On this page
As a daily starting band, small dogs need about 0.5 to 1.5 miles (1 to 2.5 km), medium dogs 1 to 2 miles (1.5 to 3 km), and large dogs 1.5 to 3 miles or more (2.5 to 5+ km), spread over two or three walks. Working and sporting breeds sit at the top of their band or above it; toy, flat-faced and senior dogs sit at the bottom. A mile is not the same walk for every dog: it is roughly 8,000 paw steps for a Labrador and 30,000 for a Chihuahua.
Distance by size: a starting table
| Size | Typical daily distance | Per walk | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (under about 20 lb) | 0.5 to 1.5 mi (1 to 2.5 km) | 0.3 to 0.8 mi | Chihuahua, Yorkie, Pomeranian, Maltese, Shih Tzu, Dachshund, Corgi, French Bulldog |
| Medium (about 20 to 50 lb) | 1 to 2 mi (1.5 to 3 km) | 0.5 to 1 mi | Beagle, Cocker Spaniel, Border Collie, Bulldog, Whippet, most mixes |
| Large (over about 50 lb) | 1.5 to 3+ mi (2.5 to 5+ km) | 0.8 to 1.5 mi | Labrador, Golden, German Shepherd, Boxer, Husky, Vizsla, Doodles |
These bands come from the same place as the minutes in How much should you walk your dog?: 30 to 60 minutes a day for most adults at the 20 to 25 minutes per mile that real dog walks average. Convert minutes at your dog's actual pace and you get the distances above. Energy level moves a dog within the band far more than the size label does. A working-line Border Collie is "medium" and will out-walk most Labradors.
50 breeds: height, size band, daily distance and paw steps per mile
The table below uses the typical shoulder (withers) height for each breed in Pawdometer's catalog and the app's stride model to show how many paw steps a mile costs at a normal walking pace. The distance column is the band for the size class; individual dogs vary, and your vet's word beats any table.
| Breed | Size | Shoulder height | Typical daily distance | Paw steps per mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akita | large | 26 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 7,500 |
| Australian Cattle Dog | medium | 18.5 in | 1–2 mi (1.5–3 km) | ≈ 10,500 |
| Australian Shepherd | medium | 21 in | 1–2 mi (1.5–3 km) | ≈ 9,300 |
| Basset Hound | medium | 13 in | 1–2 mi (1.5–3 km) | ≈ 11,100 |
| Beagle | medium | 14 in | 1–2 mi (1.5–3 km) | ≈ 13,900 |
| Bernese Mountain Dog | large | 26 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 7,500 |
| Bichon Frise | small | 10.5 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 18,500 |
| Border Collie | medium | 21 in | 1–2 mi (1.5–3 km) | ≈ 9,300 |
| Boston Terrier | small | 16 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 12,200 |
| Boxer | large | 23 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 8,500 |
| Brittany | medium | 19 in | 1–2 mi (1.5–3 km) | ≈ 10,200 |
| Bulldog | medium | 15 in | 1–2 mi (1.5–3 km) | ≈ 13,000 |
| Cane Corso | large | 26 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 7,500 |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | small | 12.5 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 15,600 |
| Chihuahua | small | 6.5 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 29,900 |
| Cocker Spaniel | medium | 14.5 in | 1–2 mi (1.5–3 km) | ≈ 13,400 |
| Dachshund | small | 8 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 18,000 |
| Doberman Pinscher | large | 27 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 7,200 |
| English Springer Spaniel | medium | 19.5 in | 1–2 mi (1.5–3 km) | ≈ 10,000 |
| French Bulldog | small | 12 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 16,200 |
| German Shepherd Dog | large | 24 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 8,100 |
| German Shorthaired Pointer | large | 24 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 8,100 |
| Golden Retriever | large | 23 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 8,500 |
| Goldendoodle | large | 22 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 8,800 |
| Great Dane | large | 31 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 6,300 |
| Havanese | small | 10 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 19,500 |
| Labradoodle | large | 22 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 8,800 |
| Labrador Retriever | large | 23 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 8,500 |
| Maltese | small | 8 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 24,300 |
| Mastiff | large | 29 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 6,700 |
| Miniature Schnauzer | small | 13 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 15,000 |
| Mixed Breed / All-American | medium | 18 in | 1–2 mi (1.5–3 km) | ≈ 10,800 |
| Newfoundland | large | 27 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 7,200 |
| Pembroke Welsh Corgi | small | 11 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 13,100 |
| Pit Bull / Staffordshire Mix | medium | 19 in | 1–2 mi (1.5–3 km) | ≈ 10,200 |
| Pomeranian | small | 7 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 27,800 |
| Poodle (Miniature) | small | 13 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 15,000 |
| Poodle (Standard) | large | 22 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 8,800 |
| Pug | small | 11.5 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 16,900 |
| Rhodesian Ridgeback | large | 26 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 7,500 |
| Rottweiler | large | 25 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 7,800 |
| Russell Terrier | small | 11 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 17,700 |
| Saint Bernard | large | 28 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 6,900 |
| Shetland Sheepdog | small | 14 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 13,900 |
| Shih Tzu | small | 10 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 19,500 |
| Siberian Husky | large | 22 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 8,800 |
| Vizsla | large | 23 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 8,500 |
| Weimaraner | large | 26 in | 1.5–3+ mi (2.5–5+ km) | ≈ 7,500 |
| Whippet | medium | 20 in | 1–2 mi (1.5–3 km) | ≈ 9,700 |
| Yorkshire Terrier | small | 8 in | 0.5–1.5 mi (1–2.5 km) | ≈ 24,300 |
Paw steps are estimates from stride length (about 1.1 to 1.5 times shoulder height, adjusted for pace) with four paw falls per stride; short-legged breeds such as Dachshunds, Corgis and Basset Hounds get a correction because their height under-predicts their stride. The full method is in How many steps does a dog take in a mile?.
