Dachshunds are famous for their short legs and long bodies. Those short legs do raise a question, however – how fast can a dachshund run? – Should you jog with your dachs? Furthermore, how much exercise and running do these dogs even need? Can you exercise your dachshund too much? Too little? We’ll explore all options and outcomes below.
How Fast Can A Dachshund Run?
Despite their short legs, standard dachshunds can reach respectable speeds of 15 to 20 miles per hour (~31 km/h) when they are grown and fit. Younger pups, overweight adults, or senior dogs will obviously not be able to reach such speeds nor should they be forced to.
For comparison’s sake, this speed is more than 2 times (up to 3 times) lower than the top speed of the Greyhound – the top racer of the canine family, reaching 47 mph or 76 km/h. So, this makes dachshunds relatively slow for a canine. On the other hand, the average adult male human’s speed is 8 mph or 13 km/h so who are we to judge?
For How Long Should You Walk Your Doxie? – How Fast Can A Dachshund Run?
Ideally, you should give your dachshund two good walks a day for about 20 to 30 minutes each or up to 60 minutes total. This can mean quick trips to the dog park with a bit of playtime there or just a brisk exploratory walk around the block.
Either way, it’s very important that you don’t drop below 40 minutes of total walk time a day for your adult dachshund. These dogs are very predisposed to developing obesity and all the other health issues often associated with it.
What Happens If You Over-exercise Your Dachshund?
Doxies need exercise but they also need not to be exhausted beyond a certain point. The “40 to 60 minutes daily walk” line is a good estimate for healthy and fit adult dogs but you should generally monitor your dog’s behavior for any signs of exhaustion such as panting, slowing down, refusal to walk, a loss of interest and enthusiasm, and so on.
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This is important because an over-exercised dachshund can not only get overheated or have a different immediate reaction – there can be long-term consequences as well. In particular, over-exercising your dog, getting it to run too fast for too long, getting it to jump, etc., can lead to back and joint problems – something dachshunds are especially susceptible to.
So, give your dachshund enough exercise to stay healthy but try not to go overboard.
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What Happens If You Don’t Exercise Your Dachshund Enough?
We mentioned obesity below and that should be a no-brainer – it’s the same for dachshunds as it is for any other breed. This can quickly spiral into heart problems, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and more.
A weaker musculature due to limited exercise means that it’d be easier to develop back and joint problems. And there are also the behavior issues that can come from a lack of exercise – dachshunds are scent hounds, after all, so they do have the instincts to explore, smell stuff, and run about.
In Conclusion, How Fast Can A Dachshund Run?
Dachshunds can work as jogging buddies but only if you’re looking for a very light amount of jogging. They really are more of a walking pet but they can jog lightly for 30 to 60 minutes when they are healthy. In essence, if you’re the indoorsy type but you’re looking for something to get you out of the house for a bit and nothing more, a dachshund can work perfectly.
If you want anything more serious, however, such as serious jogging, cycling, extensive hiking over the weekends, and so on – a dachshund is not for you.
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