How Much Exercise?

Working border collies need more exercise than we think. A person who purchased now overweight dogs from me said he took them four miles running over the last few days. That’s not enough.

Dr. Whitney Miller, chief veterinarian at Petco, made particular note of the exercise that border collies require:

“The average adult dog needs about 20 to 45 minutes of moderate exercise twice a day, which can include a brisk walk,” Dr. Miller says. “However, active-breed dogs like border collies and Australian shepherds can need two to three hours of exercise and activity each day, and very small or aging dogs may get all the exercise they need just from walking around the house.”

I think what Dr. Miller suggests is about right. And that is a pretty heavy commitment of an owner’s time.