Exercise Can Help Train Your Dog

By Denny Phillips

Many of a dog's behavioral problems can be attributed to a lack of proper exercise. Exercise plays a very important part in helping to keep your dog physically, as well as emotionally, happy.

Of course, the physical part of exercise is obvious. Exercise can keep your dog at a proper weight and help him avoid health issues that can derive from being overweight. Giving your dog the proper amount of exercise can help him avoid diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and even some forms of cancer, as well as other issues that may arise from excessive weight (like arthritis).

But did you know that exercise can also help your dog be emotionally happy? If you take a look at what your dog does all day, you can begin to realize that he may be bored. Does your dog seem to sleep all day? Many dogs do. And if your dog is bored, he may be more apt to get into mischief. He also may look for ways to get attention, such as misbehaving, chewing things, or eliminating waste in inappropriate places. All of these can be due to a lack of proper exercise.

Exercising your dog can help to control many behavioral problems. Not only will it prevent your dog's boredom, but it will also tire him out so that he may have no energy left to get into mischief or seek other attention.

Have you also realized that while you are exercising your dog, you are also inadvertently training him? If you take your dog for walks around the neighborhood, while he is on his leash he is learning to obey your commands. He is learning how to behave with respect to the people or other animals he meets and learns to become a sociable pet. He is also learning how to be street-wise.

If you are doing some other form of exercise with your dog-say, even playing ball-you are still teaching him the rules of how you want him to behave. For example, you throw the ball and he fetches it. He then must put the ball down before you can throw it again. He is learning the 'sit-stay-fetch' commands. He is learning that you are the one in control, or the 'pack leader', and that he must follow your commands. It is a reward system. If he does not do as you say, he does not get the pleasure of chasing the ball again.

So exercise, even if you do not realize it, can help to train your dog. It is a fun way for your dog to learn commands and how to obey you. As an added bonus, exercising your dog can also help you to get in your own exercise regime.

Denny Phillips is a writer who has written an e-book on dog exercise, "The GREAT Dog Exercise Book". If you want further information on how exercise can benefit your dog, visit: http://www.progressive-content.com/progressive_content_sale_044.htm If you wish to buy content for your website, visit Progressive Content at: http://www.progressive-content.com