Beardies are active dogs and enjoy exercise, but they are not hyper. Most will adapt to their situation, be it an active family that takes him hiking and swimming regularly, or a senior couple who take him for walks several times a day. Beardies are always ready to go along with whatever activity you've got planned, but rather than bouncing off the walls most will happily relax next to you on the couch until you say 'let's go'. Although a large fenced yard is great, you shouldn't assume that just because you have it your Beardie will automatically get lots of exercise. Beardies are people dogs and if let out into the yard most will sit at the door waiting for mom or dad to come out and play with them, rather than running around exercising themselves.

Also, just because the dog might run full tilt for an hour each day doesn't mean he's getting sufficient exercise. In this case the quality of exercise is lacking and the dog may still be frustrated and may become destructive as a result. All those dogs, which people advertise in the newspaper saying ‘needs a home in the country with room to run’, would benefit far more from the mental stimulation of an obedience or agility class or other activity in which they can interact with their owner. 

Beardies are wonderfully suited to the sport of agility, and it is a great confidence builder for puppies and young dogs as well. In a nutshell, agility is like an obstacle course for dogs, and provides great exercise and fun for both dog and owner. For more information on agility, visit the following sites:

	Dreamfields Dog Agility Training Centre
	BAD Beardie Agility Diehards
	Agility Association of Canada

The main thing is that they get some form of exercise each day, ideally a combination of mental and physical stimulation. Beardies are not a low-maintenance, sit around all day and just look cute dog (well, they do the cute part very well!).