What are The benefits of Walking Your Senior Dog?

As the owner of Love and Kisses Pet Sitting a pet sitting and dog walking company in Union County NC, we see lots of dogs that need a daily walk.  The clients hire us to come into their home and leash up their dogs while they are at work and talk them for a nice long daily walk. Below I talk more about the benefits of daily dog walks for our senior dogs.

The Benefits

The benefits of walking your senior dogs are very high in terms of their daily health care. Older dogs become slower and more fatigued with aged bones and muscles get deteriorated without a daily walk. However, this does not give any excuse for lack of physical entertainment such as exercise outside. Less energy and activity is quite common when a person’s pet ages. Unfortunately, this leads to unhealthy conditions such as arthritis, weight gain, and immobility. An unhealthy dog can easily be reversed into a healthy dog with proper daily exercise. A healthy life makes a huge difference in their life span adding on several additional years to their life. Their joints benefit from regular, gentle and proper daily exercise. This also aids blood flow, muscles, ligaments, and reduces inflammation. Exercise will boost a dog’s mind and improve one’s overall quality of life immensely.

The Daily Walk

A daily walk is great with the appropriate atmosphere such as a firm, level ground with reasonable traction. A good ground surface for walking your dog allows you to meet the specific needs for an easier walk. Take different routes each day to stimulate your dog’s sense of smell.  They absolutely love to get out smell the flowers each and every day

Other Ways to Have Fun

There are other ways to exercise your older dog as well. Fetch, frisbee and tug of war will allow your dog to have some fun while being careful they don’t overdo it. Make sure there is enough space and shade. Freshwater is a necessity to avoid dehydration.

Swimming

Swimming is one of my personal dog’s favorite exercise choices. It is a great way to help support any dog’s weight regardless of their age. This gives the old ligaments and joints a chance to rest while allowing the muscles to exercise. A pool or lake will meet these requirements and benefit your dog’s overall fitness. Sessions are recommended to be kept short to prevent the dog from becoming overtired. It is a very wise decision to install a dog ramp or steps to give a quick and easy entrance or exit. Since senior dogs are far less mobile than puppies, they will most likely need assistance entering the pool and exiting the pool like a Confer Staircase.

Help With Exercise

Exercise is great for older dogs but sometimes it can be too much for a senior dog. Every dog is different and you know your dog best. A dog’s tolerance for exercise is dependent on several factors including general health, previous exercise, and especially their weight. There are ways you can also tell if your dog is pushing beyond his abilities. Some of these telltale signs include excessive panting or drooling, slow movements, weakness, and coughing. There are several different products that can aid a dog’s daily exercise. Strollers, dog slings, wheelchairs, and even socks are available for every dog type. We encourage you to take advantage of the beautiful weather outside and walk your loved ones. Your older dogs will be happy and cared for with the right amount of daily exercise.

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