How much exercise does a Papillon need?
Daily exercise minutes, the activities a Papillon enjoys and signs of too much or too little.
Most Papillons need 40 to 60 minutes of activity a day, divided between walks and games. They excel in agility, rally, obedience, trick dog titles and scent work, and many enjoy short fetch sessions. Their small size means you can do a lot of training indoors, which is ideal on bad-weather days.
They are hardy for their size but feel the cold, so a thin coat helps on chilly walks. Watch around larger dogs at parks, as rough play can injure a dog this small. A bored Papillon usually barks more, chews or becomes clingy, while a tired one curls up happily in your lap.
Papillon exercise in numbers
Activity ranges are editorial planning estimates. The five-minutes-per-month puppy rule lacks scientific evidence. Adapt activity to the individual and seek advice for pain or exercise difficulty. PDSA puppy exercise guidance.
Editorial activity estimate
90 to 120 min
Puppy activity
Individual plan
adapt to age, health and development
Senior activity
Individual plan
adapt to comfort and ability
Size
toy
2 to 5 kg
Energy level
Playfulness
Handles heat
Handles cold