Heading outdoors is highly enjoyable during the warmer months of the year, and throwing a frisbee for Fido may be an easy activity to pursue when it’s nice out. But when winter sets in, finding the motivation for keeping your dog active may be far more difficult. As much as you dislike the cold, keeping up with the exercise routine is important. Here are some tips for keeping your dog active all year long—
One way to keep your dog active is to remove yourself from the equation as the chosen playmate and find your pup a four-legged friend. If your dog has a playful friend, they’ll be able to romp and run about regardless of the temperatures, and chances are you won’t have to do much in the way of supervision.
While it can be challenging, one of the best things about having a dog is the responsibility of caring for another creature and the motivation that this can have on your desire to stay active. While it may be cold, building up and getting outside and moving around can feel great, and is good for both you and your pup. Make it a goal of yours to walk your pup at least once a day for a 30-minute time period (or something similar).
One way to keep your dog active and mentally stimulated is to invest in training with a certified trainer. Training also has other benefits, including building trust between you and your pup and creating good behaviors for life.
If you really can’t bring yourself to go outside during the wintertime—or if temperatures drop so low that doing so is dangerous—you can set up indoor interactive games for your pup. Mini obstacle courses, indoor trick training, tug of war, and hide and seek are all great indoor activities that will keep your dog moving and stimulated.
Keeping your dog moving and happy during the wintertime can be a bit more challenging than it is during the warmer months, but it’s certainly not impossible, especially with a little planning and creativity. At Happy Pup Manor, we offer year-round training programs that are a great option for getting your pup the stimulation they need, as well as behavioral training. We also offer year-round boarding programs where pups can run and play. To learn more about what we offer, call Happy Pup Manor directly today.