Exercising Your Dog in Winter
Well yes, summer is over! The heat is gone and we often have the impression that this means that we will move less with our canine companion or that we will have less opportunity to make him exercise. However, there is always a way to make our beloved companion move and thus enjoy it a little ourselves! There is no excuse that holds and I offer you some ideas that will help you make your dog exercise, which is essential for his physical and mental health as well as for yours.
1. Play with your dog
You can play hide and seek with your dog! It's not complicated, really. Just throw his favorite toy as far as possible and run to hide. In addition to getting him moving, this will tire him out because he will rush to look for you in the house. You can even take the opportunity to practice the word "come" with him.
2. Challenge his snout
As you already know, your dog has a fascinating sense of smell. So don't hesitate to use it. Make him work for his food. You can even create an obstacle course that will lead him to his bowl. You will find kibble dispensers in stores that you can use to challenge your companion a little and you can even create your own toy with old plastic dishes that will let the kibble pass drop by drop.
3. Come on, let's move!
Just like you would do your sit-ups or push-ups to keep fit, a little exercise will do him good. Make him do actions in a loop: sit-lie-stand. Handshakes and rolls also allow him to strengthen his muscles. And why not use the old treadmill lying around in the back of the garage? You have to take some precautions so that he doesn't get injured, but if you take the time to get him used to the machine by starting with a slow pace and placing a treat in front of him, the rest will happen by itself and you can gradually increase the speed and duration.
4. Interior courtyards
You can sign up for agility or Fly Ball classes, which are very popular in the field of dog sports. These allow your dog to exercise while socializing.
5. Massage it
Do you like being massaged? Does it relax you? Why not share it with your beloved pooch? The benefits of massage for dogs are well-proven: it reduces their stress and soothes pain just as it does for us.
6. Cover up and go out
“Going outside? Oh, but it’s cold!” That may be true, but big dogs love the snow. Just run him for 30 minutes in the snow and your dog will have had his workout for the day!
7. Canicross
Do you like running? Then discover Canicross, a new and increasingly popular dog sport that simply consists of running with your dog on a leash or with a harness around the waist. It's a great way to exercise and stay in shape, both for you and your dog. That said, as with jogging, gradual learning is necessary if your dog (or you) has never run before! Find out more!
1. Play with your dog
You can play hide and seek with your dog! It's not complicated, really. Just throw his favorite toy as far as possible and run to hide. In addition to getting him moving, this will tire him out because he will rush to look for you in the house. You can even take the opportunity to practice the word "come" with him.
2. Challenge his snout
As you already know, your dog has a fascinating sense of smell. So don't hesitate to use it. Make him work for his food. You can even create an obstacle course that will lead him to his bowl. You will find kibble dispensers in stores that you can use to challenge your companion a little and you can even create your own toy with old plastic dishes that will let the kibble pass drop by drop.
3. Come on, let's move!
Just like you would do your sit-ups or push-ups to keep fit, a little exercise will do him good. Make him do actions in a loop: sit-lie-stand. Handshakes and rolls also allow him to strengthen his muscles. And why not use the old treadmill lying around in the back of the garage? You have to take some precautions so that he doesn't get injured, but if you take the time to get him used to the machine by starting with a slow pace and placing a treat in front of him, the rest will happen by itself and you can gradually increase the speed and duration.
4. Interior courtyards
You can sign up for agility or Fly Ball classes, which are very popular in the field of dog sports. These allow your dog to exercise while socializing.
5. Massage it
Do you like being massaged? Does it relax you? Why not share it with your beloved pooch? The benefits of massage for dogs are well-proven: it reduces their stress and soothes pain just as it does for us.
6. Cover up and go out
“Going outside? Oh, but it’s cold!” That may be true, but big dogs love the snow. Just run him for 30 minutes in the snow and your dog will have had his workout for the day!
7. Canicross
Do you like running? Then discover Canicross, a new and increasingly popular dog sport that simply consists of running with your dog on a leash or with a harness around the waist. It's a great way to exercise and stay in shape, both for you and your dog. That said, as with jogging, gradual learning is necessary if your dog (or you) has never run before! Find out more!
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