Exercise Options
April 24, 2020
When most people think of exercise they think of walks. This is definitely an option, but a lot of dogs need something more challenging. Plus doing the same thing every day can be pretty boring. This will cover a few other choices that are my favorites.
These are recommended for adults and should not be done with puppies without help from a professional.
If your dog is over weight or has arthritis/joint issues then you should discuss your options with your vet prior to doing anything.
Pulling Weight
All three of my dogs pull weight at least every other day. It has many uses and definitely uses a lot of energy. It does require a specific harness that needs to be a good fit for the dog.
Like everything else, there is a training process needed to get the dog used to the harness and pulling things. This can be difficult for some dogs who have been taught not to pull on leash, but definitely possible with a little more work.
Once you get your harness (likely custom made from the measurements of your dog) then you can start getting them used to wearing it. Some may need a little convincing in order to allow you to put it on them. Grab some treats and reward them for sniffing it, allowing you to put it over their head, putting it completely on and for just wearing it. Once they let you put it on without issue then we can move to the next step.
Now we have to get them used to pulling things and the sound that comes with it. I recommend introducing a command to pull into the harness in this step as well. So each time before you start moving say your command. I use “pull”, but you can use whatever you want.
When starting, make sure to use something light, less than 5 lbs. Even less if you have a small/medium dog. Keep your dog on leash and hook the harness up to the light weight.
It’s important to only allow your dog to smoothly and slowly pull into the harness. It’s not safe for them to jump or rush into pulling. You may have to try a few things to achieve this. We are still working on this with one of mine and what I have to do is give slight leash pressure down because he likes to lift his front feet and jerk into the harness. Doing this makes him stay on the ground and slows him down.
Once you get them used to the sound and feel of pulling light weight then you can start going short distances to build their strength. After a couple weeks you can slowly increase the amount of weight or distance. My largest dog is about 82 lbs and doesn’t pull more than 20 lbs.
I also teach a command to stop pulling. This is mostly so I can use it during our bikes rides, but very useful for pulling weight as well.
Flirt Pole
Flirt pole requires less effort on your part, which is nice. You can buy one online or you can make one. I just purchase a horse whip that is 4ft+ so I can tie something to. Since they are cheap I just tie a rag to the end. The ones that come in like a 20 pack. They are also light so you can move them faster for your quick dogs.
Not all dogs will like this game. Some dogs don’t have enough prey drive ( the want to chase things that resemble prey) and won’t want to chase the rag or just may not care about it.
This one doesn’t really need much explanation. It’s basically just keep away. You move the rag while your dog chases it. You want to keep it close enough to the dog that they are still wanting it, “flirting”. If you keep it so far away that they realize they don’t have much chance then they aren’t going to want to keep chasing.
Let them catch it occasionally. Every dog has a different “reward” for catching it. One of my dogs likes to play a little tug game with the rag, one likes to tug a little, but then wants to continue the chase, and another likes to run in circles “showing off” what she caught. Let them enjoy that for a short time and then get to rag from them. You should definitely have a reliable drop it command, because your dog may really like to keep the rag and start to guard it. To reward them for dropping it just continue the chase.
Flirt pole is also a great way to practice impulse control, which is the dog learning to wait calmly in the presence of something that they really want. So even though they are really excited to chase they have to wait until you tell them they can play. Impulse control is useful in every situation; learning not to chase little animals, not breaking commands, in high distraction areas.
As a higher risk exercise, make sure to be careful. When jumping for the rag they may land wrong and hurt themselves. Please be cautious.
Swimming
Swimming is a great low impact exercise. It’s an option for older dogs, those who have joint issues or are over weight.
Obviously, this should only be done when the water is warm enough, because cold water may sour your dog to swimming. Some breeds can swim during the cold, but I would still only do it in warmer seasons.
Please don’t be one of those people that lets your dog off leash to swim when they don’t listen to you. No dog should be given off leash freedom until they have learned to come back every single time you say it. It’s not safe otherwise. There are long leashes designed to float in water. They will allow your dog to go further out while not risking the leash getting caught on something under water and still allowing you to control your dog.
Water Toxicity is something to watch out for while your dog is swimming. This is where your dog ingests too much water. He may not be purposely drinking water, but my be ingesting it while they are swimming. This happens often if they are holding something in their mouth while in the water. Make sure to give your dog breaks from the water. Maybe every 30 minutes or so have him stay on land for 15+ minutes, something like that.
If you go to the beach, make sure to bring fresh water so you dog doesn’t drink the salt water. Offer it to him often.
Bikejoring
There are similar activities like dry-land mushing, skijoring, sulky, etc. All are kind of similar, the dog’s just pulling something different.
For bikejoring you will, obviously, need a bike. Make sure it has breaks. It will do you good to teach your dog a go, stop, left, and right command, at the very least. Do this before you start riding the bike or you may end up in some pain!
You’ll also need a harness. This will likely also be custom made. There are some makers that offer pre-made harnesses. There are A LOT of different designs and they all have a different purpose. Every breed and dog have a different build so you’ll have to research what harnesses best fit that build. If you contact a maker they may recommend some options.
Just like pulling weight, you’ll have to introduce the harness and the act of pulling into it. Some dogs have issues with bikes so if your dog does, you need to work on that as well.
If you have more than one dog, work with them separately until they know what to do.
To prevent to leash from getting stuck in the tire during turns or when there’s slack you need a bike attachment to keep the leash above the tire. There are options that you can buy or DIY. Tons of choices so find one that you like best.
Those are just a couple of my favorites. You have way more options available.
The goal is to have a healthy dog so try some things and see what you and your dog like. When you both enjoy it it won’t feel like a daily chore! Keeping a fit, healthy dog means you get to spend a longer life together. If nothing else, let that be your motivator. It’s definitely one of mine!
Remember, be safe and have fun