Can you provide your dog with more exercise without increasing the time or distance you walk them
All dogs need to be exercised. However, dogs of different ages, fitness levels and particular breeds will vary in the amount of exercise they need. This is one of the most important factors to consider when picking the right dog breed or mix of breeds for you.
While a few dog breeds, for example some of the toy breeds, will be happy with just one gentle half hour walk a day, other breeds like the Border collie really won’t thrive without several hours of busy, lively exercise every single day.
Sometimes, providing enough exercise for your dog’s needs can be hard, but it’s not always the length of the walk. How active your dog is, how hard they work during those walks, and the distance they cover is a huge factor too.
In this article, we’ll tell you some ways to give your dog more exercise and boost their fitness during a walk. Read on to learn more.
Pick up the pace
The best and most obvious way to get your dog to exercise more effectively within the time you have is to pick up the pace – obviously, if you and your dog walk more briskly, you can cover a greater area and wear your dog (and yourself) out faster than if you just amble along.
Get your dog playing with others
If there are parks or other open spaces where others walk their dogs and there’s an opportunity for the dogs to socialise, this can offer a great way for your dog to burn off some excess energy. Just be aware that not all dogs enjoy this kind of activity. Dogs are often very playful and energetic when in a group but bear in mind that this doesn’t suit all dogs – yours may or may not be highly sociable.
Increase the distance your dog traverses without increasing your own walking distance
If your dog can be off lead, they will generally cover several times the distance you do on as they rarely walk along in a linear fashion, other than when walking to heel.
There are lots of ways to give your dog more exercise during a walk, such as games of fetch with a ball or Frisbee, or by enabling a tracking or scent work game. And you don’t have to walk any further!
Offer mental stimulation
Dogs need the relevant amount of physical exercise to meet their needs, but the importance of mental stimulation should not be overlooked either. Mental stimulation also rewards and tires out your dog.
Incorporate training into walks, give your dog direction, provide problems to solve, and harness their natural skills like retrieving or tracking, depending on their breed.
Teach your dog a new skill
Get your dog involved in a canine sport like agility or heelwork, and you will likely find that you’ll get a little fitter as well – but nowhere near as much as your dog does!
All canine sports require both mental and physical fitness on the part of your dog, and just half an hour of practice or participation in many of the more active canine sports is comparable to going for a far longer walk.
Enable play and exercise outside of walks
Don’t see exercise as solely something for your dog’s walks – let them out in the garden, encourage them to play, and generally look for opportunities to get your dog moving a little more.
Spread the load
If you’re finding it challenging to meet your dog’s exercise needs due to time constraints or mobility problems, why not consider getting some help? Whether this be hiring a professional dog walker, giving the kids a task (and a way to increase their own fitness too) or roping in friends with dogs to swap group walking duties, there may well be a range of options for you to explore.
Don’t overdo things
One thing to bear in mind is that any method of upping your dog’s exercise levels or trying to get them working harder on walks needs to be undertaken sensibly and with care. You should not push your dog too hard to try to shorten the time it takes to tire them out, and always factor in things like the terrain, hot weather, your dog’s fitness, and any health issues.
If in doubt, speak to your vet for their advice and insights on the best way to proceed.
