Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

How much running is too much for my 4-month-old Boxer puppy?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Male | unneutered | 4 months and 2 days old | 30 lbs

So I know now that 2 hours at a time is safe for my boxer to exercise and play time but what about running? How much running is too much running for a 4 month old boxer per day?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on January 24th, 2018

The rule of thumb for vigorous exercise in puppies is five minutes per month of age. At four months of age, Diesel should not run more than 20 minutes up to twice a day. If you do run him, then I would cut down on the play time. This is because too much play and exercise can be detrimental to his growth. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Image profile

    Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

    Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

    Published on January 24th, 2018

    Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Two to three 1-2 hours play sessions per day would be very appropriate and fine as long as he seems fine after and seems to be enjoying it. This is actually ideal and unfortunately not always possible so if you are able to do that, that would be great for Diesel. Good luck and have a great day!

    Vote icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

See More Answers

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
How much exercise and play time does a 4 month old boxer need and how long is too long so he’s not over exerciseing or is it safe for him to exercise and play 1-2 hours at a time and 4- 6 hours max a day?
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! Two to three 1-2 hours play sessions per day would be very appropriate and fine as long as he seems fine after and seems to be enjoying it. This is actually ideal and unfortunately not always possible so if you are able to do that, that would be great for Diesel. Good luck and have a great day!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
New Pet
How much should we exercise our puppy? Winston is 3 1/2 months old and is about 25 lbs. (he should be around 60-65 lbs. full grown). We take him on a 30 min walk and an hour walk every weekday, with shorter potty breaks as well. On the weekends we do
What a cutie! I would follow his lead in the amount of exercise he needs. You are correct in that going running or prolonged jogging in a young dog is not a good idea, as their growth plates are still developing, so we recommend waiting until they are over a year old. Walks, however, and playtime outside with you are fantastic. If he is seeming like he is overly tired or not enthusiastic to continue walking, this would be a cue to slow down/stop. As he gets continued exercise his endurance will increase, just like a person starting to exercise.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
How many calories in food per day does a 4 month old boxer need to consume?
Every dog will be a little different based on their own personal metabolism. At 4 months old Diesel is still growing and should receive around 900-1100 calories a day. You will want to monitor his weight, and adjust his intake based on how he is growing, giving a little more if you can see his ribs, and a less if you can no longer easily feel his ribs with a light touch. I give this link to clients as a starting place when calculating calories. Puppies over 4 months of age need roughly twice the recommended calories for their weight until they stop growing. https://petobesityprevention.org/pet-caloric-needs/
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I've been walking our 8 month old Golden Doodle for an average of about 6-7 km. He sets the pace during our walks which is actually quite brisk. He is usually still pretty strong after our walks and can walk more. I've recently heard that puppies his
This is a great question! Yes, there is a concern that dogs who aren't fully grown shouldn't have too much exercise because it can have negative effects on their growth. The amount of exercise a dog of Oly's age should get is five minutes for every month of age; therefore, he should be getting at least 40 minutes of exercise twice a day. You can add on five minutes for each month of age to his exercise, and I would wait to do such long walks until he is fully grown (around 18 months of age). I would recommend scaling back on these long walks for now, and sticking to 40 minutes twice a day. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
New Pet
How much exercise does a puppy need? He used to take more naps but now hes hyper like most of the time, which is odd because someone is here with him most of the time. He just constantly wants to play, which makes it difficult to get anything done at
A puppy should get five minutes of strenuous exercise per month of age twice a day. At two months of age, Blu can have 10 minutes of exercise twice a day. You can get him some toys he can play with himself, such as a Kong toy. They are practically indestructible, and you can fill it with treats that he needs to figure out how to get out. Best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
How long should I walk my 4 month pup? We're currently taking her on 2 one hour long walks daily. She always has energy afterwards. Is this too much?
At 60 minutes twice daily, you are doing a little more exercise than Sammi needs at the moment. Puppies do not require as much [exercise](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-start-an-exercise-routine-with-your-dog) as adult dogs. Over exertion may lead to lifelong [orthopedic issues](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-common-orthopedic-conditions-in-dogs). The general recommendation is 5 minutes of exercise per month of age twice daily until fully grown, which for most dogs is about 1 year of age, although larger or giant breeds may not be fully grown until about 2 years of age. I recommend cutting back to two 20 minute walks per day, increasing it by 5 minutes each when she is 5 months, and so on. Because she has a lot of energy, you can work on [obedience training](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-obedience-commands-every-dog-should-know) with her (teaching her to sit, stay, lay down, etc.). That will use up some energy, and have the positive effect of [training](https://www.petc
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hello I have a question. I have a golden retriever. He is 4 month old. He stays at my families house. Because I live in other city. In 3 months I will start living with my family. Odie, my dog is so energetic and he wants to play a lot. I know that
It is important that Odie does receive daily exercise, and that can be in the form of playing. He should be exercised at most 20 minutes a day at four months old, but you don't want to overexercise him as that can have negative effects on his growth. Just getting that short amount of time in with him now will be enough.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
New Pet
Dear team, I have purchased a treadmill for my puppy. I have few questions regarding exercise. 1) how many times in a day should i bring my puppy on treadmill for a walk and run? 2) for how long? Regards
Thanks for visiting Boop by Petco. There may be some variation here depending on who you ask, but a board certified trainer informed me that puppies are still growing so they shouldn’t over do it when it comes to high impact sports and activities, and should only run for roughly 20 mins twice daily. Once she is done growing (around 1.5 years of age), Roxy should be able to exercise roughly 30-45 mins twice daiy max. Also pay attention to your pets signs (excessive panting, slowing down, labored breathing, etc) and know when she has had enough. I hope this helps! Take care of that fur baby.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Is it okay to go running with a Miniature Dachshund? If yes, how much is okay for him?
Yes it is ok to run with your Mini Dachshund. Each pet is a little different in how much exercise they can tolerate, so the best thing to do is to monitor him for signs of overexertion which includes: stopping often, distressed face (grimacing), excessive panting, etc. However the general rule of thumb is to do light-moderate exercise with your pet twice daily for 20-30 minute intervals. Dogs that have not exercised much should take it easy the first few weeks until their bodies are conditioned, just like with people. And since he is a puppy he should be exercised around 20 minutes twice daily until he is an adult dog (over the age of 1), then he will be able to work out for longer periods.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Is it possible that a 6 month old puppy is getting too much exercise or too much socialization. He seems lethargic and has slowed down at home
Yes it sure is possible, especially for a large breed fast growing puppy like the Pitt Bull. For future purposes I would recommend only 20-30 minutes twice a day of excessive activity. You have to make puppies take a break, because they don't know any better and will over-exert themselves unknowingly. Once Boomer is over 1- 1 1/2 years of age he will be fully matured and able to handle longer periods of exercise. He will also be more aware of himself and able to take breaks on his own without having to be prompted by you, his owner.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored