Get Moving: Fun Ways to Exercise Your Dog

Dogs of all ages benefit from regular physical activity. It helps to manage their weight, strengthen and tone muscles, burn off excess energy, stimulate their mind, and more. Just a few extra pounds can put additional stress on your pet’s joints, affect their cardiovascular health, and put them at greater risk of diabetes. Cutting back on their calorie intake isn’t always enough. They need ways to burn more calories than they’re consuming.

Here are a few fun ways to get your dog moving:

• Go for a walk/run

Make it part of your routine so your dog has consistent exercise built into its day. Switch things up and take different routes to keep it interesting. Take a faster pace on the way there, then go more slowly on the way back to let your dog sniff and explore. You can also alternate between walking and jogging or running.

• Go hiking

Hiking is great because the terrain is always changing. Rather than a flat path you may take on your daily walk, you are going up and down hills, giving your dog a more rigorous workout.

• Play catch/fetch

Spend time throwing a ball or frisbee. Change the distance or direction you throw the ball to keep them engaged and moving.

• Play tug-of-war

Knot up an old t-shirt or get a rope toy and challenge your dog to a game of tug-of-war. Get them moving, rolling, and pulling on the floor.

• Try an agility course

Check to see if there are any agility courses for dogs in your area that are open to the public, or set up your own obstacle course in the backyard. Have your dog weave through cones, jump through a hula hoop, or run through a tunnel. This challenges both their body and their mind.

• Visit the dog park

Let your dog run and play with other dogs at the dog park. There are tons of new smells and dogs with different energy levels to keep things interesting. Some dog parks have features of agility courses or other objects for your dog to play as well.

• Take the stairs

Whether it’s the stairs at your house or out on your walk, take a few trips up and down to work your dog’s muscles and joints and burn calories. One idea is to change up whether you put your dog’s food upstairs or downstairs, so they have to use the stairs to get to it.

Don’t worry about your dog being too sedentary when you’re out of town either. At Lake Wylie Pet Resort, dogs get plenty of time and room to run and play with other dogs between periods of rest. Your dog can stay active, and you can have peace of mind knowing they are safe and in good hands. Contact us today to book your dog’s next stay!