Why the same mile is 8,000 paw steps for a Lab and 30,000 for a Chihuahua
A dog's walking stride scales with leg length. Gait studies of walking dogs find a stride of about 0.74 metres for dogs around 22 kg at one metre per second, which works out to a little over 1.3 times shoulder height. Scale that down to a 6.5-inch Chihuahua and the stride is about 8 inches. Divide a mile by 8 inches and multiply by four paws, and you get around 30,000 paw steps, against roughly 8,400 for a 23-inch Labrador.
This is why "a mile a day" is a heavy prescription for a toy breed and a light one for a retriever. It is also why counting your own phone steps and calling them your dog's steps is wrong by a factor of two to fifteen, depending on the dog. If you want the real number, the paw steps calculator does the maths for any height and pace.
Flat-faced and long-backed breeds
Brachycephalic dogs (Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terriers, Shih Tzus) hit a breathing limit long before a distance limit. Preventive Vet and Wisdom Panel both flag them as the breeds most likely to overheat on an ordinary walk. Keep individual walks short, prefer the cool hours, and treat noisy breathing as a stop sign rather than a soundtrack.
Chondrodystrophic dogs (Dachshunds, Corgis, Basset Hounds) have long backs on short legs, which puts them at higher risk of disc disease. Steady daily distance is protective because it keeps them lean and strong; jumping, stairs and sudden bursts are the things to limit, not the walk itself.
Increasing distance safely
The runner's rule works for dogs too: add about 10 percent a week and hold it there for a couple of weeks before adding more. A dog going from one mile a day to two should take five or six weeks, not a weekend. Watch for PetMD's over-exercise signs the morning after any increase: stiffness, reluctance to get up, sore pads, limping. Any of those means back off to the previous distance for a week.
Puppies are the exception: their ceiling is set by growth plates, not fitness, and it rises with age rather than with training. That rule is in How much should you walk a puppy?.
Track distance, not time
Everything in this guide is in miles because miles are honest. Thirty minutes can be anything; 1.4 miles is 1.4 miles. If you want to know whether your dog is getting enough, measure a normal week with GPS and compare the daily average to the band for their size. Then, if you change something, change the distance by a known amount and watch the dog, not the clock.
Pawdometer. Pawdometer measures the distance by GPS and turns it into your dog's own paw steps, so a mile with a Chihuahua and a mile with a Labrador finally look as different as they are.
3 days free · then $4.99/week or $29.99/year · cancel anytime
Frequently asked questions
How many miles should a dog walk a day?
As a starting band: small dogs 0.5 to 1.5 miles, medium dogs 1 to 2, large dogs 1.5 to 3 or more, spread over two or three walks. Age, fitness and weather move a dog inside or outside that band.
Is 3 miles too far for a dog?
Not for a fit medium or large adult; many will happily do more. It is a lot for a toy breed in one go, too much for most puppies, and a bad idea for a flat-faced dog in warm weather. Build up by about ten percent a week and watch the next morning.
How far can a small dog walk?
Further than most people think, in stages. A fit Russell terrier or miniature schnauzer can cover several miles over a day. The limits are short legs (more steps per mile), heat, and in toy breeds, fragile joints; shorter and more frequent walks suit them.
How far should I walk a French Bulldog?
Around a mile a day in short walks is typical, in the cool hours. Frenchies are limited by breathing, not by legs; the first sign of noisy breathing or a lolling tongue is the sign to slow down and head home.
Why does the table say paw steps per mile?
Because it makes size visible. A dog's stride is about 1.1 to 1.5 times its shoulder height and each stride is four paw falls, so a mile is roughly 8,000 paw steps for a Labrador and 30,000 for a Chihuahua. The mile is the same; the effort is not.
Sources
- Figo Pet Insurance, "How often should different-sized dogs be walked?". figopetinsurance.com/blog/how-often-should-different-sized-dogs-be-walked
- Rover, "How much exercise does a dog need?". www.rover.com/blog/much-exercise-dog-need/
- Preventive Vet, "How much exercise do dogs need?". www.preventivevet.com/dogs/how-much-exercise-dogs-need
- Wisdom Panel, exercise requirements by breed. www.wisdompanel.com/en-us/blog/exercise-requirements-by-breed
- PetMD, "Signs your dog is getting too much exercise". www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/signs-your-dog-getting-too-much-exercise
- BMC Veterinary Research, 2015: temporospatial gait parameters of walking dogs (stride ≈ 0.74 m at ≈ 1 m/s, ≈ 22 kg dogs). link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12917-015-0631-2
- American Kennel Club, "How often should you walk your dog?". www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-often-should-you-walk-your-dog/
This guide is general information from published veterinary and scientific sources, not veterinary advice. Every dog is different: for exercise, weight or feeding decisions, talk to your vet. Pawdometer never gives diet advice.