4 Cool Exercise Equipment Ideas for Your Dog

Dogs are like young children. Without something constructive to do with their boundless energy, they’ll direct it elsewhere, and you may not like it. Unlike years back when dogs played a bigger role working alongside us, today, your dog doesn’t have to do much of anything besides waiting for you, running around in the backyard and barking.

We all walk our dogs in the park or around the neighbourhood, play around with them indoors or even bring them along during our morning runs. How about you change things a bit and get some simple and interactive fitness toys for your dog? It will make dog exercising more enjoyable. Here are 4 cool exercise equipment you should get for your dog.

Fetch Toys – Ball Throwers

Throwing a ball or tossing a frisbee has long been a preferred outdoor activity for dog owners and their pets. While it’s always interesting to throw the ball yourself, how about you get an automatic ball thrower or launcher? They come in corded and cordless options and can be taken anywhere.

Ball throwers like the fetch machine godoggo, Fastdogs recommend in their review of play toys for dogs as they offer dog owners a versatile, durable and high-performance play toy that keeps dogs engaged with little intervention. It’s the perfect toy for dogs that love to play fetch.

Jump Bar

An adjustable jump bar is great for your dog’s endurance and confidence. You can easily adjust the bar as high or as low as you want based on your dog’s competitiveness and safety. If your dog feels secure to jump higher and you can raise the bar and reward him with treats for reassurance for engaging in the exercise.

You can also get agility equipment like weave poles, tires or ladders and create simple obstacle courses in your backyard can also be fun for you and your dog.

Exercise Balls

Exercise balls are not just for yoga or pet rehabilitation centres. They can also be a fun activity for your favourite pooch too. A large exercise ball is not only good for you but also helps strengthen your dog’s core as well as improve its balance, control and reaction. Set aside some ball play time with your dog.

Many dogs love engaging in kid’s playtime, and exercise balls are a perfect way to keep both your kids and pets happy. American Treibball Association (ATA) founder notes that proper use of exercise balls can improve communication skills between you and your dog as well as enhance a dog’s off-leash reliability.

Motorised Treadmill

A motorised treadmill for your dog is the perfect exercise equipment to increase its muscle tone and lifespan. Regular workout sessions with your dog on the treadmill is a perfect combination for both of you. You’ll want to introduce your dog to the treadmill early on so that it can feel at ease.

Slowly walk your dog from the back of the machine and teach it to step down on the front of it. It’s going to take some time, but eventually, the dog gets used to it. Repeat the process as many times as you can and start with slow speeds to encourage walking on it. Over time, your dog will learn to follow its natural instinct to run.

Conclusion

Pets will have simply become couch potatoes with little activity to keep them engaged both physically and mentally. Dr. Kat Miller, an animal behaviourist, based in North Carolina, notes that there are so many under-exercised dogs, and that’s causing various medical and destructive behavioural problems.

That’s why exercise is important. Get the right exercise equipment for your dog and engage in regular exercise, at least one hour a day to keep your four-legged friend fit and healthy.

*This is a collaborative post.