Why Play Exercise Is A Must-Do For Your Dog?
Play is a serious business for puppies. As soon as the puppy can stagger around on his four wobbly legs at about three weeks, he will spend much of his waking hours tumbling over, play-biting and play-wrestling with his litter mates, nipping and chasing his mother’s tail. These are no idle games, but important lesson as these skills prepare a puppy for the real thing in life to survive as an adult dog—where he may have to defend his territory and/or protect himself from danger.
Nowadays, dogs don’t need to hunt for food (domesticated, not stray) and many would not be able to catch anything even if they wanted to. Urban environments and small territories mean that many dogs do not take as much natural exercise as the free-ranging rural dog, which may roam a territory as large as 250 acres. Dogs that are kept constantly indoors for their own safety are even more severely restricted.
Puppies are naturally active than adult dogs. If dogs are not given opportunity to exercise or have play session, will become lazy, overweight, and lethargic. Usually, these signs develop very gradually. Just like human, you won’t notice the extra pounds you put on or how unfit you’ve become if you lead a sedentary lifestyle for a long period. By the time they became obvious, they’ve already become a problem. The same goes with dogs.
Moreover, few owners do very little daily exercise to keep themselves fit hence many don’t see the need for their dogs.
Why Play Exercise Is Important For Your Dog?
Play exercises keep dogs healthier, mentally and physically. For examples, play exercise
- Tones their muscles.
- Straightens their cardiovascular system.
- Reduces stress—which can cause behavioral problems such as food guarding and excessive barking.
- Alleviates boredom—which can lead to destructive behaviors such as digging and chewing.
Regular play sessions can be fun for both you and your dog as it strengthens the bond.
Although you need not share that passion for play like all puppies do, at the very least do consider devising some play exercises for your dog. There are tons of play exercises, find one that suits both you and your dog’s lifestyles. Here are some examples,
- IQ Test: How Fast Can Your Dog Think? – Maze
- Can I Play Tug With My Dog?
- Which Sport Will Your Dog Be Interested In?
- Why You Should Teach Your Dog to Use the Doorbell?
- Playing Hide-and-Seek With Your Dog
Tips on How to Make Play Exercise Sessions More Efficient and Fun
- Keep it Short. Regardless of the activities you choose, a ten to twenty minutes of play exercise each day will keep your dog fit and happy. Avoid playing for longer period as you may find your dog’s attention wanders, of course there will be some hyperactive dogs who will play for hours if allowed.
- Warm-up and Cool down. Just like any aerobic exercises, always have a gentle warm-up before beginning the exercise session and a cool down period at the end. If you can throw in a therapeutic message for your dog, that’s even better.
- Make it a Habit. Keep to the same time each day—dogs are creatures of habit. Just make sure that your dog do not do any rigorous play exercises within an hour of a meal.
Once you notice the many benefits your dog get from play exercises, I hope it will motivate you to do the same for your own health. That’s one of the reasons why I love dogs. They keep me very young. =P
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