The Staffy, or Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier, are energetic, muscular, and powerful medium-sized dogs; Staffies have lots of stamina and can exercise for hours; however, that doesn’t mean you should let them over-exercise.
Their solid, stocky-looking appearance often leads to mistaken ideas about the Staffy and an undeserved reputation that the dog finds hard to shake. In reality, the Staffy is one of the most loving dog breeds on the planet.
So do Staffies need a lot of exercise?
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It’s impossible to stipulate a specific amount of exercise for the whole Staffy breed; it will depend on a staffy’s age, weight, and overall fitness level. Staffies are not the biggest dog in the world, but they have excellent muscle strength and are highly intelligent. So when talking about their exercise requirement, owners should also pay attention to their mental well-being in equal amounts.
To satisfy your Staffy’s overall exercise needs, you should look at three types of activity each day:
- Mental activities
- Dedicated activities, including working on their strength
- Daily walks
If you incorporate all three in your daily regime, you should plan for up to 70 minutes each day.
How Often Should You Walk A Staffy?
How Often Should You Walk An American Staffy?
Daily walks are a must for an Amstaff. At least 60 minutes each day; that doesn’t mean all 60 minutes in one go; you can split the time into several walks if it suits you both. If you have a securely fenced-in backyard that can help an Amstaff to burn off any excess energy.
How Often Should You Walk A Staffordshire Bull Terrier?
Staffies are pretty energetic dogs, and daily walks are essential. Typically, you need to give him several reasonably long walks each day. Plus, to get their brains into gear, some games of catch to burn off whatever energy he has left will also help.
If you enjoy running or jogging yourself, then the Amstaff and Staffy would make excellent partners. The Amstaff Would be able to keep up with you over 3 to 5 miles, providing they are fully grown and in good condition. The Staffy’s not quite in that league, but they can manage a nice steady jog for a couple of miles. However, Staffies don’t tolerate heat too well, so avoid this on hot days.
How To Tire Out A Staffy
Playing catch with your Staffy is a fantastic way to tire him out. The idea is to tire the dog, not yourself, and catch provides an opportunity to do just that. If your arm takes the strain and not your legs, you’ll be able to stay the course. However, even the most muscular arms get tired, and probably long before your Staffy has had enough. So a great way to combat this is a ball launcher; you send the ball two to three times further. This means the further for your Staffy to run, the quicker you’ll tire him out.
How Far Should You Walk A Staffy?
Staffies typically need an hour or so each day. Owners can split the time between separate walks; ideally, these should be vigorous walks, not just a stroll around. So if you walk at a reasonable pace, you should cover two to three miles with your Staffy every day.
Best Exercise For Staffies
The best exercise for Staffies is split between brisk walks, playing fetch with some added obedience training, and playing catch to help with the dog’s agility levels. In addition, Staffies are powerful dogs with muscular shoulders, and they love a game of tug of war; beware, you’re going to ache and exhaust yourself way before your Staffy gets tired of playing pulling games.
