10 Exercise Ideas to Improve your Dogs Behavior
September 19th, 2023 by Marlene Ring
As a San Antonio dog training authority, I know most of our dogs don’t get the exercise they need.
They usually sleep all day while we’re at work and once we get home, they get a short walk and maybe a little bit of playtime.
This might be enough for some dogs, but what about the rest? These are the ones who start getting into trouble or become the “wild” dogs.
A dog that has a diverse exercise regimen will lead a healthier life and will also be a better companion. Exercise is known to increase endorphins (the happy hormones) in both dogs and humans.
Moving with your dog might also improve your own health and mood.
Use these 10 ideas to transform them to be a better companion.
- Walking or jogging with your dog is always a great start.
- Having your dog play with other dogs is great exercise too. Ask your neighbors and friends if they can bring their pets over or sign up for an occasional Doggie Day Care.
- Search for a quality dog park which is known to be safe and well supervised by the dog owners.
- Don’t forget about the recall game (calling the dog back and forth between two people) with treats as a reward is not only good exercise but also polishes his response for coming when called. Hide and seek indoors or out is another way to get your dog speeding from one location to the next as he tries to “Find Mama!”
- If you’re blessed with a dog that retrieves, build on this natural instinct. Find objects that intrigue him rather than just balls. Be sure he’s mature enough before you include household items such as slippers or keys.
- Tie a bungee toy to a strong tree and your pooch can entertain himself for hours jumping and tugging.
- Remember that many dogs love to swim in lakes and creeks or splash in plastic kiddie pools. You can encourage him by tossing a tennis ball in the shallow edges and slowly throw it in the deeper areas.
- Visit www.texashiking.com for great walking trails that you can take your dog on. Maybe turn it into a camping weekend.
- Gently introduce your dog to a bike and work on him walking and then jogging next to you. It is important that the dog realizes that you are out for exercise and not for him to sniff so you are both safe.
- Participating in dog sport classes can be lots of fun. Treibball, flyball, frisbee, agility, herding and dock diving not only give your dog the exercise he needs, but he also gets a lot of mental stimulation.
All these exercise suggestions are training in disguise and will help the quality of you and your dog’s life.
His behavior will improve by managing the excess energy and keeping him in shape. It’s up to you to keep these exercises fun.
Your dog may not enjoy every one of these activities…not a problem, move on to the next idea.
As always, make sure you give your pooch time to cool down after exercise.
