We all know how important exercise is for a well-rounded pup, and we've always depended on our Daily Walks to give our dogs the physical and mental stimulation they need. Though, as the weather has been getting colder, even the dogs don't want to be outside. Here are some things that have worked for us to fully exercise our pooches even when we're on a shorter walk.
Making the City Your Obstacle Course
Our dogs expend more energy by running, climbing and jumping, so we're always on the lookout for standard city-fare to use as obstacles. Our pooches do weaves around trees, jumps over benches, and even just doing step ups on the raised stairs that line the sidewalks. (We do consider our pooches' joints, and make any hops or jumps low.)We like to think of it as the pooches' version of parkour.
Including Mental Challenges
Practicing training is always a good way to mentally exhaust our pups, and we've learned how practicing sit-stays and down-stays on elevated objects
is a good way to give them confidence while practicing willpower. When we find abandoned benches or raised barriers, we spend a couple of minutes practicing our sit stays before moving on. The added bonus is there are so many distractions outside in the city which makes it even better practice.
Backpack Training
We love how using the backpack keeps our pups focused by giving them a 'job', plus carrying a bit of extra weight can be a bit more exhausting if you're going on a shorter walk. Here are
some other ways Mr. B uses his backpack.
What are some other ways you've learned to tire out your pup when you aren't going on longer walks?
Also:
How we practice mental exercises in our home
Mr. B carries our groceries
Tricks on Walks
4 comments:
Backpacks are a huge help. We don't use it as much in the summer,due to the heat, but we use more frequently in the colder months. We also play with Mugsy inside the house (tug of war, hide and seek, tricks, etc) to physically and mentally tire him out.
We encounter the short walk probelm in our 110+ degree Phoenix summers. We relish our winter when walks can be long again! Great ideas. We have a series of 10 poles we always have the pups weave in and out of--Hades even does it off leash. It makes him very proud!
I love these ideas, as it gets colder here the walks get shorter too and some days we don't get out for one... luckily we have a big backyard to help with that.
Rotating between a strict heel and the freedom to stop and sniff something for a few minutes seems to tire out my pup.
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