Ways to Exercise Your Dog
Whatever age and breed of dog you have, it’s important that they get some exercise. Not only is exercise important for their physical health, but it also helps to keep their weight in check and it keeps them mentally healthy. More importantly, regular exercise decreases your dog’s likelihood of developing behavioural issues. On top of this, exercising with your dog is a great way to strengthen your bond, spend fun time together, and meet other dogs and their owners.
As dog owners, there are 2 different types of locations in which you can exercise your dog: outdoors and indoors. Here are several different ways to exercise your dog in both settings:
Exercising Your Dog Outdoors
If your dog has good recall, it’s good to let them off their leash at the dog park so they can explore and socialise with other dogs. Lots of dogs love to retrieve a ball, frisbee or flyer. If you’re not so sure your dog will come back to you when you ask, you still have the option of a stimulating walk with your dog on the leash.
Take the following points into account when you walk your dog outdoors:
- Don’t exercise your dog straight after they have eaten;
- Remember to take water if it’s going to be a long walk, or if it’s a hot day;
- Puppies need short walks only. Too much physical exercise can be harmful to a puppy. You can start taking your puppy on longer walks once they are fully grown;
- If your dog needs to rest, let them stop and rest;
- Beware of paralysis ticks and learn how to prevent and treat them;
- In hot weather, hot pavements and sand can burn your dog’s feet;
- Look out for signs of heat stroke. Seek advice from your vet if your dog becomes unwell.
Playing With Your Dog at Home
This Kong Ball With Rope is great to throw in the back yard, and the rope makes for a fun game of tug of war. If you can’t get out of the house with your dog or the weather is unsuitable, there are lots of ways to play at home. Think about how you can stimulate your fury friend mentally. You could hide their toys or a treat, or lay a treat trail around the house to encourage your dog to sniff them out.
Seize the opportunity for some training sessions and work on your dog’s obedience. Just remember to keep training sessions short. Alternatively, you can keep your dogs occupied with a toy from Kong. Kong Classic has been the gold standard in dog toys for over thirty years. Fill the toys with something delicious and your dog will spend ages chewing away at the strong rubber to retrieve the treat inside.
Other ways to exercise your dog include jogging, swimming, using a treadmill, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, football, rollerblading, dog yoga or a canine charity race. When you exercise your dog, just remember to take their individual needs into account. The type of exercise you choose and how much exercise they need will depend on their size, breed and age.
