Pets have boundless energy and are always up for some playtime! But those rounds of backyard fetch can get boring after a while (mostly for the human!). Pets need exercise as much as we do, and can easily become bored or irritable with lack of stimulation. Exercising with pets can also be a great way to bond!
Whether you have a dog or cat, there are plenty of fun exercises to do with your pet! Rain, hail or shine, the following activities can be done indoors or outdoors to keep your pet fit and healthy.
1. Obstacle course
Have you ever seen Top Dog? While your obstacle course (and pet’s agility) will be on a less grander scale than seen on the TV program, you can still test your skills and have a whole lot of fun!
You can set up your obstacle course indoors or outdoors by positioning furniture, branches, pots, pillows - anything you can find! - around a makeshift course. Think about creating a path that zig-zags between obstacles and lay down branches or pillows for your pet to walk or jump over. Use treats to lure your pet or keep them on a leash as you both run the course together.
If your pet isn’t afraid of water, set up the sprinkler in the backyard and run through it together as a fun finale to your course!
2. Hide and seek
Hide and seek is a great game to play with dogs, as it encourages their sense of smell.
There are a couple of ways you can do this. Indoors or outdoors, you can get a friend to hold your pet as you run and hide. Once you’re hidden, call out to your dog and time how quickly they find you! Another way you can play is by putting your pet in an enclosed room while you go around the house hiding treats. Once all treats are hidden, let your pet out of the room and encourage them to find it!
Hide and seek is also an exercise your cat will enjoy! You can run off and hide somewhere in the house and then call out to them, or, shine a flashlight on the floor so that they can follow it to your hide-out!
3. Pet painting
If you’re looking for a fun outdoor activity with your pet, why not try your paws at painting?!
For this you will need some butcher’s paper or an old sheet. You will also need some pet-safe paints or non-toxic washable paints (making sure they’re free of benzyl alcohol, henna or xylitol). You can also create your own pet-safe paints using a mix of household food-grade products or simply mix some dirt with water! Next, get your pet and dip its paw into the paint and press it onto your canvas. You may also encourage them to run all over it, creating a unique work of paw art!
Remember to add your own stamp to it too! Once dried, you can frame it, take a photo of it or scan it and create personalised cards for your friends & family!
4. Outdoor exploration
Pets are naturally curious, and love to explore new sights and smells. For this reason, you should venture outside with your pet for a walk around the local park or neighborhood and encourage them to sniff around and use their senses!
For cat owners, you can encourage outdoor exploration by taking them outside (preferably in your backyard or secured area) on a cat leash. Let them investigate plants (ensuring they’re non-toxic) and various points of interest around the yard. This is great for both their physical health and mental stimulation.
5. Food trail
Another variation of hide and seek, you can set your pet off on a treasure hunt by hiding food around the house!
This is particularly a great exercise for cats since they are natural hunters. You can encourage their predatory abilities by placing their food in a different spot each day or by hiding treats in high places. If you have a dog, you can place treats around the house or yard for them to sniff out and find. Or, you can also place treats in a Kong or Kibble and then hide it somewhere tricky for added mental stimulation!
Exercising with your pet isn’t just a way to keep fit and fight off boredom! You can use this time to bond and to provide your pet with the sensory stimulation they need to keep their minds active. A healthy pet is a happy pet, and by creating fun exercises to do together, both you and your pet will benefit from it!
The best part is, you can modify activities to suit your type of pet or their personality. You might find your pet favours some activities more than others. Try some of these activities today and find out which one they enjoy, or, get creative and come up with your own fun exercises to do together!
