The Importance of Exercise for Your Dog
Exercise provides all dogs with mental stimulation and keeps them active, which can help prolong their lives and reduce the risk of obesity.
“Most dogs can tolerate 20-30 minute dog walks on a daily basis if they have a relatively good body condition. Some dogs in great physical health can tolerate walks up to 2 hours or go hiking for hours at a time. ... If she starts to slow down about 25-30 minutes into the walk, she may be getting tired.”
“Not getting enough exercise can cause health problems, such as obesity, but can also lead to behavioural problems. Bored dogs are unhappy dogs – they can show their frustration by chewing, barking a lot, toileting in the house and over-grooming (licking too much).”
By not allowing your dog to be walked outside, you are not providing the freedom to express natural behaviour, and as a result can lead to health conditions, which may breach the freedom from pain, injury, and disease.
We’ve found the best exercise is running, however this isn’t always possible for some dog owners. Here are some ideas.
Play fetch- you can do this indoors or in your yard. Teach your dog to retrieve a ball. Here’s a great article to teach them to fetch.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/teach-your-dog-to-fetch/
Fast Paced Walks- Put on your walking shoes and enjoy exercise together.
Enrichment Walks- Let them explore and sniff but also keep them walking at a steady pace on leash.
Hire a Dog Walker- Dog walkers typically charge between $19 and $29 for a 30-minutedog walking service.