Dog Activities and Fun - Keeping Your Dog Healthy With Activities And Fun

Name: Veterinary Services
Brand: Haywood Road Animal Hospital

How much activity does my dog need for optimal health?

It depends on the dog's size and energy levels, but a good goal to aim for is at least one 20-minute walk a day. For younger, more energetic dogs, two or three walks a day would be preferable.

Dr. Adele Hilliard
Haywood Road Animal Hospital

How does the ideal activity level for a dog change based on age and breed?

For young puppies, avoid long hikes as it can overstress their joints. When they reach 9 to 12 months of age, up to 6 to 8 years or more, depending on their joint health, a daily walk is ideal. For senior dogs, daily walks are still good, but you might need to adjust the length and do two shorter walks instead of one long one to avoid soreness.

What health problems can arise in dogs that don't get enough activity?

Lack of exercise can lead to weight gain, poor heart health, stiff joints, and mental issues due to insufficient stimulation.

How does a dog's activity level affect their behavior?

If a dog doesn't get enough exercise, it can create anxiety and lead to destructive behaviors in the house. It's important to provide adequate exercise to prevent these issues.

How should I deal with destructive activities and behaviors?

First, determine the cause of the destructive behavior. If it's due to a lack of exercise, increase the amount of activity, either by taking your dog for walks or enrolling them in doggy daycare. Avoid getting too angry with your dog, as they learn through positive association. If you're still having issues, consult your veterinarian for further advice.

What are some fun activities I can do with my dog?

There are many fun activities you can do with your dog, such as hiking, walking, playing nose games inside, tug of war, swimming, doggy daycare, or even bringing them to a dog-friendly workplace.

If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (864) 288-7472, or you can email us at [email protected]. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can. Don't forget to follow us on social media Facebook, Instagram

Dog Activities and Fun - FAQs

Adele Hilliard
Haywood Road Animal Hospital

What are some great outdoor dog games to play?

Some really good outdoor dog games to play would be things like nose games. You can get one of their favorite treats and have them sit inside while you go put treats around the various backyard and they can go look for them, which is a really fun thing for them to do. You can also even play hide and seek with your dog, they really like that. Of course, going on walks, hikes, those kinds of things can be great. Overall, just interacting with your dog in general and positive reinforcement with treats is really great as well.

What are some great indoor dog games to play?

Same thing, you can still do those nose games indoors. You can have them either sit and watch you where you put those treats, especially when you're first doing these games, or put them out into a different room to make it a little bit more challenging once they're used to that. You can also give them a food puzzle. You can get these on Amazon and put their food inside it and they can work to get it out. Those are some really good things that you can do.

What can I do to keep my dog active or out of trouble?

First of all, crate training your dog can be really helpful, or at least keeping them in an enclosed area where they feel safe. Within that area, giving them a food puzzle to do, as long as they have no food allergies, giving them peanut butter that's frozen and a Kong can be really great. Just things to keep them mentally stimulated while you're gone are great.

What are some types of activities that are good for training my dog?

With training, you always want to use positive reinforcement and you want to try and make it fun. So, whether that is basic training or more advanced, we want to initially train them with food and almost hand commands. Use treats to encourage them to do well and then give lots and lots of praise after they've accomplished those things.

What should I do if I notice my adult dog becoming less active?

Definitely give us a call. We can make sure they don't have any signs of arthritis or pain in their knees and their hips specifically, but we do see some issues in their elbows as well. Sometimes we need to make a food change, but either way, definitely let us know and we'll get them in and help you figure out what's going on.