How much exercise does a senior dog need?

Neither the AKC nor VCA gives a set number of minutes for an older dog, and for good reason: a fit ten-year-old Lab and an arthritic eight-year-old Mastiff are in very different places. The AKC says exercise matters as much for a senior as for a puppy, that a run may need to become a walk, and that the owner is the best judge of how much a dog can comfortably handle, with the vet's input. Start from what your dog does easily today.

The test is the next day. A dog that finished the walk content and gets up from its bed the following morning without a struggle had the right amount. One that is stiff, limping or slow to rise did too much, and the AKC's advice is simply to shorten the outings. Watch the trend over a few weeks rather than a single day, since weather, a poor night or a new route can all make one morning look worse than the rest.

The AKC calls walking an excellent low-impact exercise and recommends swimming, which is easy on the joints and often used in physical therapy, with a life vest in deep water. Grass and sand are the best surfaces, it says, while asphalt and gravel can hurt paw pads, especially in warm weather. VCA adds that therapeutic exercise and hydrotherapy can be arranged through your vet for a dog with arthritis, and AAHA's senior care guidelines say rehabilitation can improve mobility and balance.

On Cape Ann the softest ground has a season. From October 1 Gloucester's beaches reopen to dogs, Good Harbor on even-numbered days through March 31 and Wingaersheek on odd ones through April 30, at the time of writing, and packed sand is gentler than pavement. In summer, when those beaches are closed to dogs, choose shaded grass early or late in the day; the AVMA singles out older pets as more vulnerable to heat. The boulders of Dogtown Common ask more of old legs than a level lawn does.

For an older dog that still enjoys company, a half day at Dogtown is $33: drop off between 6:30 and 9:30 AM and collect between 12 and 1 PM, with play in blocks and rest between them. Our senior dog daycare page explains how older dogs are placed and when we suggest something quieter. A supervised treadmill session on the dogPACER, $10, gives steady, low-impact walking on a stormy day; ask your vet first if your dog has heart or joint problems. Every dog starts with the free evaluation on a weekday morning.

For a dog that is happier at home, a solo at-home walk with a Dogtown walker runs 20 minutes for $25 or 30 minutes for $35, at your dog's pace, with a photo and a note afterward; ask us whether we cover your address. Scent work suits older dogs too: the sniff room is $7, and a Dogtown Academy half day, $69, mixes scent games with gentle training. In Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea, the Pup Van saves a stiff dog the jump into your car for $10 each way.