With both puppies and adult four-legged friends, it is important to think about the amount of exercise your dog needs on a daily basis. No one knows your dog better than you, but do you wonder how much exercise your dog actually gets? We would like to give you a few tips to take this into account and keep your dog's health optimal!
Your dog's exercise needs
For starters, the breed of your dog plays a big role, different breeds have different energy levels and therefore different exercise needs. In addition, the amount of exercise your dog needs also depends on its age, weight and health condition. Dogs become calmer as they get older, and if there are health problems, your four-legged friend will no longer move as they used to.
First of all, it is important to determine how much exercise is sufficient for your dog. You can check this well by how your dog behaves when you come home after a walk. Is your four-legged friend calmer and satisfied, and later enthusiastic for the next walk? Then this is fine, that's the perfect scenario.
How often should my dog exercise?
Answering this question depends on a number of factors. In any case, little exercise is not desirable for a dog. Dogs are playful animals and enjoy spending time outdoors, walking, exploring, running and swimming. Regular exercise ensures that your dog remains fit and healthy, and happy at the same time.
In addition, your dog's age and health status have priority when it comes to considerations to determine the amount of exercise. Young dogs and large dog breeds can benefit from being active more than twice a day, while smaller breeds and older dogs can sometimes benefit from a short walk in the morning and evening.
How often you can walk your dog also depends on your own daily routines. Playing with nice and strong toys in the garden can also provide extra exercise and entertainment. Getting exercise regularly and in a fun way also helps keep your dog in good condition.
Find activities that are fun for your dog and owner
To get your dog to exercise, it is important that your four-legged friend enjoys the activity, but of course you must also enjoy it and have the time for it. We would like to give you some alternatives for long walks.
This way you can play games together with your dog, at home or in the garden. This way your four-legged friend can discover different scents and get a lot of exercise in the meantime. Retrieving a ball in the park or on the beach can be an intense workout for you and your dog. A useful tool for this is a ball thrower or tennis racket, which allows you to make the ball go even further, very useful for dogs with a lot of energy!
If your dog enjoys playing with other dogs, meet up with other dog owners every now and then, go to a special dog beach or join dog walking groups, these are excellent opportunities for social contact, both between dogs and owners.
Indoor toys for dogs
Sometimes a walk is not an option when the weather is extremely bad or you are suffering from illness. Or when you don't have a garden to run around in with your four-legged friend. And yet you want to give your dog enough exercise, for the health and well-being of your pet. So what can you do in these situations?
There are plenty of indoor toys for sale, from active toys to toys with scent and taste . But you can also play an old-fashioned game of hide and seek, which many dogs, just like small children, absolutely love! Hide a favorite toy, or yourself, to stimulate your dog's brain and senses, even on quiet days!
In addition to toys, you can also hide a reward. Preferably use dry food chunks and subtract this from the daily recommended amount.
Submit your question
Do you have a question about your four-legged friend, your dog's behavior or a question regarding dog hygiene and care? Submit your question the online form and perhaps we will answer them!
[ Source ]
