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Exercising Your Pet
Proper exercise
for a pet is important for one very important reason:
Exercise keeps your pet healthy and extends his life. More
than 90% of the mental or physical problems experienced by an
animal companion can be remedied with sufficient exercise.
Proper exercise should work the animal's respiratory and
circulatory systems, the musculature, and his overall
mental alertness. The result is a pet that is generally less
aggressive, less likely to be overweight, has a more toned
appearance, and is more obedient to his owner's commands
(something that will be discussed further in the next section).
How Much
Exercise is Enough?
How does an owner
know if a pet is not getting enough exercise? Some of
the signs exhibited by under exercised dogs include chasing his
tail, running back and forth from room to room in the house, and a
generally restless behavior. If a dog is not getting at
least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise a day then chances are
the animal is not getting enough to maintain good mental and
physical health. However, you should consult the animal's
vet to determine the best level of exercise for the size and breed
in terms of time and intensity.
Cats are a little different from
dogs when it comes to exercise since the typical cat spends as
much as 18 hours per day sleeping. However, a cat still
needs exercise and stimulation to stay happy and
healthy. Since "walking" around the block on a
leash is generally not high on a cat's list of fun things to do
(nor for the cat owner), cat's get their exercise from serious playing.
Twenty to thirty minutes a day of stimulating playtime with his
owner and a favorite toy is generally all it takes to keep a cat
from becoming restless or depressed (yes, depression does occur in
cats). If your cat doesn't have a favorite toy yet you can
introduce him to anything that can be hit, chased, climbed into,
or scratched. Take a minute to think like a cat and look
around your house for even the simplest of "toys" that
might look like fun. You would be surprised at how much fun
a cat could have ducking in and out of a shopping bag or batting
around a balled up piece of wrapping paper.
Note: Animals are
like children when it comes to small objects that could become
lodged in an airway or worse -- swallowed! Keep
plastic bags and paper clips away from animals for the same
reason.
Once the playtime is over, it's
snacktime and then back to dreamland for a few more hours of
restful sleep. As with dogs, it's helpful to the cat to
establish a regular time during the day for interaction and
play. Once that routine is set in the cat's mind you will be
able to set your clock by the way your cat behaves at the same
time every day. And (God help you!) if you miss
playtime your cat will find some way to let you know how
disappointed he is with you.
How to Exercise Your Pet
There are tons of excellent
resources online and in print on the subject of exercising your
cat or dog. Therefore, the intent here is to hit the high
points only. First, don't exercise your pet immediately
after his mealtime. His bodily systems are focusing on
digestion and should be allowed to complete the job for up to an
hour after eating.
Second, allow your dog to warm
up slowly before starting vigorous exercise. The reasons
for this are generally the same as for people; muscles and joints
that have been warmed up are less prone to injury and pain.
Third, notice the pet's breathing
during exercise. The animal should only be slightly out
of breath during most of the exercise period to insure a
proper workout.
Fourth, be very careful
about exercising a puppy. Too much stress on the
young pups developing muscles and joints can do more harm than
good. Don't avoid exercise, just go easy until the pet gets
a little more mature. Conversely, be more careful with senior
dogs that can't move quite as quickly as when they were
younger.
Fifth, if your dog likes to play
catch don't use a fabric ball. Fabrics pick up all
sorts of nasty bacteria that may be harmful to your pet. A
smooth, rubber ball is best for this type of activity.
Sixth, keep your dog on a lead
when you walk or run with him. Even the most well-trained
dogs have been known to become distracted and run into the path of
a car. Put a reflective collar or leash on your dog if you
are walking/running at night. Also, it's a good idea to
break up the trip around the block with a few stops along the way
to play fetch so that the animal receives maximum
stimulation. Lastly, gage the length of the exercise based
on the weather conditions; weather extremes generally dictate
shorter exercise periods.
Seventh, allow your animal to walk
on dirt or grass paths -- not gravelly roads or asphalt that
can be painful to the pads on the animals feet.
Finally, keep a close eye on
your pet while walking or running with him. Watch for signs
of over stress which may signal pain in tendons and
muscles. Notice the animal's breathing for any signs of
undue stress or gasping for air.
Training Your Dog
Training your dog is important
because most dogs prefer to follow. Dogs
want to please the leader, or "Alpha Dog", and that
leader should naturally be the owner -- assuming the owner has
properly established him/herself as the Alpha Dog. Training
is also important for the safety of the animal as well as
the animal's ability to coexist peacefully in the same environment
as the owner and other people.
How to Properly Train a Dog
First, you must establish
yourself as the "Alpha Dog" by always being firm and
consistent when communicating with your dog. This will show
him that you command his respect at all times and that your
commands are to be followed. Speak firmly without
shouting. Never concede defeat to your dog or look
frightened if he ever shows his teeth at you. Just growl
back and wait for him to obey your command. Eventually, your
dog will reveal to you in subtle ways that he wanted you to be in
charge after all since that is his true nature.
Second, check your local area for
opportunities to enroll your dog in a basic obedience class.
Pet Smart and other national retail pet supply stores offer
good, affordable classes for your dog that will help establish a
basis for further training by you (the owner) when the class is
over. Such classes usually cover the basic commands such as
"Heel", "Sit", and "Stay" which you
can then use effectively to expand your pet's repertoire of
commands.
Third, begin training as soon as
your dog reaches training age. This is usually within the
first 12 weeks, but consult your pet's veterinarian for guidance
on this based on your pet's size, life span, and breed.
Fourth, understand that effective
obedience training requires that both you and your dog become more
attentive. You must get your dog's attention during
training and you must become more attentive to your
dog. Like people, your dog won't learn commands as quickly
if he isn't paying attention. And if you aren't paying
attention to your dog then he will begin to pick up on that lack
of attention and start to see what he can get away with while
you're not looking.
Fifth, immediately establish the
practice of rewarding even the slightest sign of effort
your dog is making to meet your expectations. A reward can
be in the form of a small bit of food or a high-pitched verbal
praise. If you use food as a reward use only very small
amounts so as not to encourage an over-weight condition; taper the
food rewards off as the dog becomes more and more familiar with a
particular command.
Sixth, move on to other commands
as your dog becomes comfortable with the basics of
"Heel", "Sit", and "Stay".
Seventh, begin to introduce
distractions during your training periods so that you get a better
idea of exactly how "obedient" your dog has become in
connection with a set of learned commands. Reinforce
training when necessary to help your dog resist the distractions
when given a command.
Finally, be consistent and be
patient when training your dog. Remember, your dog wants
to please you, but he doesn't understand English. Never lose
your cool with your dog because he will likely not understand what
made you so upset.
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Exercising
your pet is critical to your pet's health and well-being.
Sufficient and proper exercise involves every system in the
animal's body including the pet's mind and level of
alertness. Ignoring your pet's requirements for proper
exercise will likely shorten the animal's life. |
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Thirty
minutes of vigorous exercise a day keeps the vet away.
Consult your pet's veterinarian for details about the
precise time and intensity of exercise for your animal's
size and breed. Once a daily exercise routine is
established your pet will be easier to live with and much
more obedient. |
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Know
how to exercise your pet properly. Most of the
points on how to exercise your pet are based on common
sense. Start the animal slowly on an exercise routine,
building up to a vigorous workout (for both of
you!). Keep the animal on a lead at all times for the
animal companion's safety and your peace of mine. |
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Become
the "Alpha Dog" to your pet with proper training.
Always be firm and consistent when training your dog.
Also, be patient and remember that your dog does not
understand English. |
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