The best way to warm up your dog before a walk is the walk itself, started slowly: a few minutes of easy, loose-leash walking and sniffing, stretched to five to ten minutes before anything faster, like a run, a hike, or a game of fetch. Cooling down is the same idea in reverse, with a slow walk at the end, then water and a quiet place to rest.
Those few minutes matter most for older, heavier, or stiff dogs, and they cost you almost nothing. One exception: if your dog is limping, crying out, or won't put weight on a leg, skip the walk and call your veterinarian.
A warm-up looks after the next hour; daily habits look after the years ahead. If your vet agrees a joint supplement belongs in that routine, Everhound Hip & Joint offers daily joint support in a chicken-flavor soft chew made without heat, with 200 mg of glucosamine per chew plus chondroitin, MSM, and vitamins C and E.
Why a warm-up helps your dog's muscles and joints
Plenty of dogs go from asleep on the couch to full speed in seconds. A warm-up closes that gap. Writing for Canine Arthritis Resources and Education (CARE), Dr. Matthew Brunke, a board-certified specialist in veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation, explains that warming up raises body and muscle temperature, and that "signals telling muscles what to do travel faster in a warm muscle." He adds that warm-ups can decrease the risk and amount of injuries, while noting that research in companion dogs is still thin.
AKC Pet Insurance describes the same benefits, more blood flow to the muscles and a gradual rise in heart rate, and calls warm-ups "an especially smart addition for overweight dogs, senior dogs, and disabled dogs."
How long to warm up a dog before a walk
It depends on what comes next. The advice below follows one pattern: easy walking first, and more of it before harder activity.
| What you're about to do | Warm-up |
|---|---|
| An everyday neighborhood walk | The first two to three minutes at an easy, sniffy pace. Whole Dog Journal says every dog should walk at least two to three minutes before activity. |
| A run, hike, or training session | About five minutes of loose-leash walking (AKC Pet Insurance), or five to ten minutes of walking or trotting (CARE). |
| Harder work, like a long hike or a dog sport | Walk longer and add some jogging toward the end (Whole Dog Journal). |
| An older or stiff dog, or a cold morning | Lean toward the longer end. Northeast K9 Conditioning notes that warm-up length depends on the dog's fitness, temperature, and humidity. |
A simple pre-walk warm-up routine
- Start slow. Clip the leash and walk at an easy pace, letting your dog sniff and take a bathroom break. Before a run, CARE suggests walking a block or two first.
- Build to a brisk walk. Whole Dog Journal says there is no better gait for overall exercise than a brisk walk.
- Add a few active moves. If your dog knows them, ask for a sit, a down, and a stand, or a circle in each direction. A play bow, or reaching around for a food lure without moving the feet, counts as an active stretch. AKC Pet Insurance says to hold active stretches for only a second or two.
- Ease into the main event. For fetch, CARE recommends starting with short throws and a few breaks in between.
Stuck indoors? AKC Pet Insurance suggests tethering the leash to your waist and having your dog follow you around the house while you do active chores. The same warm-up belongs before strength work like sit-to-stand. Our guide to low-impact exercise for dogs walks through it.
What to skip before a walk or game
- Stretching cold muscles. AKC Pet Insurance advises against passive stretching before exercise, and CARE notes that overstretching before activity can actually decrease muscle function.
- Launching from a standstill. A full-speed sprint after a ball in the first minute is the opposite of a warm-up.
- Jumping in and out of the car. Jumping down from a bed or an SUV puts a lot of force on the joints, according to CARE's lifestyle guide. A ramp or a lift is easier at both ends of the outing.
- Starting with jumps or hills. Northeast K9 Conditioning, which coaches sport dogs, cautions against beginning a warm-up with jumping.
How to cool your dog down after a walk or play
A cool-down brings everything back down gradually. Dr. Brunke suggests it last about as long as the warm-up, roughly five to ten minutes, and AKC Pet Insurance says a few minutes of loose-leash walking lets heart rate and body temperature return to normal gradually. In practice:
- Walk the last stretch home at an easy pace instead of racing to the door.
- Offer water, and a shady spot on warm days.
- Give your dog a soft, non-slip place to rest. Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center lists non-slip rugs as part of everyday care for dogs with osteoarthritis.
- This is the time for gentle stretches, not before the walk. AKC Pet Insurance says your dog should be relaxed and you should never force a stretch. Ask your vet or a rehab therapist to show you safe holds first.
CARE also points out that the cool-down is good, focused time to praise and bond with your dog after working together.
Stiff the day after exercise? What's normal and when to call the vet
A little soreness after a bigger day than usual can be normal. CARE's guide to therapeutic exercise explains that dogs get delayed-onset muscle soreness too. It typically sets in one to two days after exercise and resolves by day three, and "the best thing to do is an easy, gentle walk." Other patterns need a closer look:
| What you notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| Slow and careful the morning after an unusually long hike or play session, better within a couple of days | Keep to easy walks and make the next outing shorter. The AKC suggests shortening outings if your dog is stiff after walks. |
| Stiff after every nap or overnight, loosening up once moving | Book a vet exam. PDSA calls stiffness after resting very common, especially in older dogs, and usually worse after walks and rest. Our guide to dog stiffness after rest covers the causes. |
| Swelling, bruising, or not using a leg | Call your vet. CARE flags these as signs that go beyond normal muscle soreness. |
| Severe pain, a leg held up, crying out, collapse, or can't stand | See a vet now. PDSA advises contacting your vet immediately if your dog is in severe pain or can't put a leg down. |
Don't reach into your own medicine cabinet. PetMD warns never to use your own pain medications for your dog, because some, such as ibuprofen, are toxic to dogs.
FAQ
Should I stretch my dog before a walk?
Not with passive stretches. Holding a cold limb in a stretch before exercise isn't recommended. Save gentle stretching for the cool-down, and only when your dog is relaxed. Active moves your dog does on their own, like a play bow after a few minutes of walking, are fine.
Do older dogs need a longer warm-up?
Often, yes. Senior and overweight dogs are the ones AKC Pet Insurance singles out, and stiffness or a cold morning both point to the longer end: five to ten minutes of easy walking. Heading for a trail? See our tips for hiking with a senior dog.
Does exercise help a dog with arthritis?
Yes, the right kind. CARE says dogs with osteoarthritis should do something every day rather than be weekend warriors, ideally 30 to 60 minutes a day while avoiding high-impact activities. Your vet sets the plan, and our guide to low-impact exercise for dogs covers the options.
Should my dog get an extra joint chew after a big hike?
No. Daily joint chews are portioned by body weight and given with food every day, and a busy day doesn't change the amount. Our guide to giving joint chews with food has the serving chart.
Want daily joint support to go with the walks? Try Everhound Hip & Joint, backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee.