Exercising your dog usually would be thought of as a way to keep the dog healthy. However a lot of people don’t know that exercising your dog also has behavioural benefits also! This change can be predominantly observed in puppies and younger dogs, as a result of them being a bundle of energy and needing to burn it off in order for them to settle and be less problematic when it comes to the way they behave. Such behavioural problems would normally be destructive behaviour like pulling apart furniture and chewing on anything the dog can get its teeth on, constant barking and even digging holes. These can all be signs that your dog is lacking in exercise.
These types of behavioural problems cause a lot of dog owners to give their dogs up. These people need to know that this can be prevented and the dog can be kept. All that it requires is commitment to giving them the right amount of exercise each day.
The right amount of exercise will vary dependant on size and how active the breed is. A general guideline would be 30-60 mins walk and high aerobic exercise. The more active and bigger breeds would naturally need more than others. A good indicator is that if your dog is slowing up by the time you get home.
A dog that is not receiving the right amount of exercise can experience all kinds of health problems. Obesity in dogs is very prevalent as a direct result of not enough exercise which can in many cases cause the dog to develop diabetes, heart disease and respiratory disease just to name a few. The correct amount of exercise has major benefits and help prevent all of this including all the common behavioural problems.
