How Much Walking Do Cocker Spaniels Need: (Exercise Needs)

Are you walking your cocker spaniel too much? What about exercise in general? There are many important questions regarding cockers and exercise.

After speaking to hundreds of spaniel owners on this topic, we’ve put together this FAQ guide answering everything.

Adult Cocker spaniels need around 60-90 minutes of exercise per day. Puppies and seniors will need less than this to preserve joint health. Cocker spaniels enjoy long walks as well as fast pace games of fetch.

Below I’ll run through more freqeuntly asked questions specific to walking your cocker spaniel

Cocker Spaniel Exercise Needs

Healthy adult cocker spaniels should receive around 60-90 minutes of exercise split up throughout the day.

45 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes in the evening is the ideal exercise split for a spaniel.

Like most working breeds from hunting backgrounds, cocker spaniels are highly energetic and have a huge desire for activity. Receiving their daily exercise is crucial, to say the least.

Splitting up the exercise is a very good idea to keep them sufficiently stimulated and calm throughout the entire day. Although many owners leave exercise to one part of the day, it could contribute to boredom, frustration, and other unwanted behaviors.

Exercise Needs For Puppies & Seniors

When it comes to puppies and seniors the advice on exercise changes.

Puppies are still developing and their joints and bones can easily be damaged (short and long term) if they are overexercised.

For seniors, it’s all about joint preservation, so again, their exercise needs to be reduced.

Cocker spaniel puppy exercise chart

Age	Morning	Evening	Total
2 Months	10 mins	10 mins	20 mins
3 Months	15 mins	15 mins	30 mins
4 Months	20 mins	20 mins	40 mins
5 Months	25 mins	25 mins	50 mins
6 Months	30 mins	30 mins	60 mins
7 Months	35 mins	35 mins	70 mins
8 Months	40 mins	40 mins	80 mins
9 Months	45 mins	45 mins	90 mins

Cocker spaniel puppies should exercise for 5 minutes, twice a day, per month of age they have. This is known as the 5-minute method.

This was created by dog training experts and veterinarians to ensure a progressive approach to exercise. At 3 months, it will be 15 minutes, twice per day (30 mins total).

This should be followed up to around 10 months, at this point your spaniel can exercise like an adult.

Seniors (over 9):
Senior cocker spaniels should continue exercising but at a slower pace and duration than younger adults. 30 minutes to 60 minutes per day is more appropriate for seniors depending on their individual health status. We have to preserve their joints and ensure their bodies remain healthy, so adjusting their exercise routine is a must.

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How Many Miles Can Cocker Spaniels Walk?

Cocker spaniels do love a good walk, but how far can they go?

Adult cocker spaniels can walk for about 3 miles (4.8km) at a moderate pace. 3 miles is the equivalent of a 45-minute walk at a normal pace.

For those that are well-exercised and have built up stamina and endurance, they may be able to go a little further. But to preserve joint health and remain on the safe side, stick to 3-mile walks and under.

How far a puppy spaniel can walk depends on their age and should coincide with the 5-minute method.

• Important: Do cocker spaniels tolerate cold weather well?

How Many Walks Do Cocker Spaniels Need?

Two walks per day are enough to satisfy the exercise needs of an adult cocker spaniel.

If one walk is slow and long, make the other short and fast.

This will avoid too much repetitive motion and keep the exercise interesting.

If you take your cocker spaniel out for a 3-mile walk in the morning, another 3 miles in the evening could prove to be too much.

In this case, make the walk in the evening a simple run around for 15 or 20 minutes and that will be plenty of exercise for one day.

Can You Walk a Cocker Spaniel Too Much?

Too much of a good thing can certainly be a bad thing, so yes, you can certainly overwalk a cocker spaniel. Overexercising, in general, could result in short or long-term injury so it’s important to avoid it.

Stick to no more than two walks per day, one in the morning and evening, and avoid walking more than 3 miles in one session.

As explained above, if you take her out for a slow long walk (3 miles) in the morning, try making the evening walk shorter, and something different, like a quick game of fetch.

Do Cocker Spaniels Need Two Walks Per Day?

Although it’s not necessary to take your cocker spaniel for two walks per day, it certainly does help.

While one intensive walk per day may meet the exercise requirements of a spaniel, it could leave them overly bored and frustrated for the rest of the day.

By splitting up exercise and reducing the length of each session, your cocker spaniel will get more out of each walk.

Plus, two walks per day will leave your spaniel feeling much calmer and stimulated at all other times.

• Recommended: Are cocker spaniels better off in pairs?

5 Exercises That Cocker Spaniels Love

Which kinds of exercises do cocker spaniels like the most? Let’s run through some of the best ideas below.

1. Walking

Cocker spaniels definitely like a simple walk, but this can depend on where you are walking. If your walk includes interesting things to see and smell, then a cocker spaniel will definitely be happier than if it doesn’t. A wide-open field with nothing but grass may get a little boring for most cocker spaniels though.

2. Fetch

To rev up that prey drive bring a ball and a thrower along with you. Spaniels typically love playing fetch and this will give them a chance to sprint at full speed, which in small doses is highly beneficial for them. As this is quite an intensive exercise, be sure to keep the sessions short and allow your spaniel to recover.

3. Hiking

If you have good hiking trails this can turn the average walk into something far more interesting. From varying terrain, sights, smells, and scenery, this will stimulate your spaniel like nothing else. Be sure the hiking path is safe and if it’s in a national park ensure you are allowed to walk with dogs.

4. Agility training

Spaniels are nimble, agile, and athletic, making them great at obstacle courses and agility training. You can buy great sets like this online to set up in your yard. Although this may take additional training and time before your spaniel really gets it, it can be extremely rewarding and stimulating once they do.

5. Socialization

Meeting up with friends with dogs or taking your spaniel to doggy socialization groups can be an amazing way to exercise them without really doing much! Interacting with other dogs, sniffing butts, chasing each other, and play-fighting tire dogs out like nothing else. Not only will they receive great physical exercise from these interactions, but their mental stimulation needs will be completely satisfied.

FAQ Summary

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Additional resources:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2156050/
• https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Exercise-frequency-and-duration-in-the-study-dogs_tbl1_316178271