A dog is a great companion for families and individuals. They are adorable and stick with you through thick and thin. In order to keep your dog healthy, vets in Kelowna recommend they need exercise just like we do. Sometimes you just don’t feel like going out because the weather is nasty, you’re feeling sick or you’re just not in the mood. It is important your dog still receives daily exercise. So instead of outdoors activities you can create exercises for your dog indoors. Here are some clever indoor exercise ideas.
K9 Nose Work (K9NW)
For fun or competition, K9 Nose Work is a terrific sport or game for both people and dogs. A great workout that is most often performed outdoors, but can definitely be adjusted to use indoors. This is the one sport where the dog knows more than the person at the end of the leash! K9NW accommodates almost every type of dog. It’s a terrific way to exercise an older dog to do impact-free. It’s also a great way to burn off energy in a younger dog. For shy dogs, the sport builds confidence. And for dog-aggressive or reactive dogs, K9NW is the perfect sport because there are never any other dogs around when one dog is searching. To learn more about K9NW, here are a couple of links for you to review:
http://www.clickertraining.com/harnessing-the-power-of-your-dogs-nose
Obstacle Course
You may have seen on television military personnel going through obstacle courses for training. The course challenges participants both mentally and physically. You can improvise an obstacle course for your dog indoors by using numerous objects around your house. With some ingenuity, you can create a fun exercise course that works your dog’s body and mind. An obstacle course to exercise your dog is probably a favorite of all the vets in Kelowna. Start by moving furniture around. Use your cushions to make a tunnel and pillows placed diagonally to maneuver from one to the other. Leave a treat at the end when they complete the obstacle course as a reward. Begin by mapping it out first to create a basic layout of your exercise course.
On the Old Treadmill
This by far is one of the easiest ways to exercise your dog. If you own a treadmill, start it up and get your dog on it. Make sure the treadmill is at a speed your dog is comfortable with and able to keep up at a steady pace. Make sure to stay with your dog during the duration on the treadmill. Maybe stand in front of the treadmill and reward by telling him/her they are doing good on the treadmill. Once the dog is comfortable and steady on the treadmill, increase the speed to make the exercise a little more challenging. Vets in Kelowna suggest you can hold onto a leash but under no circumstance should you tie your dog to the treadmill.
Play Fetch
This is one of the best games and exercises for your dog. It is normally played outdoors in a wide area but can be played indoors. The trick is as recommended by vets in Kelowna, adequate distance between yourself and your dog. Move any objects out of the way you are concerned might get broken or damaged. Then throw an object and have your dog fetch it. Repeat a few times until you see signs your dog is getting tired.
One last suggestion our vets in Kelowna suggest is to play a game of hide and seek with your dog. Hide doggy treats and have him/her search them out.