Six Important Things to Know About Exercising Your Dog

Every dog needs regular exercise. But if you want your doggy to remain fully fit and healthy, you need to know the following six important things about exercising your canine buddy.

1. Always Consider Your Dog’s Specific Fitness Requirements

Different breeds of dogs need varying amounts of exercise each day. Dogs like Retrievers, Collies, German Shepherds, Spaniels, and Jack Russell Terriers all need a lot of endurance exercise every day whereas breeds like Pugs, Dachshunds, Bullmastiffs, Pomeranians, and French Bulldogs need far less daily exercise.

Furthermore, not all dog breeds can cope with lots of exercise in one go.

So, make sure you know how much exercise your specific breed of dog requires and make certain your dog gets the right amount of exercise each day.

Also, ensure you do not push your dog too hard, always give your dog plenty of water, and make sure your dog has regular breaks.

2. Take the Weather and Time of Year into Account

Once you know how many walks your specific breed of dog needs and what his daily exercise routine should be, remember to adapt his exercise routine according to the weather.

In the summer, you need to make sure your dog avoids heatstroke, so you should walk your dog during the cooler hours of the day and always ensure you take plenty of water with you.

If you are unable to adapt your routine to walk your dog in the early morning or evening, hire a dog walker during the summer months.

Also, in the winter months, ensure your dog has a high-viz jacket, harness, or collar so that he can be seen when it is dark.

3. Endurance Exercise Can Lead to Loose Stools: Probiotics Will Help

While the right amount of endurance exercise is always good for your dog, you should be aware that it can lead to loose stools. If you find your dog develops loose stools, probiotics will help.

Probiotics help to promote healthy bacteria and they can strengthen your dog’s immune system. Probiotics can also help dogs who have conditions like constipation, gastrointestinal disorders, and irritable bowel syndrome.

But it is important that you give your dog high-quality probiotics. So, take a look at the best probiotics for dogs reviewed on veterinarians.org to find the best option for your doggy.

4. Give Your Dog Time Off the Leash

Walking your dog for the right amount of time for your specific breed will help him to gain the daily exercise he needs to stay safe, healthy, and strong; in the same way as you need daily exercise to stay fit and healthy.

But it is important that you give your dog time off the leash so that he can run around and explore freely. So, make sure you take regular visits to places like the local park or woods.

Just remember to keep your dog on a leash when walking around roads, in built-up areas, and on countryside walks where there is livestock.

5. Your Dog Needs Time to Explore and Play

Following on from the last point, it is important that your dog has time to run around, play, explore, and sniff when exercising, otherwise, he could become bored.

Never rush your dog walks. If you find you do not have adequate time to give your dog the exercise time he requires, consider hiring a dog walker.

6. Play with Safe Toys

While all dogs love finding and fetching sticks, be aware that sticks can potentially splinter and end up injuring your dog’s mouth.

Therefore, while it is important that your dog has plenty of playtime during his exercise sessions, it is best to use safe toys for your dog to chase after rather than letting your doggy play with sticks.