Exercise your Dog for Longevity, Mind, Body and Spirit

Exercise is vital for humans, and pets are no different. Too much confinement can result in stress, emotional and behavioral problems, and usually an unhappy dog.

Unhappy dogs result from negative environments, experiences, and inconsistent interaction with their owners, along with a lack of exercise, an unstable routine, inappropriate social interactions, and underemployment where the instinctual desires to perform an activity are not met.

The neurochemical and vascular functions are altered by emotional stress, which can increase susceptibility to major diseases.

The lack of exercise in dogs can also lead to obesity, poor muscle tone, heart, bone, and emotional problems.

Exercising your dog will lead to longer life, increased endurance and strength. Your dog will also rest easier when he receives a sufficient amount of exercise, and not be as nervous hen he is left alone. Exercise can also improve your dog's bone and joint health as well as his heart and lung function.

Understanding your dogs instinctual traits are very important, as these can be incorporated into activities and exercise. For working breeds, performing a task that would be naturally satisfying, such as pulling a wagon, or carrying a pack with your water bottle would be extremely beneficial. Retrievers would love to play games such as ball, whereby you throw the ball and he retrieves it.

Never assume that dogs need a big yard to get plenty of exercise, as the truth of the matter is that they do not exercise when they are alone. They spend more time lying in a comfortable spot waiting for their owner to play with them than entertaining themselves.

A human-dog bond will be created when playing and exercising with your dog. He will sense that you care about him as a good pack leader, which will make him very happy.

The exercise you select for your canine friend should depend on his age, weight, overall health, and breed characteristics. A Border Collie or Parson Russell Terrier would need more exercise and play than an English Bulldog or Pug.

Small dogs can enjoy vigorous play for exercise indoors. However, larger breeds need outdoor activity, unless the weather is too dangerous to take them outdoors.

Dogs should be exercised on average for at least 20-30 minutes each day. Of course, health and age limitations should be taken into consideration.

It is extremely important to always remember that obese dogs and those with heart and lung diseases may have a problem. Therefore, it is imperative that you consult with your vet before starting any exercise regime with man's best friend.

It is equally important for healthy dogs to have interaction with other dogs and humans to ensure that they receive proper socialization. Dog parks are great for this and some of them allow dogs to play and walk unleashes. However, if you do participate in off-leash activities, you must ensure that you are in full control of your dog and that you can reliably call him back.

You must always ensure that care is taken when exercising dogs in hot weather, especially if you dress them in dog clothes and accessories. All dogs, especially those with heart and lung ailments, and dogs with thick coats, will more than likely have trouble with hot and humid conditions. Extra care must be taken, as searing hot asphalt is not good for their paws.