10 fun and safe ways to exercise your dog
Veterinarians have now reported that over ½ of dogs are overweight 😨This statistic is very concerning because obesity can lead to a bunch of health conditions and decrease your dog's quality and length of life.
Check out our blog on overweight dogs for more information on other ways you can help tackle this crisis.
Walking
Walking can be the best, and most accessible, form of exercise you and your pup can enjoy together. Many of us have busy schedules but this doesn’t mean we still can’t fulfill our doggie exercising duties!
Start small and gradually build up your exercise, a 10 minute walk can be more effective than an hour hike in some situations. If possible, three 20 minute walks a day is sufficient for most dogs. Although our dogs can’t speak and tell us if they’re being walked too much or too little, they have subtle ways of telling us through their actions.
2. Resistance walk
The easiest surface to walk on is flat and even. Changing up the surfaces during your daily walks can help increase difficulty and enjoyment for your dog. Softer, more uneven surfaces such as grass, mud and sand can be more challenging for your dog to walk on compared to hard flat tarmac. However, if your dog has a health condition, such as arthritis, a hard tarmac surface can be the most challenging of all. Always monitor how your dog is finding the exercise, and try to introduce one new exercise into your routine at a time so you know which one is causing your dog stress.
3. Running
If you enjoy running this can be a fun and efficient way of exercising both yourself and your dog. Again, start small and build up, going for a 10 minute jog might not feel like a lot to start with but it will increase your heart rate and get those joints moving faster which is never a waste of time.
You can split your run up with a couple minutes walking to help you and your dog keep a safe and energised running form right to the end. Remember to bring a water bottle and collapsible bowl with you as well if you run for a long distance or travel to a dog friendly running route.
4. Climb hills or stairs
We’ve already discussed how flat walking is easiest for dogs, so it should be no surprise to know that including hills or stairs can make your walk more challenging for your dog. Small inclining or declining hills are the best place to start, then the gradient of these hills can gradually be increased over time. Going up a hill will work the back legs more effectively and going down a hill will put more stress on the front legs. Eventually you may progress to walking up and down stairs, but this exercise is challenging so watch your dogs reaction carefully. If your dog is suffering from a muscle or joint issue it may be best to pass on the bigger hills and stairs.
5. Playing games
Games are a great way you can have fun and bond with your dog while still providing them the mental stimulation they desire. There’s endless games you can create that suit your dogs interests, your environment and the resources you have. Get creative with this and I promise you you’ll end up enjoying it as much as your dog does!
A few ideas to get your imagination sparking includes ‘hide and seek’ with yourself or with an object or treat reward, setting up a fun obstacle course, or playing fetch or tug of war. Remember to combine this play with some obedience training of simple commands and monitor your dog. Some of these exercises may be too challenging for your dog for a variety of reasons, so if they seem to not be enjoying it anymore, change it up and try another game.
6. Obedience training
Obedience training with your dog can be both beneficial for your sanity and your dogs. It doesn’t need to be a full on hour of serious conditioning in a class, although this can be additionally beneficial, it can be as quick as 5 minutes a day! A few examples of exercises you can try with your pooch include asking them to ‘stay’, ‘come’, ‘sit’ or ‘heel’. This is mentally stimulating for them and will also make your life easier when asking them to do things once instead of a hundred times. Be careful not to reward with too many unhealthy treats though, healthier alternatives or effection can be used as a safer replacement especially when treating daily.
7. Swimming
Swimming is low impact and therefore can be an excellent exercise for you and your dog to do. However, there are some dangers you’ll need to consider before you throw the ball into the lake for your dog to retrieve. Swimming in cold water can have a bad effect on your dog because their muscles and joints will become cold and stiff and they may struggle to warm up again once they return to land. This is especially a concern for older or thinner dogs.
Hydrotherapy in a heated pool or treadmill can be the perfect alternative in the colder months when outdoor water sources are not an option. Playing fetch in the water with your dog can be dangerous also because as your dog retrieves the ball in their mouth water can accidentally pass into their mouths and be swallowed. After a prolonged period of time this can be fatal for dogs.
8. Sniff training
Sniff training can be implemented as a small game around the house, or in an open field with many distracting smells and sounds. However you incorporate sniff training into your dogs routine it will benefit them by providing the mental and sensual stimulation they crave. A ‘hide and seek’ game is the garden with treats can be a great place to start, and this can be progressed to hiding treats in harder to reach places around the house or spread out across a whole field. Classes run by professionals can be an excellent way to learn the skills required to teach your dog how to develop these new skills effectively. Instead, you can have a look at our blog on ‘Scent training’ for layout ideas and how to achieve that balance of fun and control.
9. Agility or Hoopers
Agility classes are widely accessible and can be a fun way for you and your dog to exercise and socialise with like minded duos. It can be a very rewarding experience for both yourself and your dog. Agility exercises can be diy’d in your back garden as a cheap and convenient alternative to going to a class.
However, agility is a high impact sport and is therefore a common cause of injury to dogs, especially at a beginners level. A similar but lower level sport is Hoopers. Although lesser known and accessible, what makes hoopers the perfect alternative for older or less fit dogs is the wider turns and absence of jumping. This makes Hoopers accessible to ALL dogs so it might be worth a quick google search to see if there’s a Hoopers class running near you!
10. Visit the dog park
Finally, one of the most common ways to exercise your dog, visiting the dog park. A visit will provide both your dog and yourself not just the chance to exercise but also to socialise with other dogs and dog owners, making it a highly valuable event to regularly incorporate into your routine. Remember visiting a new dog park may be intimidating for your dog, due to the abundance of new smells and playmates they may encounter. Stay alert to the subtle signs your dog may be hinting at you that may indicate they’re happy or stressed. Socialising with others of their kind isn’t for every dog but it can be a stimulating and thrilling experience for most dogs if socialisation is introduced gradually progressively.
Read our guide on how to effectively socialise your puppy for tips on introducing your puppy to new and exciting experiences or reintroducing other dogs back into your pooches life slowly and safely.
Well done if you made it to the end!
I hope you have gained some valuable insight into the complex world of dog exercise, of which I dedicate my life passionately to.
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