A Leg Up On Canine Exercise
© Colleen Paige

FUR. There it is, flying by, like a mystical UFO. Someone is sure they knew what it was and most are just left to FBI sketches. That’s my dog, Sailor. She runs at the speed of light after her bright red ball. A black wisp in the sunlight, a soft dark blur of matter that makes any strip of grass a NASA runway - Sailor, a black lab mix, will run after most things that are thrown in the opposite direction of her being. If without her ball, any item, any shape will do, like a tire iron, a Q-Tip or an eggplant, it doesn’t really matter…whatever moves, she’s after it and bringing it safely home. You’ll know that she’s there at the park, just look for a large field of grass, a huge crowd with exultant smiles, some people clapping, others taking photos and all of them just amazed at this 50 pound whirling dervish.

I was fortunate that Sailor had an innate sense of retrieval, as many dogs will run happily, bounding and bouncing after any ball or Frisbee, only to stop dead in their tracks when the movement has ceased, looking at their owner as if to ask “and you want me to do what now?”. It can take a fair amount of patience on the part of the human to instill recall ability in the part of the canine. Often dog owners will capitulate and when they have had enough walking back and forth to exercise the National Guard for a day, the game ends and no one is the wiser. Just as teaching your child takes patience and consistency, so it goes for dogs as well. You must find forbearance deep down inside to teach your dog to retrieve and if you can’t muster the patience or skill, try something else – like, chocolate always works for me! Just throw it and I’ll be there! However, please do not use chocolate as a retrieval method for your dog, as chocolate can make him
deathly ill.

Exercise is as important to dogs as it is to us and maybe even more so. Walking a dog rarely is enough, as most dogs could walk all day long and not wangle enough exercise to put a sloth to sleep. Most dogs who suffer from a lack of daily aerobic exercise are the dogs who engraft thoughts into their owners that perhaps humans are not the only ones who become demonically possessed. These despairing people will find themselves wondering if the local pet store carries “Holy Water for Cujo”. Exercise or a lack thereof, represents 50% of your dogs’ behavior. When your dog has had the proper release of energy, problems like jumping, digging, barking, anxiety, destructive behavior and aggression can often abate. Playing with your dog for five minutes prior to walking on leash can sometimes curtail pulling as well.

If throwing a ball or Frisbee leaves you exhausted but not your dog, try a different route like going to a dog park, taking your pal swimming, partaking in agility classes or bicycling with your dog. Some people find it hard to teach the dog how to pedal and obey speed limit signs, so perhaps it’s best to just have them on a leash next to you *smile*. I often recommend a doggie daycare or dog walking service to my clients who have no time to exercise their dog but have the money to pay someone to do it for them. I’m often surprised to find that many people have never heard of such a service and are delighted to know there is some relief.

When it comes to toys, it’s imperative that you have safe and durable toys from well known and respected manufacturers. When dogs play tug of war, they need a toy that won’t rip, shred or pop. Remember, a tired dog - is a good dog!