|
Dogs and exercise - exercise with your dog for better health and fitnessExercising with your dog is good for you and also good for your dog. It strengthens your health as well as the bond between you and your pet. It will help you keep fit. For you to benefit the most from exercise, you need to do it regularly. The exercise will help both of you to control your weight and maintain healthy lungs, tissues and the heart. When exercising with your dog, consider what it needs and it's physical condition. Some types of exercise are only suitable for certain dogs. For example, leisurely walks are great for older dogs but not for healthy active puppies which tend to have lots of energy. You can engage active dogs in challenging exercises such as fetching a ball or a Frisbee. When starting your exercise program, go slow at first. This is important for both you and your dog. You may have to consult a doctor to get the all clear depending on your medical history and condition. Don’t forget, you’ll also need to consider your dog’s health. If your dog has had medical problems in the past, seek help from your vet who will help you to plan an appropriate exercise program. Sometimes exercise can make your dog lame or it may make your dog tire easily. If this happens talk to your veterinarian. Whatever exercise program you choose, remember that dogs like to spend time with their owners, and you can make that time special. Many experts recommend that you start by running your dog on a soft surface such as sand or grass until its pad toughen. Also it's a good idea to keep your dog on a leash while running or walking. This will help you control your dog. Take special precautions if you intend to exercise at night. Use reflective and brightly coloured clothing and a reflective collar and brightly coloured leash for your dog. Always take the weather into account when planning an exercise program. Pets such as dogs can suffer from heat stroke and frost bites too! During the summer watch out for hot asphalt because it can damage your dog's feet. Examine your dog's feet for grass, thorns, burrs, rocks or ice and snow. These should be removed immediately. Depending on where you do your exercise, you should also check your do for foxtail, seeds and dirt and ticks on your dog's eyes, hair coat and feet. Train your dog to stay by your side when walking or running so that it won't jump on other dogs or children. You don't want your dog to scare or even injure children or even adults. It's very important to know local laws. Don't go to areas where dogs are not allowed. Some laws require that you always walk your dog on a leash while others have designated areas where pets are allowed to run around freely. Your local authority should be able to tell you more about these laws and provide you some guidance.
Privacy Policy: We do not collect or store user
information such as email addresses or names. |
