Planning to do some fun exercises with your dog? You can easily make time for you and your canine’s fun exercise session.
Dogs need to have some physical activities to help them stay active and maintain a certain level of mental stimulation. Exercise allows dogs to use their energy towards something productive.
Are you ready to get started?
Best Exercises With Your Dog
Here are some of the best exercises you can do with your pup:
Walking
If you wish to do some fun exercises with your dog, then walking is the best one to start with. Apart from being an exciting activity, this exercise benefits you and your pup. Going on a walk with your canine will boost your physical and mental health. This activity is also an excellent time to train your dog to behave in public or walk on a leash.
Plus, it will also be a great opportunity for you and your dog to enjoy some bonding time. Walking doesn’t need to take up much of your time. You can easily set aside an hour or two every day to walk to the park or the grocery.
ALSO READ: 7 of our Favourite Boxing Day Walks
Swimming
It isn’t true that only humans love water. Canines love water as much as we do! Swimming is one of the best ways to maintain physical health. Dogs need physical activity daily to help them release their energy, even a 15 minute of swimming will do wonders for your pooch.
If your pup is a little bulky and leaning towards the overweight side, swimming will help him shed some weight. This is especially true if your dog is always on a leash. Canines aren’t free enough to be active and release their energy while leashed.
Swimming will give them the chance to play around in the pool while still being active freely. You don’t even have to take 2-3 hours out of your day to enjoy a little swim sesh with your pup.
Dancing
Did you know that there’s competitive dancing for dogs? If you don’t know yet, canines respond well to music, dancing and any form of fun, entertaining activity.
But, dogs participating in competitions aren’t the only ones that love to break a sweat. The different movements when dancing can help keep your body active.
You don’t necessarily have to train your dog to dance. But if you wish to, several training firms out there will help you with it. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a fun dance routine with your untrained pooch. Put on some music and start dancing. Your pup will definitely join you.
Frisbee
What is the most popular way to exercise your dog? Frisbee is the answer.
There’s hardly any canine out there who doesn’t love playing with a frisbee. Playing with a frisbee is one of the many best exercises with your dog. It will force your dog to run after the frisbee, helping them release pent up energy. That said, it’s best to have your furry friend physically evaluated by a licensed vet to see if they’re suitable for such exercise.
Mentally, your dog can stay stimulated while playing with a frisbee since they must anticipate where it will land.
Be careful when playing with frisbee, though. When unsupervised, your dog can chew on a plastic frisbee. Not only will you have to replace the frisbee often, but your dog might end up damaging their teeth.
Yoga
It may seem unusual, but yoga has proved beneficial for canines. Practising yoga will ensure that your and your dog’s body are under check. If you want to make it more fun and sociable, you can join some yoga groups with your canine and make the experience more exciting!
They are excellent for releasing stress. Canines tend to get stressed a lot. When they do, they may suffer from poor mental health. They will appear lethargic and tend to eat less. To help your pup out, you can indulge in some yoga sessions with them.
Additionally, your bond with your canine will strengthen as you spend time learning some yoga exercises. Yoga will help strengthen their muscles and tone their body. Yoga does have movements that focus on different parts of the body that will help get rid of stiffness.
Follow Your Dog
If you want to change things up a bit and make things more exciting and spontaneous, follow your dog. Yes, you read it right. Let your furry companion take the lead for a day and have a day filled with surprising activities.
If you’re bored of your usual daily routine, you can rely on your dog to add a little twist to your days. Being the curious creatures they are, they will do random fun activities and keep you engaged. Sometimes, we all need to loosen up and let someone else take the lead.
Running Up The Stairs
Looking for exercises to do with your dog at home? There are days when you don’t feel like doing rigorous activities to stick to your health schedule, such as going out for some outdoor activities. Or, it could be that the weather doesn’t permit you to enjoy some fun time outdoors.
Don’t worry. You can still have some fun exercises with your dog at home. If you have stairs at your place, then make your pup run with you up the stairs. If they get bored, try to liven up the mood by engaging them with their favourite toys. Shower them with encouragement to boost their energy.
How can I exercise my dog indoors? Running up the stairs will have a similar impact on you and your canine. This activity will increase the pulse rate, encouraging good blood circulation. However, before making your canine jog up and down the stairs, have a practice session just to make sure that your canine doesn’t get into any accidents.
How Much Exercise Does My Dog Need?
Like us humans, every canine is different. Their needs vary. Some might need an hour of exercise daily, while others might need more than that. However, an average pooch needs an hour or two of activity daily to help them maintain their health.
As many canines descend from a working canine breed, they are genetically used to exerting their bodies. This requires them to indulge in enough activities daily to give them a chance to release their pent up energy.
When your canine is acting lazy and isn’t ready to indulge in exercises, be a little strict and make sure that your pup indulges in activities for at least 30 minutes.
A thing to remember is that canines tend to put on weight quickly. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 54% of dogs are obese, and this can lead to other serious illnesses.
If your canine runs away from physical activities, they are at risk of obesity, inviting more health issues.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) recommends some quick checks to know if your dog is obese. They may be obese or overweight if you can’t see and feel the outline of your dog’s ribs. When viewed from above, your dog’s waist should also be visible. You should also feel their waist with ease.
How much is too much exercise for a dog? When your pooch has over-exercised, you will quickly see the symptoms. You’ll see signs of exhaustion, such as a stiff body, difficulty in movement, and panting. You’ll also notice they’ll stick out their tongues and drool excessively. Worse, they can also vomit.
After a rigorous exercise, it will be best to check their paw pads to see any potential wear and tear. When you see any of these symptoms, it is a clear indication that the exercise session has been too much for them.
What Exercises Are Best for My Dog?
What is the best exercise for a dog? Exercise doesn’t have to be a dull session. You can make it fun by including activities such as jogging, playing fetch, swimming in a pool, and many more.
Trying to change up the activities every once in a while can help exercise an exciting experience for you and your pup. You can go for a walk today and a swim tomorrow. Even a peaceful stroll with your pooch can count as an exercise. There are many benefits of exercising with your dog, so include at least one form in your daily routine.
Conclusion
If you wish to utilise your time and get your canine’s health on track, think no more. Try our suggested exercises and start a daily routine now. Hopefully, this piece provided you with some of the best fun exercises to do with your dog.