DOGGOS
Did you know that your dog needs to be walked at least once a day? And that’s even if you have a big garden for pooch to play in. This daily exercise stimulates dogs; it keeps them from becoming frustrated and developing bad behaviours.
However, puppies are a different story. They’re prone to injury if they exercise too much. Some experts recommend allotting 5 minutes of exercise for every month your dog is; maximum twice a day. So, if your dog is 2 months old, you’ll need to exercise for 10 minutes once or twice in a day! However, it’s always best to check with your vet for a definitive answer.
Need ideas to keep your fully grown doggo fit and full of life? Try some of these:
- Walk, run or jog on the beach, around the neighbourhood or a park
- Games of fetch
- Agility classes are great for high energy pooches
- Doggy swim classes or a dip in the local pool, ocean or dam (if it’s close by)
- Doggy play dates
- Teaching your dog tricks like roll over, jump, sit etc.
Make sure you check out our range of enriching doggo toys here.
KITTIES
They might spend most of their days sleeping, but you may be surprised to find out that cats need exercise too!
In typical cat from, felines are pickier about their exercise needs. Environmental enrichment is usually the way to go. Think feather rods, catnip toys, scratching posts, obstacles like cat trees – or you can go with a simple cardboard box and newspaper!
Be sure to pencil in some daily playtime with your kitty as soon as you bring them home. This will help normalise that part of their daily routine!
In need of some kitty playtime essentials? We’ve got loads of fun toys to choose from. Have a peek while you’re here.
RABBITS
Last but not least is rabbits! Funny enough, they’re prone to obesity and health issues. Rabbits can also turn to destructive behaviours, such as chewing, if they’re kept in hutches without enough exercise. So, it’s important to encourage them to get that blood pumping!
But how, you may ask, does one exercise a rabbit? Good question. Here are our tips:
- Walk around your garden with them and explore in a supervised area
- Play fetch with them (though in this case, you’ll be fetching and the rabbit will be tossing the toy into the air)
- Get your rabbit to stretch their muscles by holding up treats just above their ear level
- Build an obstacle course inside out of cardboard boxes for your rabbit to jump over
- Initiate a game of chase by running away from your rabbit and calling their name
Looking for more rabbit pet care? We’ve got you covered. Take a look at our small animals section.
Final word: At the end of the day, the goal of exercising with your pet is for it to be fun for you both! So, our advice is to stick with what works for you and your pet – and enjoy bonding while spending time together.
