WHY EXERCISE WITH YOUR DOG?
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Kristi November 5th, 2007
You both need it! Lack of activity is a fact of modern life for humans and canines. Nature designed us both for constant activity. Even today, primitive peoples - and primitive dogs like wolves - are constantly on the move. The search for food and shelter works their bodies nearly every waking moment. Those unable to endure simply perish.Success has replaced the strain with stress. We no longer toil long hours tilling the soil by hand. Dinner now waits in the microwave. Our companion dogs no longer spend the day running down wild animals for food magically appears in the bowl. Life was hard, but simple for our ancestors. All could be answered with one of a pair of solutions: fight or flight. Uninhibited effort was always the answer. Early man could, literally, run away from his problems. This is obvious with the threat or fear of attack, but even starvation was generally avoided through migration.
I just noticed today that I have not had a chance to walk Keltee for 4 days. I feel so bad that she has been cooped up in the house. So I wanted to be motived to get myself out the door with my dog instead of just going to the gym where I have to leave her at home.
Exercise leads to longer life. Increased strength, endurance and flexibility directly give us the the ability to better deal with modern times. The effort invested in exercise pays dividends. Research has proven that, within limits, we get back two hours in increased life span for every hour spent working out. As mentioned, as always, there is an end to a good thing — nobody has managed immortality through exercise! Not only the quantity but also the quality of life is improved. Physical discipline provides many psychological rewards. Most experience a heightened sense of well being during training. This has been described as the `runners’ high.’ Other athletes report similar sensations. An exercise regime promotes a positive attitude towards life in general. Of course, physical activity provides weight control and muscle tone. An improved appearance never hurt anybody’s feelings!
Exercise helps both people and dogs to lose weight in a number of ways. An enormous number of calories are burned while working out. Exercise engenders a faster metabolism so that fat is being burnt up even during rest. Also, muscle tissue uses more calories than fat tissue. Since muscle grows with exercise, the loss of fat is compounded yet again.
Ya. this sounds great to me. Maybe some uphill runs tomorrow. Below are some tips for excercising specific breeds.
Now take a look at your dog. A breed like a Pekinese or Dachsund has a very limited capacity for exertion. The short legs, long spines, and poorly developed hips simply don’t allow for much exercise. These little guys will love to take a brisk walk with you, but be prepared to cary them most of the way on a long hike. The toy breeds have great spirit, but caregivers must be realistic and considerate of their pet’s limitations.
The hounds, spaniels, terriers, collies, retrievers, pit bulls, and sled breeds have tremendous stamina. This should come as no surprise, since, in the fairly recent past, for the grandparents of these dogs rest, not exercise, was the rare commodity. The hard life of the people simply did not permit the luxury of catering to pets. Dogs had to help the entire family to eke out a living. The Akita is also noted for physical prowess. The sight hounds, like the Greyhound and the Afghan Hound, were born to run
Special mention must be made of the German Shepherd and the Rotterweiler breeds. Healthy examples will out run all but the most physically fit humans. Unfortunately, these breeds are notoriously prone to hip dysplasia. There are varying degrees of this chronic condition. The milder forms will actually be helped by exercise. More severe cases will only be able to tolerate a mild routine. The worst cases will not be able to stand any prolonged activity. Your dog’s veterinarian will tell you what to expect.
For a complete copy of the article see PETCRAFT.
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