All dogs need exercise, and we’ve got you covered with a few great ideas to keep your fur kid busy
Vital for a pet’s physical and mental wellbeing, exercise is also a crucial part of the relationship between you and your dogs. Even on those days when bad weather makes walks impractical, you can still give your dog the workout he or she needs with these five exercise ideas.
- PLAY A GAME – Hide-and-seek is a wonderful way to get your dog up and moving and mentally engaged. You can hide a treat or her favourite toy, but it’s better to make her come find you. Start by throwing a treat to get her to go away from you, and then hide in another part of the house. This game can really tire your pup out as she rushes around searching, and it’s good for reinforcing the “come” command.
- CHALLENGE HER NOSE – Dogs have incredibly powerful scenting abilities, so exercises that require your pal to use her nose are especially stimulating. Make her work for her dinner by creating an obstacle course she has to get through to find her food.
- INDOOR WALKING – Invest in a treadmill for you and your dog – but take the right precautions. Spend a few days familiarising your dog with how it works. Use a slow speed and stand in front of the treadmill with a treat. Over three or four days, slowly increase the speed and the amount of time your dog spends on the treadmill. Work up to the same amount of time you normally spend on walks.
- TARGETING – Being indoors gives you a great opportunity to practice targeting with your dog. Teach her to touch her nose to the back of your hand on command: this will make her focus on a target. It’s a great exercise because it gives you an activity you can do together. And once your dog has learned to do this, you can use it whenever you want her to stop what she’s doing and focus. For example, if you’re out walking and she becomes excited when she sees another dog, you can use targeting to redirect her attention. Plus, your dog can’t bark when she’s touching her nose to your hand!
- GET OUTDOORS! Spend 30 to 40 minutes outdoors walking or throwing a ball or Frisbee and your dog will get a workout that leaves him exhausted – and his muscles toned.