The 3 Best Ways To Help Your Senior Dog Get More Exercise

It can be tricky to take care of your dog when they get older. Seniors end up with health problems that will limit them and also things like arthritis are common in dogs that are older. It’s important to change things up when your dog starts slowing down to make sure that they stay as healthy as possible.

Getting them enough exercise is essential to help them maintain their health and mobility. Yet, it is one of the biggest challenges since their needs and abilities have changed. In this article, we will give you several tips to help you make sure that your senior dog is getting enough exercise.

Talk to your vet

It’s important to talk to your vet before starting a different exercise routine since your pup may have some physical limitations that you aren’t aware of. If you were to over-exert them then they could end up with some health problems or an injury that can affect their quality of life.

If you have dog emergency insurance then you are at least going to be covered for many of the bills urgent care calls can result in. Yet, it is better for your dog not to have to go through an injury, to begin with.

Your vet will do things like take a look at your dog’s joints and give an overall check-up to see if there are any mobility issues. Their weight may affect the type of exercise. They will help you come up with the right type of exercise routine that is suited for them based on their individual needs and ability.

Short but frequent

It is very hard for your dog to have long exercise sessions. You may be trying to compensate for having less time to get them exercise and want to make sure they get enough time in. However, those long walks are going to require more recovery time and result in less exercise overall. The better option is to do short sessions more frequently.

Give them a quick ten or fifteen-minute walk twice per day instead of one long thirty-minute walk once per day. This will give them time to rest their joints in between sessions and need less time to rest the next day.

Be careful with the weather

Your older pup is going to be extra sensitive to temperature and can end up struggling when it is too hot or too cold. This exposure can lead to health problems.

Make sure to be aware of the weather and plan the proper type of activity with their limitations in mind. For instance, if it is very hot then try to find a place indoors where there is air conditioning to be able to walk without it causing problems. Some malls allow dogs which makes it an ideal place to go for a walk.

When it is too cold their joints can be affected which results in painful walking. Their paws can also be too cold when the ground is frozen. Think about ways to get them to exercise indoors to avoid the extreme cold. Look into clothing that will protect them from the cold such as booties and sweaters.