April is Active Dog Month, so we would like to dedicate a blog about how you can keep your furry friend(s) happy, healthy, and active.
It is hard to keep your dog or cat healthy and active with all other responsibilities on your plate. However it is critical that your pet is active. It helps your best friend be at a healthy weight, be happier, and get better sleep.
Now everyone has probably seen their neighbor take their dog for a run. I cannot speak for everyone, but I can tell you that I could not take my dog outside right now and run for more than a minute or so. Luckily for me, keeping your pet active can be a lot simpler (and frankly, easier) than that.
My dog, Dennie (a border collie mix) does not make life easy on us with all of his explosive energy. But we realize that keeping him active will extend his life expectancy and allow him to be happier and healthier. One thing we do is go on long but paced walks. This way, we can get some easy exercise in, too.
Dennie is a pro at fetch, and trust me, he let’s us know! Playing fetch for at least a half an hour a day works as a way to keep your dog healthy. We also love to use the food-puzzle toys which reward Dennie for his efforts. All we have to do is put some kibble or treats into the toy and watch Dennie go. He puts in a ton of effort and is rewarded for it. Finally, on special occasions we take Dennie to the dog park and play fetch in a bigger field so he can really sprint out his energy.
When it comes to cats, your approach must be different. From my experience, throwing a treat or toy in hopes a cat will play fetch may lead to your feline friend glaring at you. Scratching posts, cat trees, and maybe a laser pointer can keep your cat active and sharp.
All of this being said, it is important to know your pet’s limitations. After throwing Dennie the ball all day, we once realized that his back legs were a little raw. We decided to take it easier for a while to ensure that Dennie would recoup easier. Overactivity can be just as worse as underactivity.
Overall, make sure to have fun with your pet! Some of my best memories of Dennie were of him running up, elated, as I celebrated his successful fetch. Those are truly the moments that make having a pet all worthwhile.
Source: https://www.supremesourcepet.com/health-benefits-active-pets/
Logan Martinez
COO of CanTastic and Trysk Solutions.
