What Exercises Are Beneficial For Your Pet?

When you’re trying to think up new ways to keep you and you pooch active, you don’t just need to count their daily walk. In fact, there might be lots of activities you’re already doing that count towards their daily exercise and you just don’t realise it yet. Only taking into account your daily walks when trying to calculate your pup’s activity levels is like trying to work out how much water you drink in a day but only counting the glasses of water you’ve consumed. There is water in so many other drinks as well as a lot of food you eat so those glasses of water aren’t the only hydration you’re getting.  

If you want to find ways to beef up your exercise regime, you don’t need just extend your walks but you can look at other beneficial activities to do together.  

Maybe you have a pooch with endless energy that you can never seem to find the end of and you need something a little more high energy to tire them out. If you go on a morning run anyway or even if you want to develop the habit, why not take your furry friend with you? Running with your dog is a great form of exercise for both of you. Running will not only help them to burn off extra energy but it will give you something to do with your pooch to further develop your bond. Any activity like running requires plenty of understanding of communication so you can stay on the same path together and find a speed that suits both of you. Learning to work together through running is a great way to take on a new challenge.  

A game of fetch might mean a lot of standing in one place for you but it certainly isn’t the same for your four-legged friend doing all the work! Fetch is a great option for exercising your canine companion. You don’t have to go very far to have a game, in fact, you can even do it in the garden or while you’re already out on a walk but it will give them lots of extra energy. For ball-obsessed dogs, it’s a fantastic way to use what they love in a healthy way. They have to learn to bring their toys back and drop them for you if they want to keep playing so there’s an element of training involved as well. If you don’t quite have the throwing arm to keep up, you can make it even easier for yourself by getting the Nerf Dog Tennis Ball Blaster. The further you can throw the ball, the more energy it’s going to take for your pup to go and get it!  

Going on a walk is great but time off lead can really boost how much your pooch is getting out of their daily outing. Getting off lead will give them more of a chance to run around and work in some extra steps while finding new things to sniff. They can roll and play with their friends. Dog socialisation is fundamental to giving your four-legged friends the most enriching and fun-filled time you can. While your pup may love playing with you, they will usually get more exercise when playing with their friends. Dogs can move faster than us, they play differently together and a quick roughhousing session or a game of chase with their best friend will have them napping as soon as they get back home.  

You may not think that training sessions count towards your dog’s daily exercise but it all counts. From learning new tricks to teaching them skills like not jumping up when they greet new people, it all takes focus and often movement. A great way to teach new skills while getting in some exercise is practising your loose lead walking. It can be done anywhere, even in the living room with no lead on while you teach your pup the position they should be in and reward them for following you and giving you their attention. You can take it a step further and do some more advanced obedience training like teaching an emergency stop or how to position themselves on a station on cue. All of these things require an amount of movement as well as a lot of thinking which will really tire your fluffy family member out. 

Swimming offers numerous benefits for dogs. It's a low-impact exercise that is gentle on joints, making it ideal for dogs with arthritis or other joint issues. Swimming also provides a full-body workout, strengthening muscles and improving cardiovascular health. It helps in weight management and can alleviate anxiety and stress. Swimming promotes mental stimulation, as dogs engage in a natural, instinctive activity. Moreover, it's a great way for dogs to cool off during hot weather. If your pooch loves to swim anyway, taking them swimming is a great source of activity, especially for growing puppies and older pooches.  

Food enrichment like activity feeders are a great way to mentally stimulate your pooch. They’re also rarely stationary as they work them out. Activity feeders will often require an amount of chasing or moving things to really get to the good stuff. Even a Kong can add to their exercise as the smooth rubber will often slip away from them and they wind up chasing it around the house to try and get every last tasty morsel out. You don’t always have to go through extreme means of introducing more exercise to your dog’s day. Even something as simple as freezing their kong to make it a little more slippery and harder to catch can give them a great time.  

The amount of exercise your dog needs depends on various factors such as age, breed, and health condition. Puppies typically require less exercise than adult dogs due to their developing bodies, while older dogs may need gentler forms of exercise to accommodate any joint stiffness or mobility issues. High-energy breeds like border collies or retrievers may need more exercise to stay mentally and physically stimulated compared to lower-energy breeds like bulldogs or pugs. 

Dogs aren’t the only ones who need regular exercise. Cats benefit greatly from regular exercise, which helps maintain their physical health and mental well-being. Providing a variety of stimulating activities can keep your feline friend happy and healthy. Cat scratchers and towers offer opportunities for climbing, scratching, and exploring vertical space, mimicking their natural behaviour in the wild. 

Puzzle feeders and treat balls engage your cat's mind while providing a rewarding challenge as they work to retrieve their food. Interactive toys like wand toys and laser pointers stimulate their hunting instincts and encourage active playtime. They have many of the same needs and opportunities as your canine companions when it comes to the different toys and activities you can do with them. Clicker training can even provide great mental stimulation for your cat, teaching them new behaviours and tricks while strengthening your bond. You might be surprised at what your kitty is willing to learn with some tasty treats. 

Many indoor cat parents even train their moggies to be comfortable wearing a harness so they can go out for regular walks and get their exercise in as well.  

While regular exercise is essential for pets, overdoing it can lead to various health problems. It's crucial to be aware of the signs of over-exercising in your pet, such as limping, excessive panting, or vomiting. These may indicate that your pet is pushing themselves too hard and needs a break. It can be hard to limit exercise, especially when you have an energetic pet like a puppy but you can use an exercise pen like the Cheeko Easy Up Play Pen Large to help limit how much they can do. 

When starting a new exercise regimen, it's important to gradually increase the duration and intensity to allow time for them to adapt. Provide access to water and shade, especially during hot weather, to prevent dehydration and heatstroke. You should adjust your exercise routine based on weather conditions, opting for indoor activities or shorter walks on extremely hot or cold days. By being mindful of your pet's limitations and monitoring their physical condition during exercise, you can ensure they stay healthy and happy without risking over-exertion. To find some fun new activities and games to try with your pets or ways to keep them entertained on hot days when you can’t go for your long walks, visit us in store and online.