Exercising your Dog

All dogs need some daily activity and exercise; how much depends on each individual dog. Breed plays an important role; trace your dog’s ancestry to find out what their breed was bred for. If it is a lap dog then chances are it will require less exercise than a sheep herding dog. Care should be taken when exercising young pups and larger dogs due to potential risk of developing joint problems.

Most dogs do well on two thirty minute walks per day; the key is consistency and regularity. There really is no point walking your dog for miles at the weekends with no exercise during the week. In fact this can do more harm than good, as with humans, dogs need to build up their stamina. Lack of exercise can cause poor muscle tone, obesity, heart and bone problems.

A good indicator to tell if your dog has had enough exercise is whether it is tired once it returns home. If your dog shows no signs of exertion or is still eager to play and run around then it needs more.

Dogs that have regular exercise are much healthier; they have good strong lungs, heart, and joints and tend to live longer. In addition they settle into a better, calmer routine, are less nervous when left and are less likely to participate in destructive behaviours.

Exercise doesn’t have to be boring, don’t be tempted to just plod around the block, take your dog to the park or the woods. A well trained dog will happily play and socialise with other dogs leaving you free to chat with other dog owners whilst they burn off some of their excess energy. You can also take some toys with you and play fetch or hide and seek with them.

Other types of exercise include:

• Swimming
• Jogging
• Agility
• Flyball
• Tracking
• Frisbee

Dogs can easily overheat so try to avoid walking your dog during the hottest part of the day and if going out for a long walk make sure you take a drink of water for your dog. And remember; if you are enjoying a day on the beach do not allow your dog to drink sea water as the high salt content can cause them to collapse due to dehydration, as well as vomit.