Activities to Keep Your Senior Dog in Shape
As your canine ages, their mobility is sure to decline. However, this doesn’t mean that our senior dogs don’t require any exercise. Maintaining an active lifestyle is actually what will help them to decrease onset ailments, such as arthritis and muscle loss. A healthy amount of exercise will help keep your senior canine’s mind occupied, their weight healthy, and their body strong.
Walking Your Senior Dog
Just about every four-legged friend loves a good walk. Walking is a great exercise that is low impact and promotes a healthy body and mind by being physically and mentally stimulating. However, as your pup ages, you’ll want to be conscious of their pace, the weather, and how Fido feels after the exercise. Senior dogs are going to be more sensitive to the temperature and their joints and muscles may not be as strong as they once were. Grass and sand are the most recommended surfaces to walk your senior dog on due to their softer impact compared to asphalt and gravel.
Additionally, if you notice that your canine is sore or stiff after your walk, you might want to slow your pace down on your walks or take a route that would be easier on your furry friend’s joints and muscles.
Letting Your Senior Dog Swim
If you have access to a dog-friendly pool or lake, we definitely recommend taking your senior dog swimming as a source of exercise. Swimming is great for your pooch as it’s easy on their body, specifically their joints. In fact, swimming is often used as an exercise for pups who are in physical therapy. If your senior dog doesn’t know how to swim then we recommend talking to Fido’s vet about finding a local rehabilitation center that offers guided exercises in water. Furthermore, putting your pooch in lifevest is never a bad idea.
Cross-Training Senior Dogs
Cross-training might not be the first thing that comes to mind with your senior pooch, but it can be extremely beneficial for them. Cross-training allows your canine to build strength in certain areas while you allow others to rest. There’s yoga for dogs, dog pilates, and much more that have been gaining interest and can be beneficial to your senior dog’s mental and physical health. You can talk to your vet to find local training centers near you that they recommend. Cross-training is fun for both you and Fido and you might be surprised by how much you enjoy it.
If your canine companion is suffering from a specific ailment, like osteoarthritis, you’ll want to consider a specific physical activity that helps increase mobility and decrease the stress in those areas. We also recommend talking to Fido’s vet to see if they recommend any specific exercises.