Dog Walking Relieves Boredom From Stress | Dogs Need Daily Exercise

Exercise your dog, your dog needs sufficient aerobic exercise.  If Fido is sleeping more than 16 hours a day out of boredom, it is time for dogs to have some fun.  Lack of activity is the most common reason behavior problems develop as well as health issues. I have always heard the expression that a tired dog is a good dog.  So dog owners,  get out there and walk, it is good for you too.  Start slowly if you are not used to walking and give it a good 15 minutes to start.  Your dog will need an interim period too before turning it up a notch.  This pace will be good for continued daily activity.  After a week or so of this momentum, it is time to turn it up a notch.  Begin your walk with a 5 minute warm-up and walk at an even pace, then push yourself to walk as fast as you can for 10 minutes.  Your dog will go into a pant and you should be at a point that it is difficult to talk.  When you reach this point in your walking pace you are having a good cardio workout. Of course, all exercise regimens should be checked out with doctor and vet before undertaking to be safe.

There are lots of ways to exercise your dog, if you don’t walk everyday.

Safe Open field or Doggy Parks are good places to let your dog run. Larger dogs need space to run and play. It also stimulates the brain to explore and sniff out lots of new scents.

Swimming - Water dogs will swim all day if you let them. There are usually safe water holes designed for dogs in communities. Call your local park and recreation to find out where yours are located.

Fetching – Why do dogs like to play fetch, I cannot seem to find this answer, but it is definitely true. My neighbor plays a game with his dog. He has a long stick that has a ball on top, he whips the stick and ball goes flying. His dog runs like the wind to get the ball and return it. They do this for about 10 minutes everyday. It is a joy to watch that dog run. Sometimes it’ll run so fast it catches the ball in the air.

Frisbee – just like fetching but more challenging for the dog to catch it in the air, this activity depends on the whether the dog enjoys activity or not. My puggle would just watch this activity while her larger sister runs like the wind to catch the Frisbee. Soft Frisbees are best for teeth and gums.

Bicycling – Some dogs love to run distances, if your dog needs this kind of workout and you are not a runner try using a bike. By using a ‘Springer’ attachment to your bike, it will prevent the dog from pulling you over if there is an incident. Practice when there is no one around at first before going out on the trail where other people will be biking.

Treadmill walking – Some dogs will actually walk on the treadmill for exercise. I have not been successful in getting my dogs acclimated to this activity just yet. In the winter months, it could be a good way to keep up the daily routine on inclement weather days. Good luck with this one.

Surfing - not every dog likes water, especially salt water, but some do!

Skateboarding- are you laughing....just watch how easy the Bulldog makes it look.

Dogs are like children when it comes to playtime, they will play until they drop. So use your good judgment and do not push your dog to do things that are too strenuous or stressful to the joints. A puppy will want to please you and continue to play fetch aggressively, but you need to know when to stop before the stress level gets too high for too long.

On days you cannot take your dog out for activity, give your dog belly rubs and a good message. This will also get the blood stimulated and relieve stress from boredom. This activity is passive and should not take the place of a good workout however. The bonding experiences are priceless and so worthwhile.

The dogs in the clips just blow your mind. They sled, skateboard and surf better than most people I know. Incredible, enjoy the ride.

Some dogs are so clever and fun-loving. I am just amazed at the stunts they pull and the various acrobatics they perform. I have seen dogs do incredible stunts over the years for their masters and caretakers. This past year at the local fair we watched a show with a lady traveling with her fabulous dogs. They were all in costume and proceeded to drive cars, jump through rings of fire, build pyramids with each other and other amazing feats for our entertainment. I hope your enjoyed the videos that stimulated me to share these thoughts with you, I hope you enjoy these clips as much as I have.