Cocker Spaniels are wonderful pups with affectionate and playful personalities. These dogs come from long lines of working dogs and remain a favourite breed for those involved in country sports.

But whether your Cocker Spaniel is a working dog or a pampered pet, they need plenty of high-quality exercise to keep them happy and healthy. But just how much exercise do they need?

How much exercise does a Cocker Spaniel need?

The amount of exercise your Cocker Spaniel needs will vary based on their age, general health and fitness, and whether they are a ‘show’ or ‘working’ line. Healthy dogs aged between one and nine years old should be getting at least 70 minutes of exercise every day, split between their daily walks. Working line Cockers may have higher energy and so need more exercise than their show line counterparts.

To get a tailored exercise goal, simply download the PitPat app and fill in your details. If you want to see whether your Cocker Spaniel is hitting their daily goals, get yourself a PitPat Dog Activity Monitor or PitPat Dog GPS Tracker.

How much exercise do Cocker Spaniel puppies need?

It’s really important that puppies get just the right amount of exercise without overdoing it. Too little exercise and they will have excess energy, too much and they could do long-lasting damage to their growing joints. 

In general, most puppies can start walkies after their second vaccination and should get five minutes of structured exercise (such as their daily walkies) per month of their age until they are an adult. Don’t forget, when you get an exercise goal from the PitPat app we will take their age into account and automatically increase their goal as your puppy gets older.

Read more about exercising your puppy.

What types of activities are good for Cocker Spaniels?

Cocker Spaniels are intelligent dogs who will put their paw to all types of exercise. Instead of your normal walking routine, why not switch it up with one of these great activities?

• Scent work
• Agility
• Swimming
• Canicross
• Obedience training
• Flyball

Just remember, some canine sports and other activities may not be suitable for young or old dogs or those with health conditions. If in doubt, check with your vet first.

How far can a Cocker Spaniel walk?

The distance your Cocker Spaniel can cover on one walk depends on their stamina and fitness. If you’re planning a long distance walk, you’ll want to gradually increase the distance your dog covers daily until they are almost at the longer lengths you want them to cover.

Use a PitPat Dog Activity Monitor or PitPat Dog GPS Tracker to measure how much distance your Cocker has covered – you can even adjust this for your individual dog by tapping on the question mark icon in the app.

How far can a Cocker Spaniel run?

Cocker Spaniels can run for miles if they’ve had time to build up their fitness, so they’ll make pawfect running buddies. To work up to long distance runs, start small and gradually increase the amount you run together daily. Make sure you watch your pooch for signs that they could be overtired or in pain, and reduce their activity if so.

Cocker Spaniels adore exercise, but they also sometimes have a penchant for chasing after wildlife. Get-off lead confidence with a PitPat Dog GPS Tracker so you never have to worry about losing your dog again!

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