One of the keys to keeping your Jackapoo healthy and happy is making sure they’re getting enough exercise. Believe me, if you don’t exercise that little ball of energy enough, you’re going to soon find out why you need to. But how much exercise does a Jackapoo need?
The Jackapoo is a very energetic dog breed and needs at least 45 – 60 minutes of daily exercise to keep them from gaining excessive weight, developing health issues or injuries, or becoming irritable.
So, as small as Jackpoos are, they have a lot of energy and need daily exercise if you want to keep them in the best condition physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Related: What Health Problems Do Jackapoos Have? | Average Life Expectancy of a Jackapoo Dog (Toy & Miniature) | Is A Male or Female Jackapoo Better?
Why You Should Exercise Your Jackapoo
Believe me, when I say that Jackapoos have an incredible amount of energy and if they’re not receiving a good amount of daily exercise, you’re going to have to deal with a lot more digging, chewing, barking, and irritability because they’re not releasing that energy properly.
Another reason to make sure your Jackapoo is getting enough exercise is the health benefits. Exercising your pet will keep their joints and muscles supple. This will help avoid joint and muscle pain in the future as well as prevent obesity; which the Jackapoo has a reputation for because of their tendency to be quick eaters.
Benefits of Exercising Your Jackapoo
There are many benefits to exercising your Jackapoo, not only for them but for you too. Let’s take a look at the benefits of exercising your Jackapoo:
- Prevents obesity
- Prevents joint pain
- Eases joint pain
- Reduces anxiety
- Builds your Jackapoo’s trust and strengthens your relationship
- Builds your Jackapoo’s confidence
- Improves your Jackapoos social skills
- Improves obedience
How Much Exercise Does An Adult Jackapoo Need?
Your average Jackapoo adult needs at least one hour of exercise a day to make sure they are physically, mentally, and emotionally stimulated.
One thing to watch out for when playing is; the Jackapoo terrier’s instinct of having a high prey drive. So, it’s best to give them exercise and play in an enclosed area, like your backyard, to avoid them running after small animals or areas where they might get lost.
It’s important to know that, because of the high intelligence of the Jackapoo breed, mental exercises are just as important as physical exercise, but combining physical and mental activities gives you a three-in-one bonus.
Three-in-one? Yes, physical, mental, and emotional. When your Jackapoo goes for exercise it’s also a huge opportunity for some bonding time, whether with you or other dogs. A Jackapoo that doesn’t get enough play time will easily become bored or irritable, so they need that time with you or other dogs to keep them happy.
How Much Exercise Does A Jackapoo Puppy Need?
Jackapoo puppies are a bundle of fun and seem to have an endless supply of energy. So it shouldn’t be surprising to find out that Jackapoo puppies need up to an hour and a half of exercise a day.
A general rule of thumb for more structured exercising in the form of walking is 5 minutes for each month of your puppy’s age. So a three-month-old puppy should only be walked for around 15 minutes.
While exercise in the form of free play will be dependent on your individual pup’s energy levels, which may seem unlimited!
Exercise plays a major part in the mental, social and physical development of a Jackapoo puppy. Thankfully, exercising a puppy is not too difficult because of its playful nature and it’s really difficult to turn down a puppy when they want to play.
How Much Exercise Does A Senior Jackapoo Need?
A senior Jackapoo is still going to be relatively more active than most breeds. I had a Jackapoo who was still as quick as a tac when she was 14 years old. Her favorite time of the day was when we would go for a walk to the beach. Don’t let their advanced years fool you; they still love to play.
A quick thing to note is that even though they may still be bursting with energy even though it’s not as consistent as when they were younger; they still do need daily exercises.
If your senior Jackapoo suffers from joint or muscle injury, daily exercise will help relieve that pain. A great exercise for senior dogs is taking them swimming because it’s a lot more gentle on their more mature bodies.
