1. Take your dog for walks. In addition to a healthy diet, exercise will also keep your dog fit and give him good mental and physical stimulation. At a minimum, your pet pal will appreciate a twice daily walk. Pay attention to the dog during walks, and interact and play with them. Make the walks interesting by going to different locations.
- The length will depend upon the age and breed of your dog: puppies and small breed dogs will need shorter walks (about 15 minutes maximum), while larger breeds or more athletic dogs may require up to one hour of exercise a day.
- Brachycephalic dogs (think of dogs with pushed-in noses like bulldogs) do best with short walks (about 10 minutes) three to four times a day.
- Of course, no dog should do much exercise until it has been conditioned to exercise just like a human athlete.[4]
2. Talk to your vet about exercising a dog with medical issues. If your dog suffers from a medical condition such as arthritis or diabetes, take care with exercising. An arthritic dog’s joint pain may make him less inclined to go for a walk. Talk to your vet about light exercise regimens, as well as treatments or pain-relievers for your dog.
- Older dogs with arthritis would do best with short walks (about 10 minutes) three to four times a day.
3. Play a game with your dog. Another fabulous way to exercise a dog and have fun at the same time is to play interactive games. Fetch the ball is a great game to play as long as it is inside an enclosed park or yard to make sure your dog can’t run away during the heat of the game.
- Blowing bubbles for your dog to chase is another fun game where you don’t have to expend much energy.
4. Check the weather before you go outside. Make sure the weather is not going to adversely affect your dog when you go out to exercise. If it is too hot, your dog may be at risk of heatstroke. If it’s too cold, your dog can be susceptible to frostbite.[5]
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