By Dr. Teri Sue & Gabbie Bird

Let’s burn off all those extra calories.  It’s a great privilege that we all have pets to keep us moving!  Cats maybe not so much, except the stress of searching the yard before bed to find them! But nonetheless, playtime and movement is a great way to take a break.

This month we are focusing on the benefits of physical exercise for our pets, and sharing different activities to incorporate them into your routines. 

Movement is a pillar in the foundation of optimal wellness. Regular exercise improves your pet’s longevity – it strengthens their body, maintains stable metabolism, and improves brain engagement. By incorporating new activities into their routine, we help them build their mind-body connection (and our own) to improve mobility and their mental health and wellbeing. 

Variety is the spice of life!  Try it with types of activities and levels of intensity. While leash walking our dogs is a great way to get outside and give them new things to smell, it does not always meet the exercise needs of most dogs. The biggest benefit to walking our dogs is engaging their minds through sniffing – 20 minutes of sniffing is equivalent to 1 hour of walking! 

In an ideal world, our dogs have the opportunity to explore off leash – so they can run, then stop and sniff, walk, and run again. With this said, we do not live in an ideal world – many of us do not have access to areas where we can let our dogs roam, or our dogs can only be let off leash in a secure area.
 
If this is your situation and it feels impossible to incorporate off leash outdoor time into your dogs’ routine, there are small changes you can make to improve their physical exercise. For example, take your dog on a leash walk in a new area, so they can explore a new environment with their noses. Take leash walks on uneven terrain like uphill and over logs in the forest to improve their mind-body connection. Long leash lines can be useful for this – where you can occasionally drop it, but quickly retrieve it should they decide to run (or it will get caught).  Sniffspots are another amazing way to allow your dog to run freely in a secure environment.
Many dog breeds were bred for a job – tuning into your pets instincts can help direct you on the physical exercise that will fulfill your pet most. Does your dog have a great prey drive? Try introducing a flirt pole for high intensity exercise that provides an outlet for their need to chase and hunt. Does your dog have a great nose, and love to use it? Try hiding treats or toys around the house or yard for them to find. Give them different names and teach your pet to find the named toy. A herding ball can be great for herding breeds, and retrievers love to fetch! If your dog is a quick learner, agility training may be their favorite. Tricks are a favorite for most small dogs and some cats.

Another obstacle we often face in providing proper exercise for our pets, especially this time of year, is the cold, rainy weather. On rainy days, try to get creative – see how you can bring new experiences into your home. Building DIY agility courses, creating uneven terrains to walk through, or working on training can help engage your dogs mind and body, releasing pent up energy. Even a walk in the rain and cold will enliven almost everybody’s day.

Dogs are not our only pets that require regular exercise; our cats also need regular exercise and can benefit from incorporating movement into their daily routine. 

The activities that benefit your cats align with their natural routine and instincts. Cats are most active around dawn and dusk, making the mornings and evenings the best time to add movement to their routine. 
In a cats perfect life, they hunt around these times, exerting a great amount of energy. Once they catch their prey, they eat, then clean themselves and relax. Recreating this natural pattern can help release pent up energy and improve their overall mood and behavior. 

The key is finding the toy your cat likes the most, and keeping play sessions short. Once you find your cats favorite toy (or several), rotate them to simulate a hunt. The more your toy acts like a mouse, bird, snake or bug, the more engaged your cat will be in the hunt. Let them watch, building up to their attack. Once they are in full chase and make their “kill” they can eat their meal, then most will groom. You can also use this time to help groom with brushing, or take the opportunity to bond with love and pets. 

Cats also exercise through exploring their world. By using shelves up along the wall to the ceiling, cat trees, and furniture you can create a path for them to explore the horizontal and vertical world through the house. If you cat is food motivated, they may love clicker training, which can be used to encourage them to move through the world you create for them. 

Hiding dried meat pieces or catnip so they find something in a new place also engages them to move.
Outside time is extremely beneficial for cats, and helps provide exercise they need. Building a catio or taking your indoor cat on leash walks allows them to explore the outside world, use their hunting instincts, ground on the earth, smell new smells, and take in fresh air and sunshine (or moisture) while keeping them safe.
 
The most important thing is to recognize when your pet has extra energy and needs exercise versus when they need time to rest. Listen to your pet – if they seem frustrated or pent up, incorporating higher intensity exercise may help them relax. If they are more tired or seem stiff, a rest day is in their best interest.
 
If tired or stiff is their new normal, consider understanding more about what’s happening internally, and provide support with better foods and supplementation.
 
Blessings and cheers to an awesome 2026! Stay healthy and happy with all your routines to relieve tension and stress.