Fun exercises for adult pets to stay fit

Your pet has been growing like a weed in the past months, with all their extra energy going into growth. The day they will stop growing is coming up fast—depending on your pet’s age and breed, it may already have passed! 

So where does all that extra energy go once it’s no longer needed for growth? Unfortunately, if it is not used up by exercise, it may end up going to your pet’s weight. This is why many pets become overweight around 1-2 years of age. In fact, excess weight is such a common pet problem that 56% of dogs and 60% of cats in the United States are overweight or obese. 

Luckily, another important change happens when your pet stops growing that can counteract this problem—they can start exercising like adults! Once their growth plates fuse, your pet will be able to enjoy more types of exercise and for longer duration, preventing them from packing on the pounds. Consult your veterinarian to determine when this will be for your pet.

After your pet is cleared to transition to their grown-up exercise, you can look forward to gradually incorporating them into your favorite exercise routines or developing some fun, new playtime games, such as

Dogs

• Longer walks
• Running
• Hiking
• Swimming
• Higher impact agility, such as jumping
• Hunting

Cats

• Playing with a variety of stimulating and interactive toys
• Training new tricks
• Fetching
• Hide-and-seek
• Scavenger hunts
• Obstacle courses
• Leash walking

However, be sure to follow some common sense rules about starting your pet on their new exercise routine, especially for outdoor play:

• Don't go from zero to 60! Just like any other athlete, your pet needs to be trained gradually before going long distances or exercising for prolonged times.
• Check the temperature outside. Avoid exercising in high heat or extreme cold.
• Bring water. Be sure you have enough for both you and your pet. You will also need a collapsible bowl or some other method to give your pet the water.
• Be ready to stop before your pet gets too tired or simply flat out refuses to continue. If pushed too hard, your pet may even need to be carried home.

If at any point your pet shows signs of limping or lameness, consult your veterinarian. This time of transition to adulthood is often when hereditary joint problems start showing themselves. Joint supplements may be helpful in promoting joint health and slowing down the progression of these problems in affected pets. 

If your pet is deemed to need some joint support, check out our large selection of veterinarian-approved supplements today to start protecting your pet’s joint health >>