Clever Ways to Keep Your Pooch Active This Winter

Winters might make you feel like curling up in your bed and sipping on a warm cup of cocoa. While some relaxing me-time could be a good idea, you need to take out time to stay active during the cold months, especially when you have a pet relying on you.

Never forget that your dog is dependent on you to take care of it. Leaving it at the mercy of cold weather can put your dog at risk for harsh conditions like arthritis or frostbite. There are several dog activities that you can incorporate in your routine to keep your dog from suffering from weight problems. Dogs tend to be more sedentary during the cold weather. As a consequence, they could sustain joint issues because of obesity.

To ensure that your pet maintains their health in the winter, you can plan activities to keep your dog active. Here are some clever and fun ways to keep your pooch active this winter.

While the weather outside is freezing, you can work on teaching your dog some tricks indoors. You can start your pet’s dog training with some basic commands like come, down, sit, and stay. Make sure to praise your dog for learning every trick to keep their spirits high during training.

Train your smaller breed of dog to stand on its hind legs. Don’t know how to do this? Tell your dog to sit, hold up a treat near its nose. When you start lifting the treat high, your dog will try to reach and stand up on its hind legs.

On the other hand, larger breeds can train to roll over. Similarly, hold a treat near its face and move it behind your dog’s neck slowly. This way, the dog will learn to roll over. 

If you have stairs in your house, now is the best time to use them for dog activities. For dogs with healthy joints, climbing stairs as an exercise helps with their strength, fitness, heart health and balance. Your dog will need to climb your stairs slowly to fully benefit from this exercise. Use a short leash and have them walk slowly beside you up your stairs.

Make your pup your shopping companion. Visit a dog-friendly store. This way, your puppy will have some time outside the house, and you will be able to get a few things done. Your dog will also discover some new sights and smells.

Don’t get frustrated with the weather. While you have snow outside, make use of it and take your dog to play in the snow. The breeds that are specially built for snow will love to be out in the snow. However, make sure you and your dog are in the right apparel.

There is so much you can do out in the snow. Take your canine companion out and teach them how to participate in new activities. You might try snowshoeing or cross country skiing, since you can do them with your pet. Just make sure they are fit and equipped for the cold weather.

If you want your dog’s play to be closer to home, you can use your yard space. Set up household items in the yard like a footstool that your dog can jump over. Other objects can be a hula hoop to jump through, a coffee table to crawl under, and some shoes to weave around. There’s so much around the house that you can use to play with your dog. Just let your imagination run wild! But make sure that you have a dog fence installed in the yard because you can’t compromise on your pet’s safety.

Being a dog owner, you want your dog to stay healthy and active, but no safety threat should hinder your dog activities. Especially in winters, when you feel like snoozing for a while, your dog might sneak out. There’s so much that can go wrong when your pet is out of your sight. So, install an electric fence to ensure that your dog is safe, playing within the designated area. Call us at 636-397-3321 or visit us online .