Dog
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Workouts
To a dog, a walk is an all-round workout that keeps his body and his mind healthy. But it's important that your dog is exercised every day, not just at weekends. Regular exercise will help him lose weight as well as keeping him fitter, healthier and happier. Extra long walks at the weekend can actually do more harm than good, especially if your dog suffers from arthritis. He may appear to keep up, but he can be stiff and sore the following day.
Dogs are social animals, and no matter how much love and companionship you provide, it cannot make up for the intersting sights and smells they experience when they're out and about.
Workout exercise tips
Regular walk - take your dog to the local park or just along the street.
Resistance walk - try to walk your dog on different surfaces like sand, shallow water, fallen leaves, snow or on a rough surface.
Enhanced walk - use obstacles when you're out walking like benches, trees, ditches and logs for your dog to jump over, crawl under or balance on.
Fetch - throwing a ball or toy is great exercise for your dog, and you can make him work harder by doing it on a hillside or stairs. Don't throw sticks, though, as they can splinter and cause injury.
Hide and seek - hide a toy or some kibbles and let your dog find them.
Swimming or hydrotherapy - ideal for dogs with arthritis or back problems. Ask your vet about hydrotherapy.
Obstacle courses - set up low hurdles (use a broom stick across two objects), tunnels (available from pet shops or use cardboard boxes) and a slalom course (objects set one metre apart) to exercise your dog.