Yes, exercise is good for your dog’s physical health, but it is also very good for her mind as well. In fact, exercise is a fundamental way to foster your dog’s happiness. Here are eight ways how exercise is good for your dog’s mental well-being.

1. Exercise can help with the pain of arthritis, dysplasia, and other mild to moderate conditions. Besides strengthening muscles around the joint and keeping joints flexible, a fun game or an interesting walk takes your dog’s mind off the discomfort.
2. Exercise helps your dog blow off steam that would otherwise be acted out as grumpiness, aggression, nervousness or insomnia.
3. Exercise helps high-energy dogs get rid of some that energy that might otherwise may be used to chew shoes or door jambs.
4. Too much confinement can result in stress, which dogs can turn into shoe chewing and anxious behavior with company. Getting out of the house for a walk provides a change of scenery.
5. Dogs need something to do. They get bored. If you don’t engage them in constructive activity, they often will find something to do, possible something you find destructive.
6. Your dog will rest and sleep better when exercised regularly – and we all know that good sleep is crucial to your attitude.
7. Many dogs’ metabolisms are geared for work:pulling sleds, retrieving game, digging for vermin or other vigorous tasks. Being able to satisfy these natural tendencies will make your dog very content. You should try to understand the natural instincts of your dog’s breed and incorporate them into activities and exercise. For instance, for a working breed, performing a task would be naturally satisfying, possibly pulling a wagon or carrying a pack with your water bottle. For a retriever breed, engage your dog in ball or disk throwing and retrieving.
8. Unhappy dogs result from inconsistent interaction with their owners, along with a lack of exercise. Your dog interprets the time you spend with him as love, and exercise time is fun time for a dog. A loved dog is a happy dog.

You don’t always have to go for a 2 mile walk just to exercise your dog (but you could and you dog would probably love it). With simple toys like a ball or easy tools like a Petflex, you can give your dog a great work out in the backyard and work off some of her energy.

The veterinarian told the not-so-bright guy that his dog needed some exercise. 

“You need to make sure this dog runs around,” the doctor said. “Try playing a game of fetch with him.”

“I can’t play fetch with my dog,” the doofus said.

“Why not?” the doctor asked.

“Because,” he replied, “He can’t throw.

Lately, when you take your dog to play in the yard or at the dog park or for a run, you may notice a slight limp later. It might not slow her down much, but you wonder if maybe you need to take it easier. What is Dysplasia “Off-and-on lameness is a common sign of degenerative joint disease,” says Dr. Ann Johnson, veterinary orthopedic specialist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana. “Dogs show evidence of pain from degenerative joint disease by limping. Lameness can occur suddenly, or gradually increase over time. It can be persistent or intermittent.”

Canine hip dysplasia is an inherited condition where the bones don’t fit well, especially the thigh bone (femur) into the hip socket. This mismatch fit strains the cartilege that acts as a cushion between th bones. This strain leads to this progressive degenerative joint disease.

There are several ways a vet may deal with dysplasia including anti-inflammatory drugs, supplements, surgical procedures such as a total hip replacement, joint arthroplasty (removal of a portion of the bone), or arthrodesis (fusion of the joint). However, one of the first things vets recommend, especially when the condition is mild, is managing dysplasia with moderate exercise.

Why Should You Exercise A Dog with Dysplasia

Even though the joint is improper, you should still exercise your dog-moderately (we’ll talk more about that in a minute). First, exercise will strengthen the muscles around the joint, which lesses some of the stress on a joint.

Second, exercise helps you dog maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight adds stress to the joints and increases pain.

Exercises for Dysplasia

Moderation is the key for exercise. The key is a little exercise often. Even ten minutes, twice a day can help keep strenghthen your dog.

Good exercises for hip dysplasia

• Walks – casual, short walks
• Hikes – leisurely walks on easy trails
• Swimming – if you don’t have a pool or dog friendly pond nearby, look for canine hydrotherapy or rehab facilities
• Obstacle courses – tunnels/chutes, weaving through objects, balancing are fine–just no jumping
• Indoor chasing games – games like chase or hide-and-seek can provide rainy day fun, and prevent an energetic dog from running full out, which they would be feeling later
• Fetching games – easy, non-jumping games of fetch, chase, or catch

Not so good

• Running/jogging
• Sprints like squirrel chasing
• Jumping games