Exercise Your Dog
2008-08-27

Exercise Your Dog

Everybody needs exercise to remain fit and healthy. Just think about it for a moment. Have you ever seen an overweight fish? It may because they do exercise day after day out on a regular basis. Animals are supposed to be out in the wild roaming free. Nowadays all types of animals can be considered pets. But these household pets still need to remain active to stay healthy and fit. Some pets today spend more time in their favorite bed, sofa, or recliner then their owners. Not only do some pets get little to no exercise on a regular basis these days but they are more over weight than ever. According to experts, of just the 41 million pet dogs in America, about 17 million are either overweight or obese. What should we do? One useful measure is taking your pet to do exercise.

How Much Exercise Does My Dog Need That is a difficult question to answer since there are so many breeds of dogs with different physical needs. As a general rule of thumb, larger breeds require more exercise than smaller breeds, although smaller breeds also require exercise outside the house for the same reasons as was previously discussed. The larger the breed or the higher the energy level of the dog, the more exercise it needs. Start with 40 minutes of walking/jogging a day and add more exercise time as your dog requires. After a good bout of exercise your dog should come home and be happy to curl up on the floor and get some rest. Which kind of exercise you can choose for your pet? • Walking-- You can use a leash to safely increase the distance the dog can go. Use common sense-- for instance, do not allow the dog to invade the space of another dog, or to run into the street. (If you walk your dog in a congested area, please use a regular leash for safety instead of a Flexi.) Allow the dog some sniffing time then move out at a brisk pace. • Running-- If you can find a safe fenced in field to let your dog run off leash, that is ideal, since the dog can set his own pace and stop when he is tired, plus he has the mental stimulation of sniffing to his heart's content. If you jog with your dog on leash pay attention not to go too far until he is in condition. • Swimming-- very good exercise for dogs with joint problems since it is non-weight bearing. • Fetching-- throwing a tennis ball or other toy for the dog to fetch is fun. You can use a tennis racquet to increase the distance the ball (and the dog) travels. If the dog is in good condition throw the ball uphill. In the house you can throw the ball up the stairs. • Jumping-- most dogs love to jump. You can make your own jumps from materials you have around the house. Try luring the dog with treats, and start with very low jumps of just a few inches. As a general rule, it is best to keep the jump heights at the level of the dog's elbow so as not to cause stress. • Lunge-whip-- Get a buggy whip (at farm supply stores). Attach a ball or other toy to the end. Tennis balls you can buy on-a-rope are good for this. Or put a squeaky toy in a sock and tie the sock to the end of the whip. Then twirl the whip in a big circle and let the dog chase it. Occasionally let the dog catch it too. • Bicycling-- you can buy a gizmo called a "Springer" that attaches to your bike. It is in most dog supply catalogs. The Springer prevents the dog from pulling over the bike if he lunges after something. Start with short distances at first. • Frisbee-- many dogs love to play Frisbee and it can be good exercise. But be careful to keep your throws low to the ground. Dogs have been injured from leaping in the air to catch a Frisbee. You do not want to stress a puppy by playing this game at too young an age-- check with your veterinarian on this. Buy a soft Frisbee specially made for dogs, to avoid accidentally chipping teeth. • Tunnel exercise - Make a tunnel or maze with some old cardboard boxes or chairs and encourage your dog to explore and go through it. • Concentration exercise – Hide some treats inside an old wash-glove or in a rolled up towel, this is fun for your dog! • Brain exercise – Turnover a bowl and hide the treats under it. Doggie must use his creativity to turn the bowl and get all treats. That is exciting exercise. • Use a treadmill. Train your dog to use a treadmill to get his daily dose of exercise indoors. After a few times, you’ll probably notice that your pet even looks forward to it!