And is it just me or do you feel some sort of guilt if you skip a walk and your dog is looking forlornly out the window or at their leash? I know when I’m in my office working and can’t get out with them, they will sit out in the hallway and just look miserable…Benson will occasionally start grunting and whining…

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Factors To Take Into Consideration

Breed and Size

First things first. The size and breed of your dog are going to determine their individual exercise needs. You can learn more about picking the right breed of dog for you HERE! Don’t get me wrong though, there are exceptions with every breed!! There is one super high energy Bernese in my neighborhood…He gets walked four times by lunch…Definitely NOT typical!

But don’t let the size of a dog fool you either! My bears are HUGE and, well, relatively low energy dogs. They have their moments, but after an hour walk they sleep for about six hours! And I have seen tiny dogs that just. dont. stop.

Age

Age is also a factor to take into consideration when determine how much exercise they need! Puppies play a lot, and sleep a lot! But really young puppies should not be walked for long distances or periods of time. And when dogs get into their senior years their exercise needs can change again. Be sure to be mindful of your dog’s stage in their life cycle when you look at exercise.

But in general, most dogs need at least 30-60 minutes of exercise a day to stay healthy (and out of trouble!). Keep reading to find the signs your dog may need more exercise and ways to increase their physical activity level!

What To Look For

Body Condition

Your dog’s body condition is the first thing you need to look at to see if enough exercise is being had! I know that it can be tough since you are seeing your dog all the time and you might not necessarily see these changes immediately!

But it’s important to step back and really take a look at your dog. Can you see a clearly defined waist? Well, it can be tough with mine because there’s just SO MUCH HAIR!!! So I tend to go more by feel. You should be able to easily feel your dog’s ribs without putting too much pressure on them.

You can check out the American chart on assessing your dog’s body condition score HERE!

Destructive Behavior

Dogs that aren’t getting enough exercise may start acting out in other ways to try to deal with the excess energy they have! They may just decide that pillow over there looks ripe to be gutted…Or that baseboard over there looks like it simply must be chewed!

You may think that your dog is just misbehaving. But they really may need to be exercised more so they don’t start looking for other outlets for their energy! And I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather go for an extra spin around the block (which is good for me too!) rather than chase and yell at my dogs all day for causing trouble around the house…I’m noticing even with the colder days the walks are a little shorter and they are acting out a little more than usual…Guess I need to bust out the snowsuit.

Barking

Does your dog sit and look out the window and bark at EVERYTHING? Or at every little noise they hear? This can be another clue that they aren’t getting enough exercise to be too tired to bark at nonsense!

Benson was driving me a bit batty today before his walk, standing at the door and not stopping for anything I was doing! I finally went downstairs to investigate and discovered a squirrel taunting him on the front porch. Ok, I have to give him that one!

There’s a good chance that your dog will be tired and sleepy if they are exercised enough and not bother barking at trivialities. Another great reason to get that leash out!

Depression

Do you have a dog that just lies around all day? Either asleep or moping? Sometimes if my dogs haven’t been outside yet they will curl up in a ball and just stare at me…And I feel horribly guilty for whatever reason we haven’t been out! Grace is the master of this move.

Restlessness

This. This is classic Benson!!! I’d be rich if I had a quarter for every time he begs to be let in and out over the course of the day. Pretty much flat out refusing to believe his dog door exists because he’s figured out that if he makes enough noise at the back door I have no choice but to stop what I’m doing, give him some attention and open the door!

The dogs also knows when walk time is getting close because they will start pacing back and forth through the house! So if your dog is constantly on the prowl it may be a sign that they need to get out and stretch their legs a bit!

Rough Play

Another Benson move! At walk time when I grab the harnesses, he will jump right on top of Grace and get super rough with her, which usually results in some sort of a yelp. Followed by Grace turning around and defending herself and a full out wrestling match at the front door! With me in the middle in a tangle of leashes…

Dogs that haven’t been exercised enough may end up playing rougher than they otherwise might. Which can result in injuries which no one wants to deal with.

What You Can Do

More Walks!

You had to know this was coming! If you have the time and your dog is able to, get out for a longer walk than typical. Explore a new area or head over to a park that is a little further away! If your dog is unable to walk longer distance or there are time constraints, what about more frequent walks of shorter duration?

If Grace and Benson are needing more, I try to get them out for an extra walk before bed. I think they really are just trying to drag me out now that the weather is cooler and they are enjoying it that much more!

Maybe try getting a buddy system, and get out walking regularly with a friend and their dog! If walking your dog more frequently yourself isn’t an option, there are many great dog walking options out there such as a dog walker for either a solo or group walk.

Fetch and Tug

Walking isn’t the only way to increase your dog’s exercise level! Taking a ball over to a park (off-leash permitted of course) and throwing it will be a good amount of exercise for your dog! Or even just in your backyard if your dog is an avid catch fan. Mine, sadly, are not. They will maybe go after the ball all of once and stop.

Tug is another great option that doesn’t require a lot of space! Although it can be quite tiring for you as well, particularly if you have bigger and stronger dogs!

Grace and Benson both like to get in the action at the same time, which leaves me out of breath and exhausted after some good tugging! I really think they take it easy on me though because they are enjoying the game. Or I’d probably find myself getting dragged all over the house…

Enrichment

Enrichment is another great way to tire out your dog if weight loss isn’t a goal. Snuffle mats, puzzle balls and puzzle toys are all great way to keep your dog mentally stimulated, which is often just as tiring for your dog!

Or maybe look at doing some new training. Both my dogs are absolutely exhausted after learning or practicing something new! If you have the time and think your dog might enjoy it, you can also check out some agility classes which exercise both their mind and body!

