Exercising your Dog

It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to exercise your dog. Exercise can lead to longer life for your pet. Exercising with your dog will strengthen the bond you two share. It will also help control your dogs' weight and ensure that they maintain a healthy heart, lungs and muscles.

The type of exercise that you do with your dog depends on their needs and physical condition. For example a healthy puppy can play for hours at a time and never seem to get tired. On the other hand a nice easy walk may be the better option for an older dog. If you don't want to do any of the actual walking youself there are other ways to give your dog the exercise he needs. Playing fetch is a great way to give your dog plenty of exercise whilst you can take it easy. Most dogs love to run after and return a ball or stick, and some like to catch things like a flying disc.

When you are exercising your dog keep in mind the weather conditions; and by that I don't mean remember to take an umbrella! Dogs can be susceptible to frostbite and heat stroke. If you walk your dog in the snow be sure to wipe their pads to remove any snow afterwards. In hot summer conditions should also remember that hot asphalt from tarmac roads can burn your dog's pads, so let your dog walk on the pavement or grass wherever possible.

If your dog seems to be "hyper" or always getting into trouble, the problem may be that your dog isn't getting enough exercise. Common reasons for behavioural problems in dogs are boredom and lack of adequate exercise.

Every dog is different and before you start any type of exercise program you want to make sure your dog is in good health. Another thing to take into consideration is the breed of dog you have. Some dogs are happy with a daily walk and some breeds need intense workouts. You should be careful to do some research before embarking on bringing a new puppy or dog into the family; all too often there are stories in the press of dogs who have become dangerously overweight, or even abandoned, because owners have failed to take their physical needs into account and have found themselves unable to exercise them fully. Not only is it a moral responsibility to ensure that the physical needs of pets are met, it is also a legal requirement under the Animal Welfare Act to provide them with the exercise, diet and care that they need to be happy and life-long companions.

To make sure your dog stays healthy and will enjoy a long life, you might want to consider buying pet insurance in case there will be any unforeseen medical expenses in the years to come. You have health insurance on the rest of your family and for peace of mind you might want to buy dog insurance on your canine companion.

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