USE IT OR LOSE IT! Dog activities.

A healthy dog is an active dog. An active dog is a happy dog. A common misbelieve is that every human being or dog receives a package of brain cells at birth, which will die slowly and steadily from the first day on. The truth is, that exercising the brain by providing enriched sensory experiences and increased opportunities for problem solving and making choices can offset age-related problems. These stimulations provoke the growth of new neural connections, which in turn improves the functioning of the brain, and, in effect, slows the aging process. One should not follow the old adage “Let sleeping dogs lie”, but rather encourage our dogs to think and experience life to a greater extent. For the mind and brain of both humans and dogs, the key phrase is “Use it or lose it!”

The best way to keep your dog and yourself happy and fit is to be active. This does not mean that you have to be an athlete capable of running 10 miles every morning or to attend dog classes. You can choose so many dog activities according to your physical fitness or appeal, according to the dog’s breed and age. Every dog, without any exception, loves to do something to avoid boredom. Boredom is the disease dogs suffer most!

I will not mention all existing dog activities, since some of them require specialized equipments, but rather limit the list to the most easy and feasible ones. (Click on the highlighted words to learn more!)

Retrieving. The first and most important activity of all is to teach your dog to retrieve. Every dog can be educated to retrieve and this exercise, both for you and the dog, can be done inside the house, in the garden, during its walk, at the beach or at sea. There are no limits! The object to retrieve may be a ball, a dummy, a Frisbee, a piece of wood, … anything. Do not let it play with it though! It must remain an exercise-object, not a toy.

Dog walking constitutes part of the daily exercise regime needed to keep a dog healthy. It also provides exercise and companionship for the walker. People who walk their dogs are 34% more likely to meet expected levels of exercise, with a recommended level of 150 minutes of activity per week. However, walking the same route day in day out is boring. The dog wishes to discover new environments, smells, and it wants to run free to do so. Change your route regularly and play some games, like hide and seek. Dog hiking refers to walking outdoors (day hike) on a trail together with your dog, which may or not carry a backpack like yourself.

Canicross is the term used to describe the sport of cross-country running with dogs. The runner typically wears a waist belt, the dog a harness, and the two are joined by a bungee cord or elastic line that reduces shock to both human and dog when the dog pulls.

Bikejoring is a dog mushing activity related to canicross. It is a recreation or sport where a harnessed dog or team of dogs attached to a towline, pull and run ahead of a cyclist. In its simpliest form, the dog can run next to the cyclist, attached to a special leash adapter.

Dog agility is a wonderful and entertaining dog sport in which the owner directs a dog through a series of obstacles. In competition it is a race for both time and accuracy, but in private we care about accuracy, not about time. In its simplest form, an agility course consists of a set of standard obstacles, fixed or removable, laid out in your garden. Following the examples of the pictures and drawings on Internet, everyone can build his own obstacles according to his needs and according to the dog’s breed (size) and age.

You want to stay fit? You want your dog to be happy and in perfect mental and physical condition? Be active! Keep your dog and yourself active! You will not regret it!