Dog Fitness Tips — Staying Active on the Road
America’s dogs have a huge problem. More than half of them are overweight, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. Whether your dog carries extra pounds or not, RVing is a great way to keep our pets physically and mentally fit. In this two-part series you will learn easy exercises for RVing dogs to help yours drop that bulk and stay healthy in any location.
Walk in Sand
Stepping through deep sand requires your dog to lift his paws higher as he moves. You don’t even have to live near an ocean to see the benefits of this workout. A simple playground sandbox can provide exercise that builds strength and flexibility in knees and leg muscles.
Dog Fitness Tips — Tackle an Obstacle Course
Walking on uneven surfaces helps promote good balance and muscle strength in pets and people. Take advantage of the landscape features where you’re camped. Ask your dog to step on and over low obstacle courses, like downed tree branches and rocks. This helps work your dog’s leg muscles, tests the senses and challenges balance. The following video shows a natural obstacle course that will give you some ideas. Do keep in mind that all dogs have different physical capabilities. Use good judgment to find a proper and safe obstacle course for your pet, and make sure that your animal can handle the challenge (as you can see below, our dog, Wyatt, is an old pro).
Keeping our dogs fit in a safe and helpful way requires us to re-think how we view their exercise needs. Now it’s no longer about tossing a ball or playing fetch. Talk with your vet to create a safe exercise program for your RVing dog, then stay tuned for more tips to help your co-pilot enjoy a strong brain and body at any age.