Spring is here, and it seems as though everyone (canine pals included) is ready to get back to outdoor activity after resting through the winter. April is Canine Fitness Month, which encourages us to develop a healthier lifestyle and a stronger bond with our furry family members. Regular exercise is essential to your dog for several reasons. It helps keep your dog’s joints and muscles healthy. It works off excess energy that might otherwise be channeled into destructive behaviors. And it helps your dog shed those extra pounds that he may have collected over the winter.
Kara Pappas
To help get both you and your dog moving this month, here are a couple of ideas to boost that activity level:
Create a daily walking routine: Daily walks around your neighborhood are one of the best ways to start your dog on the road, or return to physical fitness. Start slow, then gradually increase your walk and add hills to help keep your dog’s heart rate up. There are plenty of smartphone apps that can help you track your daily walks and track your accomplishments!
Head to the dog park: Your pup may have missed socializing with our dogs over the winter, so taking him to the dog park can reinstate the joy that many dogs derive from interacting with other pups. The dog park is the perfect place for your dog to play, bark, chase, and be chased, so long as they interact well with others.
At a time when we need exercise more than ever—both for physical and mental health—our pups also need to keep fit and healthy to ensure they live long, comfortable, happy lives.
Kara Pappas is the interim CEO for Larimer Humane Society in Loveland. See more info at www. larimerhumane.org.