Tips for Overweight Dogs and Cats

Exercises for your dog

Exercising your dog should be fun and can very easily fit into your daily life. Start off slowly and only increase exercise gradually as fitness improves. Make use of daily opportunities to give your dog exercise and stimulation.

• Go for regular walks. Try resistance walking, by making your dog walk on different surfaces such as sand, shallow water of fallen leaves. Consider using obstacles such as benches, trees or ditches as a natural obstacle course to jump over, crawl under or balance on.
• Play fetch by throwing a ball or toy for your dog. For a more challenging game, use steep banks (outdoors) or stairs (indoors) for increased resistance.
• A game of hide and seek is always lots of fun. Hide some kibbles and let your dog find them.
• Take your dog with you when you go jogging or cycling.
• Swimming or hydrotherapy is ideal for dogs with arthritis or back problems. Ask your vet for advice.
• Setup obstacle courses indoors or outdoors using household items such as broom sticks, buckets and cardboard boxes.
• Massage and stretching helps to warm up muscles, release tension and stimulate blood circulation.