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National Dog Obesity Awareness Day is coming up on October 12th. This day raises awareness of the fact that dog obesity is a growing problem. Obesity can cause a wide range of serious health problems for dogs and even shorten their life span. Making sure your dog gets regular exercise can help prevent this from happening. Keep the following ideas in mind for exercising your dog this fall while staying safe outdoors as the weather gets cooler.
Hiking in the fall gives you a chance to admire fall foliage, while your dog gets to enjoy all of the seasonal scents around. Going for hikes provides your dog with an opportunity to get a considerable amount of exercise in addition to socialization. Just make sure that your dog stays warm enough on chilly days. Dogs with thinner fur might need to wear a vest or jacket to keep themselves warm on the trails. Also, remember to check for ticks every so often, so your dog won’t get sick.
If you have a local dog park, bring your dog over for playtime on cool fall days. Dogs aren’t in as much danger of overheating as they are in summer, but make sure that there’s still plenty of water available for your pup. You can wear your dog out playing fetch or another outdoor game that you both enjoy.
Fall’s cooler days also make it more pleasant to take your dog for longer walks around your neighborhood, or you can go exploring other areas nearby. Just remember that it gets darker out earlier in fall, so plan accordingly. If you’ll be out walking when it gets to be dusk, make sure that your dog has a visible vest on and a strong leash. If your dog pulls, you might want to consider using a harness as well. This helps prevent your dog from getting loose and being hurt by vehicles on the road.
Keep in mind that there are other dangers to be aware of when exercising your dog this fall. Watch for snakes, stinging insects and other critters that are around more often as they look for winter shelter. You should also keep your dog away from poisonous mushrooms that pop up during fall.For more ways to keep your dog healthy this fall, check out our these ten ways!
