There is a multitude of benefits that come from exercise. The most obvious are improved cardiovascular and respiratory systems, stronger bones and muscles, and enhanced flexibility. But some other lesser-known benefits include better mental health and cognitive abilities and building on the bonds between pet and pet parent.
Creating a daily routine that you and your Wheaten can look forward to improves both your moods, allows you to build on the bonds between you both, as well as the opportunity to work on expected behaviors.
Elevated Moods: Exercise causes the body to release neurochemicals into the blood that act as mood enhancers. An elevated mood also is a calmer, more obedient, and teachable mood for your Wheaten as well.
Negate Poor Behaviors: An inactive dog tends to lash out through disobedience and other poor behaviors. This type of negative stress can create long-term damaging effects on its mental wellness, causing your Wheaten to act out or misbehave. One of the primary ways to address negative behaviors is with regular exercise. Remember, the adage “a tired dog is a happy dog” is partly because post-exercise, the body releases powerful neurochemicals that help elevate moods and regulate negative emotions such as anxiety.
Enhanced Cognitive Function: Boxers that tend to be anxious or aggressive develop stubbornness, anxiety, lack of focus, and become unresponsive to commands. Regular exercise helps mitigate these negative behavioral traits and strengthens the bonds between pet and pet parent.
More Efficient Cardiovascular System: Stressing the body through vigorous exercise makes your Wheaten’s heart and cardiovascular system work harder, strengthening it as a result and improving its heart health.
Increased Flexibility: Flexibility and range of motion are keys for Injury prevention. Exercising regularly engages the muscles and helps make the joints flexible. As your Wheaten ages, these joints and muscles can become tighter and can be a leading cause of injury.
Maintain Its Skeletal-Muscle System and Bones: Regular exercise builds and strengthens its skeletal-muscle system, crucial for overall health.
Improved Digestion: A routine that includes daily exercise aids the body with appetite control, waste production, and weight management.
Another significant health concern regarding sedentary dogs is that it can lead to more severe health issues. Some of the ramifications that are derived from lack of exercise are:
- High-Blood Pressure
- Type-2 Diabetes
- Heart Disease and Congestive Heart Failure
- Osteoarthritis and/or Hip Damage
- Labored Breathing and Respiratory Issues
- Shortened Life-Expectancy (by as much as 2-3 years)
A combination of diet and exercise are the best ways to ward off these potential health concerns.
Depending on the area in which you live, we have a few suggestions to help you with your Wheatens exercise routine.
Walking: Instinctually, dogs explore their surroundings through their sense of smell. Their smell is thought to be over 40x more powerful than a human, making smell a dog’s primary way to engage with and experience their world. By creating a daily routine that includes walks, you’re providing an opportunity for your Wheaten to discover the neighborhood’s happenings, engage its curiosity, and get some low-impact exercise at the same time. An added benefit is that regular walks allow you to work with your pet on expected behaviors as the pet parent.
