This first article I wrote for my human friends describes proper ways to exercise Labrador Retrievers. Owning an active breed such as the Labrador Retriever is a huge responsibility. This is because you now have sole control over your dog's lifestyle habits and overall health. Labrador Retrievers are also a very social breed, and can be very affectionate towards their owners. Their friendly nature, combined with their love of treats and food, gives them a increased risk of becoming overweight. The importance of a good exercise routine cannot be over-emphasized.
How lets get started, Shall we?
IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISEExercise is something that is often overlooked in caring for a Labrador Retriever. Most owners do walk their dogs occasionally, but not on a regular basis. However, what most people don't realize, is that a good exercise routine is not only important for their Labrador's health. Exercising on a regular basis can aid in curing many temperament problems that some pet owners experience. This includes hyperactivity, stress, failure to listen, biting, and mood problems. Also, exercising with your dog is a good motivator for your own exercise routine!
Exercising with your dog can also help strengthen the emotional bond between you and your pet. Your dog looks up to you, and will likely be excited about spending this special “exercise time” with you on a daily basis. With improvements in their mood, this will become a very positive experience for both you and your dog.
A regular exercise routine has numerous benefits for your Labrador's overall health. It will help
increase your dog's strength and endurance, by building strong muscles. It will help your dog live
longer, since a good exercise plan promotes a strong, healthy heart. It will help increase flexibility in your dog's joints, which can lower the chance of a debilitating injury later in your dog's life. Also, exercise is very important for adequately managing your dog's weight. Labradors are one of the most commonly overweight breeds, and this has increased in recent years. Studies have shown the numerous health benefits of exercising, so don't be afraid to start now!
The benefit of increased flexibility in the joints is especially important for
Labrador Retrievers. This is because Labradors are genetically prone to dysplasia of the joints. If you take good care of your Labrador's joints beginning from an early age, these problems can be more easily identified at an early stage, and have a higher chance of being curable without intensive surgery. Any loss of mobility, or visible stiffness in your Labrador Retriever's joints is cause for concern, and regularly exercising with your dog can help you to identify any changes immediately.
If your dog has recently had surgery, it is important to check with your vet for an appropriate time to begin exercising again. The recovery and healing period after the surgery will usually result in a lot of muscle atrophy, which will make your dog much weaker when they are finally fit for normal mobility again. However, this is not a reason to keep them from exercising! You should start with light exercise, and gradually increase the intensity of the activity so to begin rebuilding your Labrador's muscle tone. Again, be sure to check with your vet for specific exercises that your doing should be doing at this time.
A RESPONSIBLE EXERCISE ROUTINEThe best exercise routines involve first getting outdoors. This may not be possible for all pet owners, especially those who live in the city, and must first properly socialize their dog to deal with large numbers of people. For people who are fortunate enough to live outside of the city, finding a good place to exercise should be much easier. Living in a suburban area is ideal, since it gives adequate space to exercise your dog, with a moderate exposure to people and other dogs. This can help when socializing your dog, in gradually introducing them to other people and dogs, without being overwhelming. If you live in a heavily wooded area, it is important to first train your dog to deal with small animals without over-excitement (lots of Labradors love to chase squirrels), so that they are better able to focus on the exercise routine. If you live in a heavily populated area, be sure that your dog is comfortably socialized with dealing with strangers, so that your exercising with them can be a stress-free experience.
Once your dog is prepared to be outdoors, the next step is to choose a good exercising route. This should be a short loop from and back to your house, which takes about 20 minutes at a brisk walk. Be sure to stay in visible areas, for safety reasons. There's no need to exercise your pet by running down dark alleys! This route can be primarily of level ground at the early stages of your routine, though you may want to introduce some inclined terrain later, to help build better muscle tone. Your primary concern when starting your exercise routine is to build endurance, both for you and your dog. Once you have chosen your initial exercise route, it's time to start exercising! Be sure that you have a well fitted collar and leash for your dog. Ideally, your dog should have mastered the “Heel” command at this point, to make for a much better exercise experience. The collar should fit snugly around your dog's neck, but not to the point of restricting breathing. It's not recommended to use a choke-chain, or a spiked collar for exercising. If you are engaging in clicker training, it is especially important to refrain from using a choke-chain collar. When choosing a leash, it is probably most beneficial to use a leash of variable length. These leashes are durable, sturdy, and have a length that retracts back into the handle.
This is one of the best leashes to use for exercising, since it allows you and your dog both adequate space for good movement.
In the early stages of exercise, it's important to not push your dog too much. Though Labrador
Retrievers are naturally active, it may take your dog several days to adjust to a regular exercise routine. Begin your routine with a brisk walk, and pay attention to any warning signs that your dog is tired. This will include heavy panting, or constantly falling behind you. If this happens, slow down to a moderate walk, and continue this until your dog stops showing these symptoms of exhaustion.
WARNING AGAINST EICAs well as joint problems, the Labrador Retriever breed can be genetically susceptible to a condition known as “Exercise Induced Collapse” (EIC). This is different from regular exhaustion, and can lead to temporary paralysis in your dog, and in serious cases can result in death. It is extremely important to pay attention to any signs of EIC while exercising your dog, especially if you're not sure if your dog has an inherited disposition to be affected by this condition. The warning signs of EIC include: heavy breathing, loss of coordination, loss of mobility, paralysis in the front or hind legs, and complete collapse. If you see any of these symptoms in your dog while exercising, it is essential to stop all activity immediately. If your dog is experiencing an episode of EIC, they may require a significant recovery period before regaining complete control of their mobility.
EXERCISE FOR SPORT AND PRACTICAL TRAININGMany people who own purebred
Labrador Retrievers use a regular exercise routine to train them for specific sports or professional activities. If you wish to start intensive training with your Labrador, you should first do some research about the particular sport in which you wish to participate. An activity that requires very intensive training is the Shutzhund test. This is a test that was developed in Germany, initially to test German Shepherds for active traits. In the present day, many breeds are allowed to compete in Shutzhund, since it is a requirement for any type of dog that will work with Law Enforcement. Labrador Retrievers are sometimes trained for Shutzhund, since they possess most of the traits required to work in Law Enforcement. It is an extremely physically demanding test, requiring complete obedience of the dog competing. If you would like to train your Labrador for the Shutzhund test, it is strongly recommended that you follow a professional training and exercise program.
If you are training your Labrador for sport hunting, you should follow a reputable hunting training program, in addition to a regular exercise routine. Hunting dogs must be in very good physical condition, in order to successfully assist in retrieval hunting. Some people choose to give initial training to
Labrador Retrievers who will be used as seeing eye dogs. This is a very specific program, and requires a lot of responsibility in both training and exercise. A seeing eye dog must be in top physical condition, since they are required to constantly keep their blind owners from harm.
After initial training, exercise, and socialization is completed for a possible seeing eye dog, they are required to leave their initial owner's home, and begin specific intensive training for the services required by blind individuals.
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