The Michigan weather is getting warmer. Meaning, you can finally spend extended time outside safely with your animals. Spending time under the sun provides limitless exercise opportunities for you and your pet. These activities can benefit both you and your animal!
Benefits of exercising your pet include:
- Decreasing yours and your pet’s chances of obesity. Obesity leads to health risks in both you and your animal such as damage to joints, heart disease, and diabetes.
- Improving your pet’s behavioral issues while increasing your happiness. Animals chew on items and bark more when they are bored, restless, and need attention. Exercising also releases endorphins in humans to improve your mood!
- Walks are mentally stimulating for pets and provide a social component for you. While dogs are sniffing and exploring a new place, they are stimulating their brains causing excitement. You are also adding a necessary social element to your day by interacting with your environment and the people around you.
- Increases bonding between you and your animal. You adopted an animal to make a life-long companion. Friendships take time, attention, and care. By dedicating 30 minutes to an hour every day to exercise your animal, you can build a stronger relationship between you and man’s best friend.
To exercise outside safely, invest in heart worm and flea protection for your animals. While dogs and cats need exercise to live a happy life, they also need protection from diseases to live a healthy one.
Take advantage of the increasingly warmer temperatures by going on a walk, playing fetch, or throwing a frisbee for your pet to chase. Being active will improve both you and your animal’s lives.