Pawsome Tails
The importance of fun and exercise in your furry friend’s life
THE moment I pull into the driveway, my furry-four-pawed retrievers are there to greet me. After a long day at work, Koljander can get especially vocal, because, “Mom, we need to get to the park!” His barking does not cease until I’ve thrown down my work bags, filled up their water bottle and got them dressed for our walk. And by dressed I mean strapping them in their harnesses and handing them each a ball. Then it’s a race to the car, windows rolled down and off to the park we go and the games begin.
Vinkel and Koljander are well trained and very obedient and because of this I can let them off the leash and really throw that ball as far as I can. They retrieve (as is suggested in their breed name) and between rolling in the grass, running and lots of tail wagging, they find refreshment in their water bowl.
Despite trying my best to maintain this daily routine of fetch, which serves to tire them out and keep them healthy and fit, I do sometimes return home to find some plant dug out of the garden. Mostly after a day where we just couldn’t make it to the dog park before dark. Sometimes it seems Vinkel thinks she can recreate an attraction similar to the Big Hole in Kimberley, and, of course, diamonds come in the form of undiscovered bones that some other pet, that might have once lived before in the same garden, may have hidden there.
It’s especially worrying when a homeowner points it out to you with the words: “We seem to have a slight problem here.” Although the two have each other, mischief and boredom seems to still come up from time to time when mommy isn’t home.
There was the one morning I took out some mince and pastry from the freezer to thaw. The two fluffs had access to the kitchen and when I returned home that afternoon, ready to cook up a delicious home-made pie, the mince and the pastry was missing. I had left it right in the middle of the island in the kitchen, I was sure of it. I checked the freezer and thought I’d gone mad. I eventually widened my search to the garden and there it was: all the evidence. Luckily they had consumed none of the plastic wrappings, but I was a little bit worried about what that amount of pastry might do to the two of them.
There were other days when I came home to discover they had gotten into my oil paints, and worse, had jumped onto freshly painted artwork, paint paws galore… But I have to admit, a big part of this was during the days that they were young and naturally naughty puppies.
While most of these things are generally, well, fairly harmless, for some people it can be a real frustration to deal with a dog that is bored, or not getting enough exercise. Not to mention the frustration of returning to a home or a garden that has been chewed up by a bored dog.
The importance of exercise
Big or small, the truth is all dogs need daily exercise. While the age and breed of your dog may affect your dog’s ability to exercise, all dogs still need to take part in some form of daily physical activity. Exercise tones muscles, engages the mind and helps the body and metabolic system to function properly. Keep in mind that exercise is of paramount importance in preventing weight gain in dogs and keeping them in optimal condition.
Mental stimulation and exercise not only prevents boredom, but also develops your dog’s personality and wards off stress.
Some of the most important stimuli for dogs include:
• exposure to interesting places and things
• new, exciting experiences
• frequent opportunities to learn things and solve problems
• investigating and interacting with objects and the environment around them.
Getting your dog a furry friend is never a bad idea, just make sure that the two dogs will get along with each other. In the case of Vinkel and Koljander, having them together since birth has meant that they’ve never had to experience loneliness. And they’ve always had each other as playmates.
There are a lot of interactive dog toys on the market that can stimulate your dog during the day while you’re at the office. And it’s always a good idea to leave them with toys that are especially for them, that they can take their frustrations out on, rather than your home or garden. There are all sort of interesting toys on the market and a simple online search or visit your nearest pet store will leave you with plenty to choose from.
Despite interactive toys, dogs flourish on the personal attention we give them and remember there is nothing that can replace that. So, make time for the dog in your life, remembering they love you unconditionally and whole-heartedly.
I’ve put together a list of some lovely dog-friendly parks to visit:
Emmarentia Dam, Emmarentia
Walkhaven, Muldersdrift
Delta Park, Blairgowrie
Sandton Field and Study Centre, Sandton
Kingfisher Park, Fourways
Eco Dog Park, Fourways
Jackson Dam, Alberton
Otherwise, take your pooch for a walk around the block or visit a local park in your area.
That’s it for this week, from me, Vinkel and Koljander. Paw five! Woof!
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