In keeping with our articles on Do you have a Fat Dog, and Overweight Cats, how do we exercise our overweight pets?
In the previous article, Best Dog Food for Weight Loss, we talked about the diet and food in general. Most obese or overweight dogs tend to be older dogs with some degree of arthritis.
This helps to explain how they became overweight in the first place: the painful arthritis caused them to decrease their activity level which made it easy for the weight to creep up. Often we feel sorry for a mopey dog and give him snacks (at least I do!) furthering the problem of ingesting more calories than he burns off from physical activity.
Dog Exercise
Dog exercise does not have to be complicated at all, and dog exercise equipment can be simple or complicated. If dogs are obese, i.e. extremely overweight, we usually begin their exercise program with range of motion exercises to stretch and stimulate sore joints, and then dog aquatic therapy in one of our pools. Water supports the weight of the body so that the arthritic joints don’t have to stress as badly. There is still muscular activity whether swimming or walking in water, so calories are burned, and cardiovascular fitness is enhanced. Eventually the swimming dog can add walking to the routine. Dog walking is one of the best exercises, but if your pet is seriously overweight or arthritic, you may need to begin with multiple short walks each day. It doesn’t have to be a production that takes a lot of time either. You should measure the time or rounds that you go (how many times around the yard or around the field, etc.)
Only by measuring what you do can you be assured of making positive changes. A walk for exercise is a brisk walk, not a half speed stop every six feet and sniff. That slow wandering may be OK at first for an obese dog that is not physically able to march around, but not for long. The whole family can be involved as well. Kids need to learn responsibility, and they often need exercise, so having your young person exercise with your dog while mom and dad are busy is great for everyone.
Dog Weight Loss Plans
All dogs are individuals, and there is no single weight loss plan that is ideal for all of them. We have to consider temperament, ability, interest, intelligence, etc. to come up with a dog work out that works. Many clients will drop off a dog for ‘fat camp’ several days a week and we make sure there are several exercise sessions daily, and try to find what that individual enjoys the best. The dogs tend to be awake all day watching the activity at the clinic, and burn more calories wandering around in a big pen then they would at home, so they sleep well when they get home that night!
Dog Weight Loss Training
Exercise for dogs can be in the form of training also. There are many dog sports available to learn, and there are unlimited cool things you can teach your dog to do with you. Once you learn how to teach them and the dog learns how to learn, training can give you both a fun outlet.
There is specially made exercise equipment for dogs, dogs can learn to run on your own treadmill, there are canine treadmills, there is gear designed for you to bike safely with your dog, they can fetch tennis balls for you, the possibilities are limited by your imagination. So get that chunky couch puppy outside and moving around, you’ll be rewarded by having a healthier happier dog for many more years.
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