Exercising your dog

Exercising your dog is essential, but it’s important to note that all dogs have different needs.

 

Activity ideas for exercising your dog

• Walking is a great way for exercising your dog but you can also run, ride bikes or even play fetch in the garden.
• Invite your pet-owning friends over so your dogs can play with other animals.
• Dog off-leash areas are an easy way to encourage your dog to engage socially and exercise effortlessly.
• You can teach an old dog new tricks and this will help maintain your pet’s mental health
• Have a treasure hunt by hiding your dog’s favourite toys or tasty treats around the house and garden and encouraging them to find them
• Introduce a variety of new toys including fetch toys, tug toys, and interactive toys

Exercising in hot weather

Change your exercise or walking routine in the warmer months so you’re not out during the hottest parts of the day.

When you head out, be careful when exercising your dog on roads and paved surfaces as these surfaces can become very hot and may burn your dog’s feet or cause overheating.

It’s especially important to keep your dog hydrated and allow them access to plenty of shade.

Most of a dog’s cooling comes from panting so don’t use a muzzle or anything that restricts mouth breathing.

Exercising during cooler seasons

Use a reflective collar and lead when exercising your dog in the dark or low light settings. Learn more about exercising your dog in winter by reading our article about how to adjust when the days get shorter and colder.

Remember, if you’re cold, then your dog is probably cold. Take care around water – not all dogs are natural swimmers and can be weighed down by waterlogging of their coat, and keep in mind that pets are most at risk when they are both cold and wet, or exposed to wind chill.

On especially chilly days, consider putting on a dog coat before heading out and making sur they have insulated bedding to curl up on when they return home.

 

To learn more about exercising your dog and the different exercise requirements for each breed, head to your local Petbarn store and chat to a friendly team member.