Incorporate daily exercises into the service dog's schedule. It promotes health and increases stamina. The information in this article provides non-traditional dog exercises for handlers who are limited in mobility.
Things You'll Need
- Squeaky tennis balls
- Stuffed animals
- Kong dog toy
- Access to a lake or pet-pool
- Tug toys
Instructions
Find a nearby lake or pet-pool to incorporate relaxation and water activities for your dog. Fetch, water tug, and paddling activities require full muscle movement and provide joint therapy.
Keep service dogs active with agility exercises. Give direction without physically leading the dog into each exercise. Set-up activities are easy and recommended exercises are agility tunnels, bar jumps, and weave poles.
Make homemade tug toys with ropes or old towels. Tie strong knots at both ends for your service dog to pull while sitting or standing. Hold the tug while the dog pulls you to a standing position and release.
Throw tennis balls down stairs for the dog to run and retrieve and reward them with a treat. Running several laps up and down the stairs gives a working dog a full afternoon of physical activity.