To be clear, I am not talking about excessive amounts, but simply a small walk a day can really show an impact on the overall health of the systems within our dog’s body.
For example; the cardiovascular system becomes stronger with regular exercise, and this lessens the risk of chronic heart disease and builds up resilience when developing vascular diseases (CHD). Exercise lowers blood pressure and helps build resilience for tears/breaks or other osteoarthritic diseases that involve bones and muscle, which in turn prolongs your dog’s life. Also, much like human anxiety, in some dogs, science states that it can also reduce stress!
Sometimes we all need a breather or a walk in the park or neighbourhood to reset or perhaps catch up on what’s new with the neighbours.
Amongst these benefits that assist our dogs in healthy living, exercise also helps general social development. Social development is not only referring to other dog interactions… but also traffic noise, birds, trees, natural environments, and other people! Going on walks and exercising will help some dogs desensitise to these different surroundings which long term can also have an additional benefit. To find out where the dog-friendly parks and beaches are in the Perth metropolitan click here.
Now in saying this I am completely aware that some dogs may not be able to exercise as freely as others, especially in these heat bursts in Australia (especially your brachycephalic breeds: French Bulldogs, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Pugs etc). Obesity in pets is the number one restriction when it comes to freely exercising and is the number one cause associated with several medical complaints such as cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, liver disease or insulin resistance. But just because we may have overweight or even obese pets does not mean exercise is off the table. Like a toddler learning to walk… lets take small steps. How about throwing the ball or encouraging your pet to move with positive reinforcement techniques! Once we do start to develop some growth markers in exercise then it does not hurt to go for smaller walks around the block or even down the driveway. Every move is a win! If not every day, what about every second day? This along with an appropriate weight loss diet can really help your pet shred the kilos! If you think your pet is overweight or needs to lose a few pounds, we are here to help! Book a free weight assessment with a AdelaideVet nurse today
With this information I set you a task, no matter great or small:
- Let’s try every day (if not second) to implement some exercise in your pets lifestyle!
- Take a photo and send it through to either our Facebook page or via email (we would love to see what you’re up to!)
If you’re wanting to learn more or perhaps come in for a consultation so we can discuss ways that we can help your pet, or how you can implement movement in their routine, then please call us! We have Veterinarians and Nurses that would love to catch up.
