We dug into our database of over 2 million dogs to see where the most active dogs live throughout the United States and which breeds exercise the most. Keep reading to find out how your state stacks up and if your favorite dog breed made it into the top 10.
Where do dogs get the most exercise?
We asked our customers to tell us about their dogs’ exercise habits. Here are the top exercise hotspots in the US, ranked by the percentage of dogs that get 8+ hours of physical activity per week.
- Washington, DC
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Montana
- New York
- Maine
- Maryland
- Virginia
A map of exercise hotspots in the US. Darker blue regions correspond to more hours of weekly exercise, on average.
Did you know? 33% of dogs in the US get 8+ hours of exercise per week.
Which dog breeds get the most exercise?
According to our data, working breeds in general tend to get the most exercise, but few rare breeds also made it into the top 10—do you recognize any of them? These are the top breeds that get the most exercise, ranked by the percentage of purebred dogs that get 8+ hours of exercise per week:
- Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
- Stabyhoun
- Armenian Gampr
- McNab
- Kooikerhondje
- Chesapeake Bay Retriever
- Llewellin Setter
- Belgian Tervuren
- Dutch Shepherd
- English Setter
We also looked at exercise levels for designer dogs. The top 10 designer dogs that get the most weekly exercise are:
- Newfypoo
- Pomsky
- Shepadoodle
- Whoodle
- Aussiedoodle
- St. Berdoodle
- Labradoodle
- Australian Retriever
- Goldendoodle
- Bernedoodle
How much exercise does a dog need?
How much exercise a dog needs is a very individual question that depends on many factors, including their breed, age, health risks, and more. Embark veterinarian Dr. Jenna Dockweiler recommends starting with a short duration of a low-impact exercise, such as a short walk around the block, to see how your dog reacts. For some lower-energy breeds or individuals, this might be plenty of exercise, while others will need much more.
Slowly build up the amount of time your dog exercises each day, and watch closely for any signs of fatigue (such as excessive panting, refusing to move forward, loss of interest in the activity, frequent lip-licking, excessive sniffing, or failing to respond to their name or commands). If you notice signs of exhaustion, take a break immediately and reduce the amount of exercise your dog receives.
Any time you start a new activity (such as hiking or swimming), follow the same guidelines. Start small and slowly build up time and distance. It’s always a good idea to check with your veterinarian before starting any new exercise regimen with your dog.
Learn more about the many benefits of exercise for dogs.
Read more about dogs and exercise
For more about canine athletes, read about Alaskan sled dogs or see our predictions for the top dog breeds in the Olympics!
Find out if your dog has the DNA of an athlete with an Embark Dog DNA Test. We test for 350+ breeds, plus several genes related to physical performance, such as your dog’s ability to tolerate low-oxygen environments.
Embark Breed + Health Test
$199
Embark Breed ID Test
$129
Interested in more dog breeds by the numbers? Check out the most cuddly dog breeds, according to Embark data.
Thom Nelson, PhD
Read more about Thom Nelson, PhD
