Regular exercise is highly beneficial for both the dog and the owner, especially during winter, but since dogs can’t decide on their own when to exercise (nor are they familiar with the very notion of it), it is up to you to take care of it.
Our canine friends need regular exercise in order to stay fit and to maintain heart health, mobility, muscle tone and strength.
In case you didn’t know, obesity affects more than 25 percent of dogs in the US, while weight reduction in obese dogs is a critical component for managing osteoarthritis – a degenerative process that affects their joints.
Increased Activity
According to postindependent.com: “Not only can increased activity in winter help with weight management, consistent exercise can have beneficial effects on reduction or elimination of behavior problems related to boredom, anxiety and destructive behaviors.”
So let’s see which exercises you can introduce to your pooch’s daily activities during cold days.
Winter Games
First you need to figure out the optimal amount of exercise for your dog. This can depend on:
- breed
- age
- health status
Daily walks will often do the trick. Regular walks provide the much needed physical activity, but also prevent the development of behavioral issues like anxiety and destructive disposition.
Try walking your pooch for at least 30 minutes every day, while you might want to throw in some indoor activity as well.
A few useful indoor exercise ideas:
- fetch
- hide-n-seek
- find the treat
- practicing tricks and training commands
- dog treadmill (if you are not on a budget, that is).