Exercise: What To Do When Your Dog Is Not Getting Enough

Dogs want to be good.  They just sometimes have way more energy than their owner does.  Unfortunately the dog ends up in trouble over not enough fitness activities and then nobody is happy, certainly not you.

Chewed furniture and shoes, excessive barking, jumping on you and the neighbors and mauling the first dog on the scene when you do take a walk are typical results from a dog that has excess energy to burn off in an exerciserly way. It is a fact that we need to maintain our own exercise levels to feel good, stay healthy mentally and physically and keep the word fitness in the description of ourselves if we had to describe everything in Seven Words!

Seven Ways To Exercise Your Dog

Walk or run with your dog.

This is one that is recommended as a staple before you doing anything else with your dog.  Two big reasons.  You.  Your Dog.  Seriously it is recommended that women get an hour of exercise a day to maintain fitness and maintain an ideal weight.  The old recommendation was 30 minutes 3 times per week.  Yikes.  No wonder those pictures aren’t so great to look at this year compared to last!  Keep on it.  Get out and walk or run with your dog every day!  Sign up for a dog friendly 5K if you need some motivation and a schedule to keep you motivated.  But whatever you do…..  Get out and walk or run with the dog.

Treadmill train your dog.

Dogs need to exercise and a treadmill is a great alternative to add to your dog’s exercise regime anytime.  Most people these days whether self employed or you have a job are on the computer at home doing something.  Get double time while you are surfing the net.  Set yourself up on the computer next to a treadmill with your dog running at the same time.  If your dog doesn’t take to the treadmill right away no problem…. many professional dog trainers will be happy to show you and your dog how to train on a treadmill.

Get your dog to retrieve a toy.

Even in a small yard a dog can run back and forth after the love of a ball until you can’t throw it anymore.  Many dogs who have come to the San Diego Dog Training Camp at first didn’t seem as though they had an interest in the ball.  It isn’t something all dogs know right off the bat.  Teach your dog how to play with a ball and you can not only spend quality time with the game, your dog will get exercise and you can get some things in the yard done… or surf the net on your iPhone while your dog gets enough exercise to be a good dog!  Contact me if you need a referral for a good dog camp in your area.

Take your dog to dog beach.

This could also double as take your dog swimming.  San Diego has more than one dog beach and other areas with water have similar places you can take your dog for some outdoor activity involving exercise in the water, retrieving a ball or getting into a good chase game with other dogs.  You can check www.GoPetFriendly.com for dog friendly water ways in your area.

Take your your dog to a dog friendly park or event.

New is exciting and burns off excess energy.  We do become creatures of habit and get stuck doing the same walk or run around the neighborhood.  How about his one… there is usually a longer route and a shorter route and due to feeling the pressure in lack of time you end up taking the short route most times.  Sound familiar?  Give yourself a break and take your dog to a new park, trail, or dog event.  You’ll spend more time out there and you and your dog will burn a little extra energy by taking in new.  Check the San Diego Dog Friendly Event Calendar often or go to www.GoPetFriendly.com for parks and trails in your area.

Bicycle your dog.

Some dogs need to flat out run.  When they run they are a different dog.  (I know people like this too…. myself included)… but anyway… back to the fact that there are dogs that need to go faster and longer than we do no matter what.  Biking your dog is a great way for you to get the job done.  You can both get the much needed exercise at a speed that works for the dog and for you.

Teach your dog to jump.

Agility always sounds like a good thing to say your dog can do.  But the reality for most people to actually join a group and drive out to the class weekly is low.  For many dog owners who would like to take their dog to agility but for reasons from a bizarre agility trainer to commute time, teaching your dog to jump at home can be fun, will get you and the dog exercise, and as it turns out is really fun.  This doesn’t have to be a serious event.  You don’t need special equipment though there are simple inexpensive jumps and agility kits you can order directly to your door and have all kinds of fun with your dog.  Try using a small box, a bench, or a couple of outdoor chairs with a stick laid between them.

Movement is exercise and the more you move with your dog or get your dog to move the better healthy, happiness and well being seem to be.  Remember, What You Do Every Day Counts…. not what you do every once in a while.  Live how you want to feel and that may mean scheduling some time away from the television or Facebook and getting out to exercise with the dog more. Stay updated on the latest San Diego dog friendly events, dog friendly events in other areas, health and fitness tips and tricks, and dog news by subscribing to the Healthy Living Wag Report. A short one time dog coaching session may be in order these thoughts jumped to mind

“that would be fun, but my dog doesn’t listen to me and I’m not sure how to show my dog how to jump, bicycle, get on the treadmill or stay when told.”

It could be the difference between well behaved and fit for both of you 🙂 And if you are here and you liked the dog activity ideas please re-tweet it!

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