The WHO (World Health Organization) has found that the number of adults living with obesity has more than doubled since 1990².

Additionally, a PDSA PAW report (regarding current issues affecting pets) in 2023, states that 60% of veterinarians have noticed an increase in dogs’ behavioural issues over the previous two years, with 75% of vets regarding lack of socialization as the cause⁵. It is obvious, and alarming, that many owners and their dogs are not getting the benefits of sufficient exercise and socialization, which improves the quality of life of both pets and humans.

Benefits of Exercise

• Enjoying physical exercise with our animals benefits all of us both psychologically and physically. It burns calories and keeps our minds and bodies active.
• Games such as fetching a ball, hide-and-seek, races, obstacle courses, running, ‘bikejoring’ and ‘canicross’ are fun for dogs and humans and effectively burn up calories.
• Exercise helps to reduce obesity, improves cardiovascular health, lessens digestive problems, and improve quality of life.
• Humans who exercise regularly, have a lower risk of diabetes, depression and breast cancer, together with other benefits⁶.

Choice of Exercise Options

There are many options, but if you are in doubt you should consult your vet who will help you create a good exercise routine for your pet and for you.

• Exercise options should be appropriate for both canine and human. There are many options. With regard to your dog, you should consider such factors as age, fitness level, health, environmental temperature (high temperatures may cause thermal stress), personality and your routine and commitments.
• You should consider your own and your pet’s baseline fitness levels before choosing a physical activity. An elderly pet with osteoarthritis, for example, will benefit from exercise which is easier on his/her joints, such as swimming, as long as they are happy with this.
• If you or your pet has led a largely sedentary life, you need to ease both of you into any activity, slowly increasing the time and intensity. Injury may result from any exercise programme which is too intense, too quickly.
• Older pets will benefit from several small work-outs rather than one, long and intense one.
• Certain breeds of both cats and dogs need more exercise than others. For example, a Persian cat or a Basset Hound will need less activity than, say, a Border Collie or a Bengal cat.
• Long-haired breeds are more prone to thermal stress than short-haired varieties. When it is cold outside, of course, the long-haired breeds will be happier than the short-haired pets, outside.

Socialization

Our pets should be exposed to many different situations and to other pets, gradually, when they are young. This does not just include other animals but other humans apart from you, different noises, such as cars, town environments, parks, and pet parlours. This will reduce your pet’s fears when these stimuli are encountered later^6,7. Pets who have been effectively socialized are usually more comfortable, happier, healthier, less nervous and have fewer behavioural problems, in more situations, than an unsocialized pet, making life easier for them and for you.

If your pet already has behavioural problems, it is often possible to correct these. However, prevention is better than cure.

Your vet will advise you if you are in doubt. Make sure your pets are fully-vaccinated and protected from external and internal parasites with treatments like Bravecto^®. This will ensure that both you and your pet are protected.

Finally …

There is no doubt about the extensive benefits of exercise and socialization for your pets and for you. They are invaluable for the physical and emotional health of you and your pet. To help to ensure a healthier, happier life for both of you, you should engage in exercise and social activities. Basic exercise is free and ensuring your pet engages in regular exercise and socialization, will result in less visits to the vet, saving you money.

Sources

Source 1: RVC study (2021) https://www.rvc.ac.uk

Source 2: WHO (2024) https://www.who.int/health-topics/obesity

Source 3: PDSA (2023) PAW animal wellbeing report

Source 4: NHS (2021) Benefits of exercise https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-health

Source 5: Is dog owner obesity a risk factor for canine obesity?    

www.ncbi.nim.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9147579/

Source 6: Relationship between aggressive and avoidance behaviour by dogs and their experience in the first six months of life.(2002)  https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.150.14.434

Source 7: Canine Socialisation: A Narrative Systemic Review. (2022) PMID: 36359020

Source 8: Animo I MSD Animal Health HUB (msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk)

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