How Much Exercise Does my Emotional Support Dog Really Needs?

Like humans, regular exercise provides lots of health benefits to animals. It helps in lowering blood pressure levels, building muscles, strengthening bones, reducing risks of obesity, etc. Now, the question is—what are the daily exercise needs of an emotional support dog? What are the different ways to exercise a dog? Let’s find out.

How Much Exercise an Emotional Support Dog Requires?

Daily exercising needs depend on various factors, such as breed, general health, and age. Some veterinarians believe that an hour of exercise every day can help a four-legged animal stay fit and healthy.

For instance, Golden Retrievers are active dogs, which love playing. Usually, they require at least 2 hours of exercise every day. Pugs are lazy dogs, which don’t require much exercise daily.

However, Exercising doesn’t mean that you should focus on physical exercises, such as throwing a ball and asking your dog to pick it up. But, mental & social stimulation is also necessary.

It’s not a good idea to take your emotional support dog out in extremely hot or cold weather. During such periods, you can opt for exercising your dog indoors. Simply run it up and downstairs, engage its mind, throw toys, etc.

Age is an important factor, a developing dog requires more exercise. It’s good to start with short walks and indoor games. For adult dogs, there are plenty of options available when it comes to exercising. You can take them for hiking, swimming, or play frisbee with them. When dogs grow older, they tire more easily. However, their desire to play and be with their owners doesn’t change. Regular walks can help increase mental stimulation and keep them fit.

Like humans, animals enjoy a variety of exercises. Here are some of the best ways to exercise your dog-

• Visit a dog park, the best place for off-leash running. Moreover, your dog can enjoy exercising with other dogs there.
  
  
• Hiking. Take your dog to a new adventure, allowing them to explore new trails.
  
  
• Swimming is a great exercise and is perfect for dogs that love the water. Don’t forget to wear your dog a safety jacket.
  
  
• Throwing a ball or frisbee and asking your dog to retrieve it provides a great amount of exercise. 

In conclusion, emotional support dogs require regular exercise to stay active. Clearly, if they are fit, they can only provide their owners with ultimate support to help them deal with their mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, etc. Daily exercising requirements vary from breed to breed. Other factors include age and general health. There are many ways to exercise your dog, such as long walks, hiking, swimming, indoor games, etc. No matter what exercises your dog does, make sure they enjoy them and have fun.

By registering your dog as an emotional support dog, you can legally take it to various places where normal dogs aren’t allowed. At My ESA Doctor, you can apply for an ESA letter online in just 10 minutes. Simply submit your ESA application online, talk to our therapist via video call, and receive your emotional support dog letter via email.