It is really important to give your pet regular exercise so that it can burn off the energy it has gained during mealtimes. Sometimes a short walk on a lead may not be enough to keep your dog in ideal physical condition.

Age

It is equally important to take into account the age of the individual, whether it is a puppy, a young dog, an adult or an older animal. The type of sporting activity should be varied. For example, we cannot allow an old dog to exercise too much, as it may already have mobility problems due to osteoarthritis. On the other hand, you must also be careful with puppies of breeds that are prone to developing osteoarticular disorders typical of growth.

Build

Another crucial factor to consider is the size and build of the individual, as we need to take a different approach when dealing with, for example, a Malamute or a Greyhound, which will certainly have different motor needs due to their bone and muscle morphology: the former is designed to pull sleds and perform endurance activities, while the latter is designed for sprinting competitions.

Activities

The different types of sporting activities we can consider can be divided into:

• short duration (e.g. sprinting such as Greyhound racing...)
• medium duration (agility, hunting...)
• long duration (e.g. sled dogs...)

These are all sporting activities that require different energy consumption based on the type of effort required. A Greyhound during sprinting activities is exposed to intense effort and rapid jumps, which mainly requires energy from carbohydrates, compared to a dog used for hunting or agility, which requires a higher intake of fats in its diet.

Regardless of the type of sporting activity you want your dog to do, taking into account the breed, the age of the individual and the amount of time you want and are able to devote to it, you must remember not to overdo it. If a lack of physical activity is harmful, overtraining is even worse. Muscle inflammation, technically called myositis, sprains and even minor and major injuries can occur.

Exercising with your dog strengthens the bond between dog and owner, allows you to train them in a different way and gives you both the opportunity to let off steam; sometimes even a simple run after a day's work while the dog waits at home is enough... and the greater the health benefits for both.