Column: Walks and playtime are what keeps your dog, and you, happy

 

About six months ago, I found a puppy tied to a park bench near my home. It had rained earlier in the day, and the young dog was soaked through and through.

As I was deciding what to do, a man approached and told me the puppy had been there for at least a couple of hours. She appeared to be shy, but her wagging tail let me know she was happy I was there.

I untied her leash and walked the spaniel mix around the neighborhood. I knocked on some doors and spoke with neighbors, but no one seemed to recognize the dog.

I decided to take her home that evening to keep her safe. The next day, I returned to the park to post “found dog” flyers, and I notified my local shelter.

A couple of weeks passed, and no one came forward to claim the pup. In the short time we’d had her, my wife, Nadia, and I fell in love. We officially decided to adopt the abandoned puppy and named her Sofia.

At around 6 months old, Sofia was considerably younger than my very senior dogs. She was like a bolt of lightning tearing through the house.

It had been over 15 years since my last puppy, and I had honestly forgotten how much energy they have. Nadia and I quickly learned that to keep Sofia happy and out of trouble, we’d need to provide her with a lot of exercise throughout the day.

We began training and made sure she got at least two walks a day, along with regular playtime. We soon found that having this consistent routine helped bring moments of calm to our household.

Like Sofia, most dogs need more than one type of daily activity to thrive. Rochelle Guardado, animal training manager at Pasadena Humane, explains it like this:

Think of your dog as having a daily activity cup that needs filling. The cup volume will depend on your dog’s size, age, fitness level and breed type.

For some dogs, one daily walk is sufficient, while others, like Sofia, benefit from multiple outings a day.

It’s also important to refrain from relying on just one tiring daily activity, such as playing fetch. Too much repetitive exercise can quickly lead to medical issues if not monitored closely.

Keep your dog’s age in mind. For senior dogs or those with medical needs, provide outlets that allow them to participate in enriching activities safely.

Filling your dog’s activity cup includes mental exercise, too. When dogs sniff, they exercise their brains. Interactive play like solving food puzzles and learning new tricks is great exercise for any dog.

So how do you know if your dog is getting enough exercise?

Rochelle recommends watching for changes in behavior. An increase in destructive behaviors, daily frantic zoomies, irritability or sudden resource guarding episodes may indicate your dog needs more physical exercise and mental stimulation.

On the other hand, if your dog balks at the idea of a daily walk or only gets in their steps when walking to the food bowl, you may want to check in with your veterinarian to rule out any underlying illness or pain.

One final word of advice from Rochelle: Rest is such an important part of all our lives, including our pets. Teaching your pet to settle and relax is often overlooked but is just as important as daily exercise.

If it feels like your dog never runs low on batteries or struggles to settle down, check out Pasadena Humane’s “Calm Canines” workshop. Our trainers will teach a relaxation protocol, indoor training games and ways to entertain and enrich your dog’s life.

Sign up at pasadenahumane.org/training

 

Chris Ramon is president and CEO of Pasadena Humane. 

This blog post originally appeared as a column in the Pasadena Star-News on May 29, 2026.