When exercising your senior Jackapoo you need to consider any ailments or body parts that are prone to injury because of their age. Jackapoos tend to develop the following issues in their old age:
- Hip dysplasia – when the ball and socket joint doesn’t fit properly and rub and grinds instead of moving smoothly
- Patella luxation – when the kneecap moves out of place or dislocates
Knowing these typically vulnerable parts of a senior Jackapoo should give you an idea of what activities to be weary of to avoid injury.
Activities To Exercise A Jackapoo
As I’ve mentioned previously, exercise is not purely physical but benefits your Jackapoo mentally and emotionally too. So be creative and interactive with your pooch. Here are some ideas for activities to best exercise your Jackapoo.
Playing
Playing with your Jackapoo is a great way to keep them in shape and entertained. You can grab their favorite ball or toy and throw it for them to play some fetch. This is usually one of the least exhaustive exercises for you but all the benefits of fun and exercise for your dog.
Walking, Jogging, or Running
Going for a walk is a simple way to get your Jackapoos daily exercise in, and you can even bring along a toy or ball to add in some fetch and make the walk more entertaining.
If you feel like your Jackapoo wants to go a little faster, or if you want a companion if you’re running, then take your pooch for a jog or a run. This doesn’t mean sprinting, and you want to avoid taking them on long distances because they usually have so much fun they don’t know when to stop.
A maximum of 10 miles per week, depending on their condition, should be good enough to get in the beneficial amount of exercise.
Agility Training
This activity is brilliant because it combines both training and exercise in one go. For a Jackapoo this means you get to challenge their obedience, intellect, and physical skills all at the same time, and they’ll love you for it.
If you’re looking to buy an agility kit, then I’d recommend the Outward Hound agility kit. If you don’t want to spend the extra cash you can just use household items to set up a course for your Jackapoo.
Chew Toys
Using chew toys is great, especially for Jackapoo puppies, because this will encourage its prey nature without actually having to hunt for anything. Chew toys are great for puppies with itchy teeth, and this will give them something to focus their energy and sharp teeth on.
You can try adding in a bit of tug of war with the chew toy, but just make sure not to be too rough and damage their teeth.
A great chew toy that I have bought that really endures the most terrorizing of teeth is the KONG chew toy. It’s extremely durable, has an unpredictable bounce which makes it interactive, and is also a treat dispenser so it’ll keep your Jackapoo entertained and mentally stimulated.
Dog Puzzles
I consider dog puzzles to be essential for my Jackapoo and I especially love the Outward Hound Dog Brick Interactive Treat Puzzle. Dog puzzles are great because, with my little Jackapoo’s intellect and how easily she gets bored, this magical little device keeps her mentally stimulated for long periods of time.
Is it Possible to Over-Exercise My Jackapoo?
Yes, it is very possible to over-exercise your Jackapoo and this is something you really need to avoid in order to keep your Jackapoo in its best condition.
Jackapoos do have a lot of energy, and exercise should be used to allow them to release it, but you should always be careful to never exhaust your furry friend because this can lead to a lot of different complications.
Jackapoos also have a tendency of not knowing when to stop because they’re having so much fun, so this does mean that we have to keep a sharp eye on when enough is enough.
Some things you can watch out for to check if your dog needs to slow down on the exercise routine are:
- Sore muscles and joints – you’ll spot this one easily because as soon as they seem stiff and sore, if they struggle to get up the next day, or if they start to walk with a limp of any kind it shows they’ve overexerted their body.
- Wear-and-tear on the paw pads – this can be noticed by any tears or flaps of skin if the paw pads are red or appear to be thinner than usual.
- Changes in behavior – if you notice that your Jackapoo doesn’t want to go out for a walk or run, go to the park, or just refuses to move, this is a big sign that they have overexerted themselves.
- Heat sickness – you’ll notice this, usually in the hotter months, if your dog’s temperature is above 106 degrees Fahrenheit and show difficulty breathing.
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