Great Dog Exercises

Much like humans, dogs also need to work out regularly to stay fit and healthy and consider great dog exercises. But unfortunately, not a lot of pet owners understand that their dog needs exercise, which leads their four-legged companion to obesity. Dog obesity is a rising concern in many households that have a pet canine. In America, more than 50% of dogs are obese, which puts them at high risk of developing medical conditions such as arthritis and heart disease. Moreover, an overweight dog becomes increasingly dull and loses interest in playing and running as its weight makes movement difficult for it.

To ensure that your fluffy friend lives a happy and healthy life, you must train them to exercise daily. With that said, every dog has a different body type, age, and fitness level, so you need to consider that when charting out a workout plan for your dog. As you get more involved with your furry companion, you automatically learn facts about their fitness level, which will help you decide on the kind of exercises you want to include in your dog’s routine. But before you get to that, you must learn about age-suited exercises for dogs as different aged dogs require different kinds of physical training.

Puppies, adult dogs, and senior dogs have different energy levels, which is why their workouts should have a varying degree of intensity.

Puppies

Since puppies have a growing body, they have a lot of energy. However, a puppy’s energy must be exhausted in small bouts. You cannot take a puppy on an incredibly long walk because that can be hard for its developing body. The ideal way to train a puppy is by including multiple short rounds of exercise in its daily routine instead of a single round. Think of it as a Tabata workout routine only with longer intervals.

Adults

When coming up with a workout plan for an adult dog, one must consider the dog’s breed. For adult dogs, breeds play a critical role in their physical training. High energy breeds such as Border Collies or Belgian Malinois or Golden Retrievers require a lot of physical activity in their adult life to stay fit. However, low energy breeds such as bulldogs and Basset Hounds can maintain a passable level of physical fitness with little exercise.

Senior Dogs

Senior dogs can become quite frail with time; therefore, you must consult your vet when making a workout routine for your old dog. And just because your fluffy friend has aged doesn’t mean you can let them be and not make them work out. Physical activity is just as important for a senior dog as it is for a younger dog.

Exercise is not just good for a dog’s physical well-being, but it is also essential for its mental health. Physical activity provides mental stimulation to a dog, which improves its overall quality of life.

Although age is a crucial factor to consider when planning a workout session for your dog, the breed is also equally important. Even if you have a puppy, you should take its breed into account when taking it out for physical training. A high-energy breed puppy is more active than a low energy breed, even if you can’t pick up on the difference in their apparent energy levels. Therefore, if you have a baby poodle or any other dull breed puppy, don’t force them to run a marathon because they seem full of energy. Young age does make a dog zealous, but its breed brings in some limitations that you cannot ignore. Also, if your dog has a medical condition such as hip dysplasia or a heart condition, then you cannot put together a training program for it on your own unless you are a vet. Don’t forget to consult your vet when deciding on exercises you want your dog to perform.

Although every dog has a different capacity when it comes to working out, there are some exercises that all dogs can do by tweaking the intensity level. For instance, if a dog has joint pain, then instead of running, it can walk the distance, it was initially supposed to run.

There are a bunch of great dog exercises that all dogs can do at their own pace. From running to swimming, you can engage your dog in various exercises.

Brisk Walking or Jogging

Walking or jogging is excellent to get your dog’s heart rate up. If your dog is not too active or you have just started taking it out for a walk, then stick to slow-paced walking for a while. Once your dog becomes used to taking big paw strides, then crank up the intensity meter on your daily walks and start jogging.

 Fetch

Playing fetch with your doggo is another great way of incorporating exercise in their daily routine. Fetch is not just good for your dog’s physical health but also for its emotional health. When you engage with your fluffy pal and play games with them, they feel loved and secure, which calms them down significantly and benefits their emotional wellbeing.

Hide and Seek

Hide and seek is one of the best ways of making your furry friend gasp for air. It may sound a bit inhumane, but trust us, it’s for your dog’s betterment. Playing hide and seek excites a dog substantially, so when it runs around to look for its playmate, it runs with full force, making the most out of the physical training.

Tug of War

Tug of war is one of the best ways to build muscle strength in a dog. Try to include a few rounds of tug of war in your dog’s physical training program every week. It will give your fluffy companion a chance to build muscle mass and subsequently gain strength.

Agility

Whenever anyone says agility, most dog parents think about large grounds strewn with obstacles for dogs to surmount while running around the course. But that’s not always necessary. A dog can enjoy a round of agility at home as well. All a dog owner needs to do is set up an obstacle course in their backyard using brooms, stools, benches, and leave their dog to navigate around the makeshift obstacle track.

Swimming

Tuck your dog into a life jacket and plop them in a pool. If you don’t have a swimming pool, then get an inflatable one for your furry friend. Let your friend walk around in the water and learn to move muscles against the water. It will not just get your pal’s heart rate up but will also work on their muscles.

Physical training is as vital for dogs as it is for humans. You must engage your canine companion in exercise regularly to help them stay fit and healthy.


by Bobby J Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™

Facts About Animal Homelessness:

  1. Only 1 out of every 10 dogs born will find a permanent home.
  2. The main reasons animals are in shelters: owners give them up, or animal control finds them on the street.
  3. Each year, approximately 2.7 million dogs and cats are killed every year because shelters are too full and there aren’t enough adoptive homes. Act as a publicist for your local shelter so pets can find homes. Sign up for Shelter Pet PR.
  4. Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats.
  5. According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), less than 2% of cats and only 15 to 20% of dogs are returned to their owners.
  6. 25% of dogs that enter local shelters are purebred.
  7. About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners.
  8. It’s impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the United States. Estimates for cats alone range up to 70 million.
  9. Only 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered. Overpopulation, due to owners letting their pets accidentally or intentionally reproduce, sees millions of these “excess” animals killed annually.
  10. Many strays are lost pets that were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification.
  11. According to The Humane Society, there are about 3,500 brick-and-mortar animal shelters in the US and 10,000 rescue groups and animal sanctuaries in North America.

Here are a some adoptions for consideration:  puccicafe.com/adoptions


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