Exercise Tips for Chocolate Labs

The friendly, outgoing temperament of Labrador retrievers have made them the most popular dog breed in the United States since 1991, according to the American Kennel Association. Labradors come in three color varieties -- yellow, black and chocolate. Chocolate labs are characterized by a brown coat, a liver-colored nose, and brown or hazel eyes. Labrador retrievers are people-pleasers and are happiest when they have a task to perform. To keep your dog physically and mentally healthy, it is important to exercise your lab's body and mind.

  1. Walks

    • Chocolate labs are people pleasers.

      Walking your chocolate lab and allowing it to explore will not only exercise its body, but its mind, as well. A walk as short as 15 minutes can calm an excited dog. Walking is also an important exercise to incorporate into your dog's exercise routine, because it's low-impact exercise, and not as stressful on its joints as running. You can increase the intensity of the walk by having the lab wear a dog backpack. A dog backpack is a specially-designed backpack that fits over the dog's shoulders, allowing the dog to carry its own items. You can place additional water or other supplies in the pouches of the backpack; the additional weight helps your dog build stronger leg and back muscles.

    Games

    • Chocolate labs love to retrieve tennis balls.

      Labrador retrievers, not surprisingly, love to retrieve. Games such as fetch or hide and seek are fun and challenging exercises for your dog, and make use of its natural instincts. Hide your dog's favorite toy or treat and invite it to find the item. Remember to reward your dog after it has found the item, to reinforce the behavior and encourage it to participate in the future. You can also do a variation of hide and seek in which your dog is seeking you, or another person it's familiar with. Many chocolate labs are toy addicts and enjoy any game that includes them. Place your dog's toys on the floor and encourage it to select a specific toy. Once your dog can differentiate between many types of toys, you can also play games that require it to sort its toys. Games such as tug-of-war and chase aren't recommended, because they may reinforce rough play behaviors.

    Running

    • Letting your chocolate lab run alongside you, or over an open field, is a great way to let it quickly burn energy. If you take your dog for a jog, be sure to monitor it, to make sure it doesn't become overly tired. Bring along a portable water bowl to ensure your dog doesn't become dehydrated. Most Labrador retrievers also enjoy the companionship of other dogs, and will love to exercise by frolicking with pals. However, just as some human personalities clash, not all dogs get along -- so, group play should always be supervised.

    Swimming

    • Chocolate labs love to swim.

      Labrador retrievers are made to swim. Their thick tails and webbed feet make them at home in the water. Swimming comes naturally to many labs, and it's a good exercise for older dogs, because it's not stressful on joints. Swimming is also sometimes used as a rehabilitation tool for labs recovering from leg ligament surgery. Many dog parks have lakes or pools specifically for dog use, and many communities have an open day that allows guests to bring their dogs for swimming. There are also life vests made specifically for dogs that aren't accustomed to swimming.