Exercising with Your Dog

In order to ensure that your dog is as healthy and happy as possible it is necessary for it to get the proper amount of exercise.  Many people are not able to give their dogs the room that they really need to run around.  Fortunately it is not always necessary to have a lot of room for your dog to run in order for it to get adequate exercise.  In fact, many experts think that it is only necessary for you to exercise with your dog four or five times a week for less than an hour.  This is good news for you as well because many people do not get as much exercise as they should either.  Therefore it becomes a win-win situation for both you and for your dog.  What kind of exercises can you do with your dog?

 One of the most common things that you can do with your dog is to take it for a walk.  This is easy and almost anyone can do it.  Some of the problems that you may run into are if your dog is not good on a leash or if you have difficulty in walking.  For those of you that have an unruly leash dog some training will be necessary.  It is not too difficult to train a dog to walk on a leash once you know the basics.  The dog should always walk on your left hand side just at your heel.  It may be necessary for you to get a choker collar in order to firmly correct your dog.  You will want to ensure that you are not hurting the dog, however.  It will not take the dog long to start to pay attention to how you are walking and walk nicely at your side.

 If you are a runner, or if after some time of walking the dog you find that you would like to get more exercise yourself, the dog will really love you for it.  You will want to be careful, however, that you are not overworking a dog that is not used to getting too much exercise.  It may be necessary for you to take it easy for a bit while the dog works up to your level.  This will especially be the case if the dog is a little up in years but still very active.

 If you get your exercise at the gym and do not have the gumption to take your dog out for a walk regularly, then here are some other ways that your dog can exercise.  A great game of fetch, if your dog is so inclined to play it, can give it a good workout while allowing you to stay still.  If there is a dog park in your area and your dog is properly socialized then you may want to take it there also.  Just make sure that your dog has its shots and is current on things such as its heartworm pills.

 By insuring that your dog is getting adequate exercise you can help it to lead a longer and fuller life.  You will also benefit from the additional exercise if you are able to do it.