Why exercise is essential to control your dog’s weight?
It is the most common doubt presented by owners of overweight or obese dogs to professionals in the area, and their answer always covers more than one essential aspect for the life of any dog.
It is no secret that both overweight and obesity cause serious health problems for dogs, even decreasing their quality of life and life expectancy.
And to cope with the extra kilos and ensure the welfare of the furry ones at home, three fundamental factors are needed: the right food according to the dog’s characteristics, routine and exercise.
Exercise as a fundamental part of canine weight control
Changing a dog’s diet and eating habits is not enough to combat a future or already present overweight, for this other essential tools are required: exercise and routine, but why?
The very lack of activity in the dog’s daily life is one of the main causes of overweight and obesity, especially when combined with poor diet and excesses.
A dog that does not exercise is prone to develop overweight and other health and behavioral problems. Without physical activity, the body does not burn fat or energy, and fat slowly accumulates until it becomes a health risk.
Exercise is essential to control your dog’s weight because it is what allows him to strengthen his body and get rid of what hurts him, besides helping him to feel happy and complete.
I recommend reading:
5 signs that your dog is not getting enough exercise
Benefits of exercise in dogs
Exercise is something truly indispensable for the life of any canine, overweight or not, because it brings with it a series of benefits that it is unthinkable that they lack, some of these are:
- It allows maintaining an ideal control over the dog’s weight and prevents the development of overweight, obesity and other muscular, cardiac and respiratory problems.
- It helps to maintain excellent mental health and avoid behavioral problems, along with the dreaded depression, anxiety and stress.
A dog with exercise routines that allow him to drain his energy will very rarely develop destructive behaviors towards himself and his environment.
- It strengthens the human-pet bond and the dog’s own self-confidence, making him feel more comfortable and secure. In addition, it is a very useful tool for the proper socialization of puppies and adult dogs.
Key points to consider
Each dog is different and has its own needs. In the case of overweight or obese dogs, there are certain factors regarding exercise that are important to know:
- Due to its physical condition, it is of utmost necessity to carefully plan and analyze the exercise routine you want to establish for your dog.
Some of the most common problems that these dogs present are breathing and walking difficulties, as well as pain in their joints, which prevents them from keeping up with the activity of other dogs.
For this reason, any physical activity should be adapted to its current capacity and gradually evolve as the dog’s physical condition improves.
- Exercise times should be short but several times a day. It is recommended that they have a maximum duration of 20 minutes and that they are repeated two or three times a day, in the case of walks they can last a little longer as long as they have a break in between.
- Exercise is not just about walking and running, games are a fundamental part of this area and many people forget this.
I recommend reading:
Exercises for an overweight dog
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