How Often Should You Take Your Dog Out?

January 28, 2025

Dogs need regular outdoor time for all kinds of reasons: exercise, pees & poops, stimulation, and socialization (for all those extrovert pups!)

How often should your dog go out? Well, that depends on a few factors, including your dog’s age, breed, size, and overall health.

While we can’t offer specific advice for every unique dog out there, what follows is a helpful starting point for all pups.

Why take your dog out?

While a lot of folks ask us, “How often should I take my dog out?” We also find it useful to share why getting outside is so important for dogs.

Sure, they get physical exercise and time to do their business, but there are also mental and emotional considerations. Exploring the world keeps dogs healthy, happy, and calmer — all things we want for our best pal.

Mental stimulation — Boredom is a constant threat to dogs at home — especially those left for long hours, especially in crates.

Taking your dog out a few times a day introduces them to new experiences, new scents, and new stimuli.

As smell is a dog's most powerful sense — a short walk outside can fill them with wonder and awe, at the tiniest flower or old cardboard box. For social dogs, meeting other pups and humans helps them form social bonds and experience the joys of play.

Physical fitness — The adage “Use it or lose it,” applies to dogs as well. Regular exercise is key for maintaining your dog's health and well-being, muscle tone, and body weight. Walks can be great for your dog’s joints, helping prevent arthritis or ease it. Just make sure the walks are not too intense, putting strain on their bodies! Chat with your vet to see what exercise routine might work best for your dog.

Emotional well-being — How good do you feel after a workout?

Same for dogs. Regular exercise not only helps dogs de-stress and burn off energy, walking is a positive experience for them. It’s a double win: They get quality time with you and they get to experience the world (or at least the world around your neighborhood!)

No phone zone: Dogs can sense when your attention is elsewhere, so maybe wait to chat with your friend or take that work call. Walking is a relaxing, mindful practice for you as well. Stay present in the moment and see how it feels.

Peeing and pooping — Most dogs do their biz outside, so regular outings (at least 2 times a day — more for puppies and older dogs) are pretty necessary.

There’s a reason we call poos and pees “relieving” one’s self, as it’s a necessary dog-body function that offers them relief.

Not relieving themself often enough can cause dogs physical and emotional distress (the last thing we want for our pups!) so take your pooch out often.

Go With What Your Dog Enjoys

Like humans, dogs have likes, dislikes, and personal preferences. When you head out on a walk, cater it to what your dog enjoys most.

Some pups like to walk briskly, others prefer a slower sniff walk. Surprisingly, these mellower scent-fueled walks can really enrich and tire some dogs out, if you take a bit more time and walk some distance.

How Frequently Should You Take Your Dog Out?

It’s super helpful to get on a regular schedule for walks and potty breaks — so you can schedule your day around them, and your pup can feel secure in their routine. How often you take your dog out depends on a few factors: their age, breed, and health issues.

Age — As most young-dog parents know, pups under the age of five have high (often supercharged!) energy levels so they need more stimulation, play, and ways to burn off energy.

We recommend three to four walks a day, around fifteen minutes each, or two longer walks. Whether your dog is inside, on a patio, in your yard, or out on walks — they’ll need three to five daily bathroom breaks.

Older dogs, especially those with health conditions (arthritis or hypothyroidism) might have less energy and stamina so they may prefer slower sniff walks.

Given their senior status, they may need more bathroom breaks because of incontinence or loss of bladder control. As we know, aging isn’t a walk in the park! Except when your dog is enjoying a slow walk in a literal park.

Breed — Small dogs like terriers or Chihuahuas don’t just have smaller legs, they also have smaller bladders. Lil’ pups need shorter walks but more potty breaks.

While medium-sized dogs (like collies) or bigger dogs (like Labradors or golden retrievers) have more endurance when it comes to walks and bathroom breaks, they still need to get out and do their business every 3 or 4 hours.

Health issues — If dogs are not in top physical form — and many aren’t as they age or because of pre-existing health conditions — they can require more-frequent potty breaks

Obesity can reduce a dog's tolerance for exercise.
Diabetes and other diseases can increase a dog's need to relieve itself.
Steroids and other medications (ask your vet) can cause more-frequent urination.

How Long Should You Walk Your Dog?

With our busy work and personal schedules, we don't always have time for lengthy walks, but as a general rule, we recommend walking your dog:

All Dogs / Bare Minimum — 10 to 20 minutes per day

Healthy Dogs — 20 to 40 minutes a day

Overweight Dogs — 10 to 20 minutes a day

Dogs with Health Issues — 10 to 20 minutes a day

This might also be helpful:

Next time you’re out for a walk, the American Kennel Club suggests monitoring your dog's pace. This way you can assess your dog’s speed and the distance they like to cover.

