Dogs need exercise. It’s not a maybe—keeping them active is a requirement if you want your pup to be happy and healthy. But keeping your dog active can get tricky if you’re busy and short on time to take them for a walk.

This is where sports come in. Some sports are easy to take your dog along on while you do them (think cross-country running or even golf, if your dog is well-behaved and won’t chase golf balls!). But you also get pet-specific sports.

Here are the top 3 sports and recreation benefits to your dog (and you!). Introduce your dog to sports and they’ll be healthier and happier for it!

Improved Health & Wellbeing

Just a small amount of exercise can do wonders for your dog’s health. Firstly, getting more activity into their daily routine helps them to burn more calories. If your pup is a little overweight, this can help them to slim down, which takes pressure off their cardiovascular system and their joints.

With improved fitness comes better muscle tone and a speedier metabolism. And along with all of the positive physical changes your dog will experience, comes better mental health. Yes, dogs get depressed too! But if they’re getting exercise on a regular basis, they’re likely to be happier and more lovable too.

Better Behaviour

One of the best sports and recreation benefits to your dog is improved behaviour. If your pup runs out all their extra energy on an agility course or chasing a frisbee, they’ll be much less likely to tear around the house or chew your valuables.

Many dogs’ behavioural problems are associated with boredom and a lack of stimulation. But start adding regular exercise to their days, and these issues become a thing of the past! Your dog won’t be chewing on the furniture if they had a good long run or activity during the day and all they want to do is relax and rest in the evenings.

Bonding With Their Parent

As well as a happier and healthier dog, you can look forward to bonding with your pet during their activity sessions! It depends to an extent on the sport you choose, but many dog-specific sports have pets and owners working quite closely together.

For example, canine freestyle—also called dog dancing—involves the pooch and human participating in a dance together. Or Disc Dog, which has the human throwing frisbees for the dog to catch.

Multiple other sports, including agility training, canicross, bikejoring, and Flyball all involve the two of you working together. This is the perfect time to bond and enjoy each other’s company!

Be cautious with human sports—it may not be best to take your pup along for a golf or tennis match if they have a habit of chasing balls, for example!

Conclusion

Wondering if you should get your dog involved in more activity? Do it! The sports and recreation benefits to your dog are many, and we can guarantee they’ll love you for allowing them some more exercise.

Remember to take your dog’s personality and health into account first, though. If they’re a little on the chubby side, start them off slow so that there’s not too much pressure on their joints. Flat-faced dogs—brachycephalic dogs—need to be watched carefully as they can overheat easily.

Take some treats and enough water with you so your pup can stay hydrated, and have some fun together!

About the Author

Jordan Fuller is a golfer and dog-lover. When he’s not on the course improving his own game or mentoring other golfers, he’s writing for his own website, Golf Influence.