What are your plans for you and your dog to get out and active this month?
Rowan is healing well, so we have plans on getting back out to the trails as soon as the muddy situation has dried out!
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This month I’ll be featuring some of the products that I use for getting active with my dog, so if you’re not sure where to start please stay tuned or reach out to me with questions!
Is my dog active enough?
The general rule is that most healthy adult dogs need between 30 minutes and 2 hours of active exercise, but being “active” can be more than just a walk or a run.
Are your walks fast, slow, structured or sniffy?
Mix it up! I feel so sorry for pups that are only allowed to walk at heel and never get the opportunity to sniff, kind of like going window shopping and never getting to go inside the stores…
I think the majority of Rowans walks are sniffy now, there’s just too much good information in all the dog pee and entertainment in following the bunny trails for us to rush past. Wanting to chase bunnies was the first sign that he was feeling “himself” after we were able to discontinue his medications, which I was so happy to see!
Non- Dog Walking Activities
How often do you use enrichment toys or feeders like a lick mat or snuffle mat?
They are inexpensive ways to provide activity that really engages their brain, and are safe for puppies and senior dogs too.
Towel Twist: don’t have a snuffle mat? no problem! Take a hand towel (or bath towel for larger dogs), lay it flat and sprinkle with kibble and treats, grab it in the center and slowly twist it until it spirals up and gives your pup an easy snuffle mat. If your pup needs more of a challenge, roll it instead of twisting it!
Looking for activities to do indoor? There are quite a few - these are two of our favorites!
Boxes! Pile them up and toss some treats and kibble into them for a fun game of “find-it”. Use paper packing materials to make it a bit more challenging - just make sure to supervise your pup so they aren’t getting frustrated.
Scent Search: This one is great if you can’t use kibble and treats as part of the enrichment games - as long as your pup is happy getting encouraged and praised. I like to use cat toys that have a little pocket in them designed for catnip, and either use catnip or some other pet friendly scent (like cinnamon) folded into a paper towel and inserted into the pocket. Try and find a mild scent that is unique to your home to make a scented toy. Hide these in more obvious places and encourage your dog to find them, progressing slowly into more challenging locations as they catch on to finding the toy by scent.
