Hip, Hip, Hooray — Exercise Is Play!
If the mention of exercise makes you think of long, boring walks around the same blocks day in and day out, it's time for a change in your thinking and in your routine! Giving your dog the exercise she needs needn't be limited to those morning and evening ritual walks or the scheduled visits to dog parks or other places you take your dog to stretch her legs (though those are certainly worthwhile for all involved, even if they seem monotonous to you).
Your dog (and you) can get in some beneficial exercise without ever leaving home. How? By playing games together. There are lots of games you can play with your dog to get her heart rate up, her body moving, and her mind in gear. There's fetch, hide-and-seek (with objects and people), catch, and dance with me, just to name a few.
Get Ready for Fun
Another great thing about playing games with your dog is that you bring a different kind of energy to the interaction — usually a more up-beat and engaging energy. Your dog will pick up on that and feed off of it, resulting in her being more receptive to what you want to do. Don't delay: Here's how to get started.
Playing fetch may come naturally to your dog — or it may not. Begin by getting your dog interested in a ball or toy by teasing him with it and making playful, engaging sounds. If that isn't enough to get his interest, use a toy that can be filled with treats or other food. You can even puncture a tennis ball and put something deliciously smelly in it. When you have his attention and interest, roll it gently on the floor going away from him. You want the first few rolls to be easily retrieved so he stays interested. As you roll the object, say “Fetch.”
Dogs often turn fetching something into a game of keep-away. This can provide them with a lot of exercise as they scamper farther off every time you try to reach them, but it's not a game you want to encourage, as it teaches your dog that she's in charge of playtime with you. Fetch should mean getting the ball and bringing it back to you, not stealing it from you.
Should he steal the ball and begin to run off, simply stop playing the game. Ignore him as he runs off. Do not chase after or call him. When he returns to you, calmly put him in his crate or confine him to his normal room of confinement. Go find the ball or toy and put it somewhere he won't be able to reach or get at it. Leave it there until you're ready to initiate the game again, which should be some time later.
If he gets the ball and returns it to you, tell him excitedly what a good doggie he is, put out your hand for the ball, ask him to Drop It while you take it from him, thank him for it, then toss the ball again. Don't overdo this game, but if he's enjoying it, you can play for a while, increasing the distance you toss the ball or toy.
Hide-and-Seek Games
There are all sorts of ways to play hide-and-seek, and they all make for fast-paced and exciting times that definitely give your dog a physical and mental workout. The best way to lay the basics for all hide-and-seek games is with food. Using pieces of cereal or popcorn (things that are small, easy to chew, relatively healthy, and won't make a mess), show them to your dog so she knows you have something good. Ask her to sit and stay. Watching her so she doesn't break, put a piece or two out of her sight but nearby; for example, behind a table or chair leg, or next to the sofa. Without making her wait too long, give her her break word (“OK”), then say “Find It,” indicating that she can come and get the goodies. When she finds and eats a piece, tell her what a good girl she is.
Increase the difficulty and challenge of this game slowly and only play a couple of times a day. As she's sitting and staying, put more pieces down and encourage her to find them all. Don't put so many that she doesn't have to sniff them out, and don't put them in places that are too difficult to reach or find, but slowly put pieces farther away from her and in places that may not be quite so obvious.
What if my dog doesn't stay while I'm hiding the treats?
If your dog gets up too quickly to come looking for the treats, simply lead him back to his spot and reposition him. Stay standing in front of him once you've asked him to sit and stay so he gets the message. Until he's reliable on the stay, make it easier for him. Once he “gets” that he won't be asked to search for the treats until he can hold his sit, he'll do so reliably and you can make the game more challenging.
Another way to play hide-and-seek is with yourself and other family members. When you're first starting, have a piece of food with you so you can reward your dog when she finds you. Ask her to sit and stay in a room where you can hide not too far away. While she's in her sit-stay, tiptoe to your hiding spot. Now shout, “OK, find me!” You should hear her start to come looking for you. As soon as she finds you, tell her what a good doggie she is and give her the treat. If it seems easy for her, play again right away and hide a bit farther away. If she has trouble finding you or gets distracted, choose a spot that's closer to where she's in the sit-stay.
Eventually, you should be able to ask your dog to sit and stay while you sneak as far away as upstairs and into an unusual hiding place like the bathtub. Once she understands the game, she will continue to look for you. If it's challenging and you sense she's getting frustrated, call out “Missy, find me!” in an excited voice from your spot to redirect and refocus her.
Remember, make it simple enough so it's rewarding for her but challenging enough that it's fun and exciting.
Dancing as Exercise
Some people think this is so much fun that they participate in the sport of Canine Freestyle, which is essentially doing dance routines with your dog. Maybe you and yours will be the next Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers of the doggie dancing scene. For the purposes of this chapter on exercise, all you need to know is if you and your dog enjoy it, do it!
Dogs respond in all kinds of ways when people dance. Some bark and want to be in on the action. Some watch and wonder. Some like to have their paws held and moved to the beat. Don't get too rough with your dog or put him in positions he can't hold or that might put undue stress on his joints, but if he likes to move around with you while you dance, encourage him. See if he has a favorite song. This is a great way to take a heart-healthy break and just have fun with your dog.
