petjoyblog 
By Claudia Bensimoun
Dog play and exercise are some of the most effective ways of bonding with our furry best friends. Play and exercise are beneficial for your dog’s body, mind, and soul. To avoid sports injuries and continue having playtime fun, you’ll need to keep your dog’s age and health in mind and choose the right amount of exercise for him.
If your dog is overweight, your pet must get enough daily exercise. Regardless of whether your dog is an indoor or outdoor dog, you’ll need to devote a specific amount of time each day to socialize and exercise your furry best friend. Exercise is right for your dog’s mind and also to keep his body fit and healthy. In this blog, we’ll discuss why training is essential to dogs.
Best Exercise for Dogs
A brisk, 20-minute aerobic walk twice a day is all that should be needed. When exercising your dog, especially senior dogs or dogs with a health condition, it’s essential to reach out to your vet to discuss the best exercise plans.
Most dogs need to work twice as hard to keep up with your pace. You’ll need to avoid exercising with your dog during the times of day when there is excessive heat and humidity to keep your dog safe. Always have plenty of water available for your dog to prevent dehydration. Water also provides a cooling mechanism for dogs.
Diabetic Dogs Exercise Program
Diabetic dogs need to keep a consistent exercise program. This is because the fluctuations in the amount of exercise performed each day can affect blood glucose levels and make proper insulin dosing tricky. If your dog is obese, to begin with, you’ll need to first place him on a weight reduction program. As usual, consult with your vet first. If your pup is a diabetic service dog, he’ll also need to take part in regular exercise each day.
Exercise & More Exercise
We all understand how exercise offers the same benefits to pets as it does to humans. Cardiovascular fitness is key to good health and helps with weight control. With this in mind, you could encourage exercise by chasing a Frisbee together, going for adventure hikes, swimming in your pool together, or just playing ball. You need to keep in mind that as your dog ages, not all exercise is suitable. Torn crucial ligaments are a common occurrence in senior dogs.
Your dog’s breed, health, and age play an important role when it comes down to play safety. If you have a brachycephalic dog breed like a Boston Terrier or Pug, you’ll need to watch for respiratory issues. You should also avoid intense play or prolonged exercise. Small dog breeds like the Daschund are prone to back problems, so they should not be encouraged to jump high in the air.
Puppy Playtime
It’s critical to note that pups between 6 months and 14 months do well with strength training games, and puppies under six months of age should only play games like tug with gentle tugging motions. You always have to monitor exercise with pups and reach out to your vet to ensure that dogs are kept safe during growth. This is because there are soft areas in a pup’s bones that can become injured if your puppy repeatedly leaps over jumps, climbs stairs, and so forth. Injury to growth plates can change the shape or length of a limb, so the key is preventative exercise options for pups.
Off-Leash Fun Time
There’s nothing quite like off-leash hikes at the dog beach or dog park. Setting up the right environment to ensure safety is key to all off-leash play and exercise. Before letting your furry best friend romp around off-leash, you’ll first have to look out for broken fencing, a busy road, and aggressive dogs.
It also helps to train your pup so that he’ll sit safely and come back to you when called. Teaching reliable recall is one of the most important behaviors to lead. You’ll also need to make sure that your dog is reliable off-leash, but if you consistently train and reward him from a young age, he’ll soon be able to go off-leash without a hitch.
Stretching Exercises for Dogs
We know how good a great stretch feels. The same applies to dogs. That said, your pup may benefit from a few good stretches that are gentle. This is an excellent way to improve your pup’s well-being and prevent injuries during exercise. Dogs suffering from joint issues, decreased flexibility, and muscle loss benefits immensely from stretching before exercise.
If your pup is an agility or flyball pro, there’s nothing like trying to relieve the amount of stress placed on the body during intense dog sports. Also, if you have a large dog breed that tends to suffer from more musculoskeletal problems than smaller dog breeds, you’ll need to help him with stretches throughout his lifetime. Consult with your vet for the best dog stretching exercises.
Dog Vacay Exercise
We all enjoy traveling with our furry best friends. But what about those daily runs or off-leash trips to the dog park. If you’re traveling with your dog during COVID-19, you’ll have the chance to explore the outdoors with your pup, sometimes with an extensive hike which may be more demanding on your dog.
Make sure to prepare well and to read up about what to pack for your outdoor hike. To be on the safe side, ensure that you’ll always get a cellphone signal and tell family your plans. Solid dog training is needed for these hikes to ensure your dog’s safety at all times. Try out obedience training classes before so that your pup listens to you and can come back to you.
Doga for Dogs
Exercising your dogs never needs to be boring again. With so many new dog sports to choose from like dogs or doggie surfing, today’s dog parents can have plenty of fun together with Fido.
Doga allows for both of you to chill and bond. “We can’t forget that dogs are our best friends. That whatever we do with them just makes life better. And even though yoga is blissful and fun, it is still hard for so many to take the time to actually just get on the mat and flow,” says Jacksonville yoga instructor Suzi Teitelman via Animal Wellness. “When we bring Fido along, it only takes the joy and love even farther, and for many kills two birds with one stone…spending time with your dog, and spending time with you.”
Final Thoughts
For everyday exercise, basic walking and jogging is a great way to keep your dog fit and healthy. To prevent heatstroke and dehydration, be sure never to overdo it. Heatstroke and musculoskeletal injuries can be avoided with the right exercise measures. Remember that problem behaviors like excessive barking, digging, and even separation anxiety may be due to an under-exercised dog.
Without sufficient exercise, dogs can become quirky and have severe behavioral issues. If you’re busy working and don’t have time to exercise your furry best friend, consider doggy daycares that offer energetic and safe play schedules for well-trained dogs. Dog walkers are also another option, but be sure to screen beforehand and get all references.
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