Go To The Dog Park

While you stand around, your dog will likely be running back and forth and playing with other dogs! The dog park can be a great way for your dog to get more exercise. They also get to mingle with other puppy pals! There are definitely things that you need to know to make it a safe experience. You can learn more on how to make a trip to the dog park safe and successful HERE!

Doggy Day Camp

A doggy day camp can be a great way to increase your dog’s activity levels! There are so many options available, so be sure to find the one that suits your dog best. I have found a great outdoor day camp that picks your dog up at your house in the morning, drives them out to a fully fenced property in the country and they spend the day out hiking the trails and running through the forest! They get home filthy, happy and extremely tired!

I try to do this with them at least once a week, but since it is a full day I don’t do it more than 2x a week and overdo it with them. They usually sleep a good portion of the next day as well…

Dog Agility Equipment

If you have the space for it why not consider looking into getting some dog agility equipment? You can set it up different ways to challenge your dog, and it uses their brain as well as getting in some more exercise! I mentioned above taking some agility training courses, but if that is not an option for you why not get some equipment and do it yourself!

Word of Caution

Like any new fitness routine for us people, don’t just throw your dog into a much more aggressive exercise routine since it can result in injuries. Particularly if your dog hasn’t been getting enough regular exercise and is overweight. Gradually increase the level of activity and keep an eye on your dog for signs that they’ve had enough for the day. Also be sure to consult with your vet.

In Conclusion

With so many options available to help your dog get more exercise, there is sure to be something that’s suitable for you and your pet! You will notice changes such as weight loss as well as a happier and calmer dog!

If you want to track exactly how much activity your dog is getting there now many dog activity trackers on the market as well! I would love to get one of these to see how much exercise my dogs are getting when they go out of town on their little day trips! But they can help you learn where you need to adjust and to what level to keep your dog at their healthiest and happiest!

Do you have a favorite type of exercise activity that I haven’t included on the list? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!

The post Is Your Dog Getting Enough Exercise? first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

My cat Chester was overweight right from almost the time he came home. He was starving when I adopted him from a shelter and gorged himself at every meal to the point he wobbled around his belly when he walked! Unfortunately, this led to him developing feline diabetes later on in his life. Given the health implications of an overweight cat, it is important to try to keep them at a healthy weight.

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

Body Condition

The first thing you should do as a cat owner is assess their overall body condition. All of my cats are spayed and neutered so they have a little floppy belly. But this doesn’t necessarily mean they are overweight!

For an ideal body condition score, you should be able to easily feel your cat’s ribs. You should also be able to see their waist behind their ribs when you look at them from above.

If you can’t easily feel their ribs or see their waist, your cat is likely overweight! Check out Royal Canin’s downloadable graphic to more easily compare the body condition of your cat HERE.

Time To Take Action

So all those extra treats and spoiling your cat with food has led to them being overweight. It’s time to take some action! The one thing to highlight here is that it can be dangerous for your cat to lose weight too quickly.

If your cat loses weight too quickly it can lead to fatty liver disease (hepatic lipidosis) which is potentially fatal to your kitty. When cats don’t eat enough their body converts fat into energy. And their livers can’t process this fat efficiently which leads to fat building up in their liver. This leads to the liver functioning even less efficiently.

So a gradual approach to losing weight is the best thing for your cat. Cats weigh much less than we do, so even one pound is a high percentage of their overall body weight! Time to take your kitty to the vet to discuss how much and how quickly your cat should be losing weight to keep them healthy.

Health Problems

As much as it shouldn’t surprise anyone, there are a whole host of health problems that can come with an obese cat. The development of diabetes is one of them. After Chester developed diabetes it led to a total change in routine and food, and included insulin shots twice a day. Which may have been avoided had I paid closer attention to his weight issue over the years. You can read more on feline diabetes HERE.

An overweight cat can also be prone to many more health issues such as skin problems from being unable to groom themselves, GI issues, urinary problems, pancreatitis, lameness and more.

Food

This is a pretty obvious place to look first when attempting to get your pet to take off some weight! Make sure that you are feeding your cat a high quality diet that is high in protein. And try to avoid grains as the first ingredient.

Wet food is a great place to start with your cat. Many cats don’t tend to drink enough water so wet food helps with hydration. According to ASPCA Pet Insurance, the average cat only needs 180-200 calories a day. Be sure to measure out your cat’s food and avoid free feeding. Dry foods can also be high in calories, which is another reason to look to wet food.

Treats can also add to weight gain in cats. Cut back the amount of treats that you are feeding your cat to help limit the calories they are getting in a day.

Exercise

When you have an indoor cat, this can get a little trickier! But there are definitely ways that you can increase the activity level of your cat!

Why not get a laser pointer? I haven’t yet met a cat that didn’t love to play with these! You can get them moving all through the house as they chase the elusive red dot! As well as running them along the floors, I like to point them bit up the wall for a bit of jumping activity. Whiskers will play with this for hours on end!

You can also get more toys to interact with your cat. Mine love the wands that have mice and bees and other objects that jump and move more like real prey! Whiskers tends to just drag these off through the house and hide them though. Plushies like birds that chirp are also a big hit in my house! Just make sure you put it away at night or you’ll never get any sleep! I got one of these for my Mom’s cats and she cursed me for it…

We also have a tall cat tree that my cats will run and jump and play all over! I love seeing Whiskers run and climb right to the top at full speed.

The Right Approach

So if you have an overweight cat, there are definitely ways that you can look to help them lose the excess and improve their overall level of health! Just be sure to consult with your vet to set out the right approach for you and your cat. Now get out there, get some catnip and toys and have some fun doing it!

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The post How To Put Your Cat On A Diet first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.