If it’s tough to get outside because of work or where you live, 15 minutes of aerobic activity at home is an alternative to walking your dog outside (though outside is preferable, if it’s possible!)

If your dog is home most of the day, make sure you’re stocked up on pee pads or indoor potty grass, and clean it up often.

Any time your dog exerts energy — whether it’s on the city pavement, a run in the park, or racing around your living room, make sure they refuel with nourishing Jinx wet food and kibble.

How Often Do Dogs Need to Pee?

We’ve covered some of this already but let’s get into specifics:

Puppies — Smaller dogs have smaller bladders so they need more-frequent bathroom breaks. Some puppies need a potty break every hour (yes, every hour).

Adult Dogs — While it depends on their size and breed, adult dogs usually pee 3 to 5 times a day. But if your adult dog needs 6 or 7 pee breaks, you’ve gotta honor that!

Senior Dogs — Most older pups pee often because they can’t hold their bladder. Every 2 or 3 hours, see if your dog needs a potty break. If not, wait an hour or two and try again.

And remember, if your dog (of any age) has health issues, they may need to pee more often.

Dog Walking Schedule for Working Pet Parents

Many of us have full time jobs, and on top of that, we often have a commute. So how does this work for our pups? Their needs don’t change based on our lives — so we need to structure our days and weeks so their lives work too.

As dogs have no concept of time or work schedules, they get anxious not knowing when you'll return home — especially if they need to relieve themself.

Here are some helpful tips to make sure your pup gets through the day comfortably, without anxiety.

The last step in your morning routine: Walk your dog. This cuts the time until their next walk.

Your first priority on arriving home: Walk your dog. Chances are they’ve had an urge to pee most of the day.

Live close to work? Pop home on your lunch break and give them a 10-minute walk. And chicken treats of course.

Know a retired senior or reliable teenager nearby? See if they’ll swing by to give your dog a quick walk around the block.

Small-dog pet parents: Lay 2 or 3 puppy pads down around your home so your lil’ love can roam free throughout the day, peeing when (and where) they need to. It will make them feel far-less-anxious about your absence.

That said, don’t leave puppy pads inside a crate. They’re a chewing hazard and dogs don’t like to pee where they sleep (who would!)

Speaking of crates, try to limit your dog’s time in there to 3 or 4 hours max. Once you (or someone else) lets them out, always give them ample time to exercise, sniff things, and do their business before returning to the crate.

When to Hire a Dog Walker

If you have an 8-hour workday and no one’s available to let your dog out midday, it’s best to hire a dog walker.

Fortunately for us pet parents, it’s pretty competitive out there for walkers so you can find one for a reasonable rate (try NextDoor or Yelp). Just make sure they’re reliable and your pup feels safe with them.

Super important: Never leave your dog for more than 8 hours without a bathroom break. Like you, your pet will become very uncomfortable, be more prone to accidents, and possibly suffer health consequences like:

Urinary tract infection
Bladder infection
Urinary stones

These are all very painful and can only be treated by a vet.

Top 5 Dog Walking Tips

1. Heading out with your dog is a walking gratitude list! Not only do you both get fresh air, exercise, see new sights, and smell new scents — you also get to bond and train your dog. Remember that positive reinforcement is your best chance of success, so always bring treats while giving love and praise.

2. Like humans, some dogs are extroverts, others are introverts. Adapt your dog’s walk to their comfort zone. If they dig socializing with dogs and humans, cruise over to the dog park or a popular trail. If they prefer having you all to themself, give your pooch quality time with their favorite person.

3. For puppies and older dogs, be mindful of wear and tear on their joints. Keep a casual walking pace and limit their time on asphalt or concrete. Grass or wooded trails are great options!

4. If your dog’s feet tend to get cracked or damaged, use dog booties or paw balm.

5. If your dog tags along for jogs or bike rides, wait until they are at least a year old. Too much action and force on hard surfaces can put strain on their bodies, leading to injuries, especially with bigger breeds.

If you’ve read this far, it’s probably time to take your dog out for a walk! Go enjoy your time together — and don’t forget the poop bags :)

At Jinx, we're here to upgrade the way you care for your dog by providing holistic nutrition made with thoughtful formulation, real ingredients, and a whole lot of love.