Getting out and about!

Dogs make wonderful family pets and companions but they take up a lot of time and are a significant commitment. From the a Yorkie to a Great Dane all dogs will require at least an hour’s off the lead exercise every day. However, this doesn’t always happen and in practice I see a lot of under-exercised, under-stimulated dogs who are often quite badly behaved, simply because they are bored! There are so many fabulous activities you can do with your dog which will keep you both fit and be a wonderful bonding exercise so I thought I would tell you about some of them.

Agility Activities

Agility isn’t just for Border Collies! Agility for dogs comes in many different forms but the two most common are the ‘assault course’ type where the dog does jumps, weaves through poles, climbs see saws and runs through tunnels and ‘fly ball’ which is fast pace racing game where the dogs jump over hurdles and collect balls from a spring loaded box. Dogs of all shapes and sizes can do agility, there are different classes and sizes of obstacles available and it is a wonderful way of training and bonding with your dog. Also don’t forget ‘doggy dancing’ or ‘Heel work to music’ recently made famous by TV talent shows.

Breed Related Activities

So many dogs these days are pedigree animals and many have been bred for some form of work or activity, which means they can have lots of energy and intelligence . So, why not exploit their talents and take up a hobby they will excel at?! For example, sled dogs such as Huskies can be trained to pull ride-on carts, which is an excellent outlet for their energies not to mention a lot of fun! For the working breeds such as Labradors they can go on shoots, or there are several different retrieving type competitions, or for breeds such as whippets there are regular race meetings all over the country. Check on the internet to see if there are any organized events for your dog breed.

CaniX

This is a relatively new sport and it is essentially cross country running with your dog. Dogs of all breeds and sizes can enter and all levels of fitness (human and canine!) are catered for. You can run using a collar and lead, or a special harness, which is useful as the dog can then pull you up the hills! There are events up and down the country held all year round.

Walking

Of course, we can’t forget simply walking with your dog but even this can be made more fun and stimulating for you both. You can play games with your pet, from the classic fetch to more complex ‘scent and search’ games with a scented toy. Or why not start a walking group with friends? This could be a fun, social way to get out and about and be particularly beneficial for dogs who are nervous or aggressive as it can help them get used to canine company.

So, lets make the most of the summer weather and get out and about with our dogs!