Exercise for Pets: Starting the New Year off on the Right Paw
Many of us include “lose weight” on our list of new year’s resolutions, but what about our pets? If your tabby is getting tubby, your Pomeranian getting plump, or your beagle getting beefy, you’ve come to the right place. Exercise for pets isn’t only important for weight loss, it’s also a vital component of a happy life!
Your friends at BEEVET want to help you make 2017 the best year yet for your pet, and our simple and effective ideas for pet weight loss can get you started.
The Problem with a Lack of Exercise
Our pets are born to move! Historically pets have had to earn their keep in order to live with humans, which meant plenty of calories were burned as they protected the property or hunted for vermin.
Today’s pets live a more sedentary lifestyle, and opportunities for exercise and mental stimulation aren’t as readily available as they were in the past. This lack of activity can result in pent-up energy, leading to behavior problems, such as:
- Destructive digging, chewing, or scratching
- Excitability and nighttime activity
- House soiling, litter box problems
- Play biting, rough play, aggression
- Barking, whining, yowling
Lack of exercise can also lead to obesity, a problem that is becoming more common among today’s pets. Obese pets are at risk for many of the same health problems as humans, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, arthritis, and cancer.
Exercise for Pets
Fortunately, making sure your pet gets regular exercise isn’t complicated, but it does require a certain level of commitment on the part of the pet owner. Try the following fun ways to make sure Fido or Fluffy gets moving each and every day:
- Daily walk, hike, run
- Laser pointer or feather chase play
- Tug-of-war, fetch, or Frisbee toss
- Cat tree or jungle gym
- Obstacle course, agility training
- Obedience class
- Hide and seek
A Win-Win!
Daily exercise keeps your pet happy and healthy, and can also be a lot of fun. Get creative by trying out new walking paths or hiking trails, making some DIY pet toys, or creating a fun new game out of materials you have lying around the home.
Besides curbing behavior problems and regulating body weight, regular play and exercise for pets can have other benefits, including:
- Keeping joints and muscles healthy and limber
- Reducing constipation and other digestive problems
- Building confidence
- Strengthening the bond between you and your pet
- Helping pets sleep through the night
Before You Begin…
Give us a call! We’ll give your pet the once-over (also known as a wellness exam) to make sure that he or she is ready to begin an exercise program, and give you recommendations as to age-appropriate activities for your pet.