High-flying outdoor activities like, running, jumping and playing are the favorites among dogs. These outdoor activities are valuable for their sound physical as well as mental development. Regular workout can reduce the risk of excessive weight gain, indigestion, heart disease and other illnesses. But when the snow-covered almost every area outside your house, it becomes quite difficult to take your barker out for jogging and outdoor exercise.
Small breeds like Poodles, Beagles and Terriers are high-spirited and immensely active. They require more than one hour of daily workout every day to remain strong, fit and vigorous. Even the large breed dogs like German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Dalmatian and Great Dane need a few bursts of exercise each day. However, the snow-covered roads, low visibility, incessant hail storm and the sub-zero temperature make it really hard to take a single step outside the home during winter. And keeping your puppy stationed inside the home and letting him allow to become a couch potato is something you can’t afford as a responsible dog owner. So what are the best possible remedies to keep your canine fit and healthy through exercise without taking him outside your residence?
In this article, we are going to offer you some of the useful tips collected from the pet fitness experts that may help you to keep your canine in perfect shape even if you can’t find a way to take him out during winter.
Involved your dog with different sorts of indoor exercise-
Most of the professional dog trainers accept the fact that, chilly winter months are not ideal for outdoor activities and for health and security reasons it is also not a viable option. You can make your dog workout from the comfort and convenience of your home that will keep him in good shape for years to come. We have rounded up some of the useful calorie-busting workouts for your dog that can be done indoors:
Play Fetch – The most popular game that you can play with your dog inside the house is fetch. To play this game you need to pick a suitable spot in your home (not necessarily the place has to be extremely large as a playground) just make sure he is not going to get himself hurt or destroy any of your home furnishing items. You can make use of a quality dog toy or ball. You simply need to throw it to some distance and ask your dog to bring it back to you. It is an excellent fitness regime that you can follow indoors.
Play Catch- Almost same as fetch, playing catch is another calorie-busting game you can play with your canine during winter. You need to toss-up his favorite toy or a ball in the air and make him catch it and fetch it to you. After couple of round is over, for a change you can play catch into different rooms within the house.
Put your dog on the treadmill- If you have a treadmill in your house, get your dog on it. Slowly turn it on and increase the difficulty level gradually. It is a remarkable way to make your canine healthy even during the harsh winter months.
Make use of your stairs- No treadmill in your house? Don’t need worry. Up and down the stairs with your dog is an excellent replacement for a treadmill session. Moving up and down the stairs can help your pooch to boost his endurance, gain better body balance and acquire more strength naturally.
Dog trainers for aggressive dogs viewed all these indoor activities as fabulous cardio exercise that will help him to remain at the top of his fitness without putting a step outside the home during cold months.
Dog toys and mind games – Mind games that you can play inside the house are another great way to quench your barker’s thirst for mental simulation. There are multiple dog toys available in the market that can help you out for serving this mission. Highly interactive brain games can erase boredom, enhance IQ of your puppy and solidify the bond between two of you as you work together as a team.
Food Dispensing Machine- They are excellent boredom-busters. Owners can make use of this machine not only as a food dispenser but as an attractive toy. Stuff the food dispensing machine for dogs with a great variety of treats and tasties. Make sure every time it dispenses different types of foods. This will make your dog eagerly wait for the next meal or rather the next surprise. This eagerness will accelerate his metabolism and aid his digestion.
Kibble Hunt- Instead of placing the food straight in front of him, make him find it all by himself. Place the food in various places such as underneath rugs, behind the doors, under a table and make him hunt for it. It will keep him moving all the time and he will remain physically active.
Chewing Toys- The best way to prevent your dog chewing your expensive shoes or other things in your house is offering him chewing dog toys. Dog chew toys are useful items to keep your puppy busy and divert them into some quiet physical activity. Bell Dog Chew Toy, Squawkin’ Rubber Toys, Rubber Bite Bone for Dogs are some of the fantastic chewing toys you can opt for.
Puzzle Toys- For the overall mental development of your dog, puzzle toys could prove really instrumental. By solving different types of puzzles at various difficulty levels, your pup can effectively release built up energy in a positive manner. It is not surprising that dog owners all over the world use puzzle toys such as Squeaky Sounding Chew Toys, Pet Intelligence Toy Feeder etc. especially during winter for the mental development of their four-legged friend when the chances of interacting with other dogs outside the home are limited.
These are the specialized ways to keep your pup athletic, fresh, physically fit and wise even when the weather is uninviting outside. You just need to make sure the toy you are buying for your dog is made of top-quality material and absolutely safe.