Nicknamed the ‘Sausage Dog’ because of their long Weiner-looking bodies, the Miniature Dachshund is a big family-orientated dog that comes in a small package. Despite their short legs and size, they’re great watchdogs. This does mean that they sometimes take a while to warm up to strangers and other dogs, but once they know you mean no harm you’ll be showered with an endless amount of love. 

How much exercise does an adult Miniature Dachshund need?

A fully grown Dachshund will need around 50 minutes of daily exercise to keep them fit, healthy, and mentally stimulated. 

They do have little legs however, which means they aren’t the biggest fans of long walks, so you may find it helpful to split their walks in two.

Of course, no dog is the same, so why should their exercise be? This is why we’ve designed PitPat to give you a tailored exercise goal. This will tell you exactly how much running, walking, resting, and pottering they’ve done in a day, so you’ll never have to wonder if they’re getting the right amount again.

How much exercise does a Miniature Dachshund puppy need? 

Determining how much exercise a puppy needs can be difficult. It may seem that they need lots of exercise to accommodate for those big bursts of energy. However, 5 minutes of proper exercise per day can be enough for a young pup. 

This doesn’t just have to be walks though. Games that get puppies using both their brains and their bodies are one way you can make sure your little Dachshund is getting plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. 

If you’re looking for some inspiration, take a look at how Xanthe and Dan got on with their new Dachshund puppy, and how PitPat helped with their new member of the family. 

How much exercise does a senior Miniature Dachshund need?

Dogs can hit ‘senior’ age as early as 7-8 years old, which means around this time you may notice your pooch slowing down. It may be that the toy they loved to throw around the living room just doesn’t interest them as much anymore, or they don’t have as much motivation to go on walks. But don’t worry, this is perfectly normal, and reducing their exercise will in fact help your Dachshund at this point in their life. 

But it can be hard to know how much you should reduce their exercise by. That’s where a PitPat GPS or PitPat Dog Activity Monitor comes in. We’ve taken away the guesswork with our tailored exercise goal feature. We’ll adapt their exercise goal as your dog gets older so you can get the exercise balance just right. 

Best types of exercise for Dachshunds

Agility courses. Weaving in and out of cones, jumping over hurdles, and running through tunnels is a great type of dog training for mental stimulation, which these guys need plenty of. But make sure to not make the hurdles too high, otherwise they’ll simply slip underneath them.

Fetch. This is great for Dachshunds as it uses lots of energy, teaches them to retrieve, and helps them learn commands such as “drop” and “return”. When it comes to these pint-sized pups you’ll need to adapt the game slightly to accommodate for their size. Rolling a ball across the hallway at home instead of halfway across a field is one way you can do this, and you may also need to invest in a smaller-sized tennis ball so your Dachshund is able to pick it up in their mouth. 

Hide and Seek. The Dachshund’s hunting heritage means that games that involve these instincts are fantastic for their mental stimulation. To play this game, all you’ll need is one of their favourite toys. Simply hide it somewhere in a room and then bring your pup into the room, and watch their noses go into overdrive. You may need to encourage them by saying “find it” in an excitable voice from time to time. 

So what are you waiting for? Get your paws on a PitPat today and discover your Daschund’s very own exercise goal.

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