tug games or even hide and seek.

Unfortunately, far too few people play with their dogs. Just let go and do as with the children what you feel like. Without having to follow any rules or commands.

This strengthens your relationship and makes living together even more enjoyable.

Toys for the pug

There are countless things you can buy for a dog. In my opinion, many of them are superfluous. But a few make sense or are well suited to keep a dog busy alone.

Kong*

The Kong is perfect to keep your pug busy alone. You fill it with treats or a paste and your dog tries to get it. This challenges him mentally and the Kong is at the same time suitable to satisfy the urge to chew.

Treat bag*

If your dog likes to retrieve, a retrieve bag is a good toy. Because only when he brings it back, there is the reward inside. Play and occupation in one.

Tug toy*

Every dog loves to tug and pull.

*Amazon affiliate/advertising link.

How long does a pug sleep during the day?

A pug, like all dogs, sleeps most of the day. As a general rule, dogs sleep between 17 and 20 hours a day.

A Border Collie that needs a lot of exercise is certainly closer to 17 hours and a Pug that needs little exercise will be closer to 20 hours.

Consequences of too little exercise and activity

Too little exercise and activity can also cause misbehavior or even health problems in the Pug.

The Pug is more known for wanting to lie on the couch next to you than needing constant exercise. You need to get him used to regular exercise early so you don’t have to force him to do it later.

If your Pug doesn’t exercise enough, he tends to get overweight quickly which has health consequences.

In addition to breathing being affected, too much weight puts a strain on bones and joints and can lead to damage as they get older.

But also too little occupation in the form of mental exercise and play can lead to misbehavior in the long run.

Your Pug may start chewing and destroying objects out of boredom. Or he may start barking.

Some dogs also become lethargic and just lie around. So make sure, even if a dog doesn’t need a lot of exercise and activity, to challenge him a little every day.

Not only is it imperative for health, but it also strengthens your bond.

Conclusion: How much exercise does a pug need?

A Pug doesn’t need a lot of exercise or exercise during the day. With an average of 30 – 60 minutes a day spread over 2 to 3 walks you have a good basis for keeping your Pug agile and healthy. In addition to physical exercise, it is almost more important that your Pug is mentally challenged and stimulated. Practicing basic commands and also tricks is ideal to challenge a Pug mentally. Additional play strengthens your bond.

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