Dog Training
04/28/2015
THE POWER OF THE WALK
By Melanie Benware One of the most important things we can do with and for our dogs is walk them,…
Swimming is a great form of exercise to use when training your dog! Though he will think it’s just plain fun, there are also many wonderful physical and neurological benefits to swimming. This low impact exercise will promote strong muscles, increase circulation and endurance, and even boost his confidence!
Water provides a natural resistance that forces your dog to work harder to swim than he has to when walking or running. This additional effort will result in improved muscular strength and tone. Strong, toned muscles will protect him against injuries that may happen during normal exercise on land. The water will also help to loosen any tight muscles or joint stiffness your dog is experiencing from a concentrated training program.
Swimming also increases your dog’s range of motion, thereby enhancing his balance and coordination. The re-education of his muscles improves his agility. Additionally, you can ensure his bones are kept strong by combining swimming with other types of exercise to sustain good bone density.
Lastly, swimming provides a form of physical activity that will burn calories and increase your dog’s metabolic rate. In combination with a good diet, swimming can help dogs achieve their optimum weights.
Watch as Bogart takes a dip in the swimming pool at Alpha Dog Club. Go Bogart!!
We also provide all of our campers a state of the art swimming pool when they come to doggie day care in Richmond, VA!