Pets

Autumn and Winter Exercise Tips To Keep Your Dog Fit

When the weather gets cooler, how do you make sure your dog is still able to keep active and fit? When it’s colder and unpleasant outside, you’re much less likely to head outside to dog parks, trails, and so on to keep your pet fit.

No matter what the weather is like outside, it’s still important to make sure your pet gets his daily exercise. If bad weather is keeping you indoors, don’t let that get in the way of the fun. There are still so many great ways to keep your dog fit no matter the season. Here are our favorite autumn and winter exercise tips specifically for your dog. 

1. Play Fun Indoor Games

Games aren’t just for the outdoors. You can play so many fun indoor games with your pet that not only get your dog active but also engage them mentally. Mental and physical stimulation are both essential when keeping your dog fit. Some of the best indoor-focused games are:

 

  • Hide-and-seek: Get your dog up and moving with hide-and-seek. You can either hide yourself or your dog’s toys and have your pet come find you, or you can hide high-value dog treats like cookies from Wufers.com. Let your dog use his nose to search!
  • Tug-o-war: Another game that’s great inside is by playing tug with your dog’s favorite toy. 
  • Treat puzzles: Hiding your pet’s food in a treat or food puzzle dispenser is sure to get some of his energy out.

 

These indoor games are easy to play every day, and they get your dog up and working his nose! You’d be surprised just how much they help with draining your dog’s energy.

2. Take a Class

Indoor dog training courses and classes are a great way to keep your dog active and stimulated during the colder months. Plus, it can be a fun activity for owners as well!

While your class options depend on your specific location, you likely can find an indoor agility class or swimming class which are the best at tiring out Fido. Otherwise, sign your dog up for some specialty training classes to get them working regularly. Yes, we know that it might be difficult to find that dedicated team or page to find all the information you need to decide to take the step and move forward. However, it’s worth the time, and your puppy will enjoy it.

 

3. Get a Dog Treadmill

A dog treadmill is another great way to get your dog moving. A dog treadmill helps your dog get their steps in no matter the weather. This isn’t the same as the treadmills you find at your own home. A dog treadmill is specifically designed for pets, and it uses slower speeds to help them get familiar with it. 

While not for everyone, a dog treadmill is a great investment. If you live somewhere where exercising outside isn’t an option all year round, this could be the perfect solution to maintain your dogs active lifestyle

4. Bundle Up to Go Outside

Last but not least, the weather doesn’t have to keep you indoors all the time! Larger dogs especially love the snow, and it can be a great way to get your dog fit. As long as you’re mindful of the weather and the temperature, you can spend limited time outdoors to get a lot of your daily activity in.

There are also dog sweaters, windbreakers, and so on that can help keep your pet warm even on the coldest of days. Spending around a half-hour outside per chilly day is a safe limit, and it gives your dog more than enough time to get active

Stay Fit All Year Long

The autumn and winter months make it hard to stay as active as the spring and summer. That being said, there are still so many ways to keep your dog fit and healthy. 

Making sure your pet has enough mental and physical stimulation is key. This can happen both inside and outside, so don’t be afraid to get creative!

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