DAILY EXERCISE AND MENTAL ENRICHMENT

Imagine that your dog has a fuel tank full of energy. Each time you burn up some of that energy with a game, exercise, or a mental challenge there is a little less of that fuel left for jumping on furniture, counters, people, etc! It’s important for pit bulls to have aerobic exercise everyday.

In addition to at least one leash walk per day (which is nice mental stimulation), dogs need to get their heart rate up at least once a day. We’ve found that most pit bulls do great with a minimum of (2) 20 minute walks and one good hearty 20 minutes of interactive play. This play time can be with other dogs or with people. Even if you have a fenced yard, you should take your dog for no less than 1 walk per day for the sake of socialization. Very few people have hours on end to play and train with their dog, however if you can give your dog at least one hour of combined walks and play throughout the day it will make a huge difference. Obviously the more you can give the better, though don’t be misled into thinking that you need 6 hours a day to take good care of your pit bull’s physical and mental health. Obviously weather and the age/health of your individual dog will also be factors in determining your dog’s daily routine. Consult your Veterinarian if you have concerns about how much exercise is right for your dog.

Walks
Walks don’t cut it as exercise for most dogs. Dogs like getting out and checking out the environment but it’s not exercise. Exercise means exertion. It is a lot to ask of a puppy or adolescent dog to walk nicely on a leash before they’ve had some exercise. While out on walks, please allow your dog to sniff -- this is a big deal to them! This is the equivalent of you returning emails, or as Dr. Ian Dunbar calls them “pee mails”. Walks are for elimination, sniffing and socializing. Use consistent words to tell your dog when to take their time sniffing (such as “Go Sniff”) and when it is time to move on (such as “OK, let’s go”). During walks is an excellent time to incorporate training (more on this below).

Play
Play can be with humans or other dogs, but public dog parks are not recommended. Many people ask, “Are pit bulls are safe to play with other dogs?” There is no way we can give a definitive answer unless we’ve actually met with you and your dog and seen your pit bull playing with other dogs. If you have any concerns about your dog’s behavior around other people or dogs, contact us or another positive, reward-based trainer in your area. It may be simple or it may be complicated. Either way it is best to find out ASAP, so you can help your dog and put your concerns into perspective. Having insight into dog play is fun and is a great way to understand your dog better. During play, work out your pit bull with games like fetch, tug and hide & seek.

Mental Enrichment
Sometimes dog owners focus too much on exercise alone and inadvertently end up creating a super athlete that they can’t keep up with! For this and other reasons, it is important to burn off some of your dog’s energy with mental enrichment strategies as well. Dogs need to think and problem solve. If we don’t provide opportunities for them to do this legally, they will come up with their own ideas such as garbage can raiding, counter surfing and digging. Providing proper outlets for mental stimulation will go a long way in preventing unwanted behaviors.

Nothing in Life is Free
Get started with the “Nothing in Life is Free” program. Having your pit bull do a task or obedience cue to get something he wants is an excellent way to keep your training polished and relevant and provide some mental stimulation. Anything that you know your dog wants and you have control over can be used as a reward.

Dogs are hunters and scavengers. In a more natural environment, they would be expending quite a lot of energy to secure food. Adding some puzzle/work-to-eat toys such as the Kong or Tricky Treat Ball to get your dog working harder for his food will help burn up some more of that energy and further satisfy his need to think and problem solve. Remember to stuff Kongs loosely at first and only stuff tighter as the dog gets good at unstuffing – tongue dexterity is an acquired skill! Read these Kong Stuffing Pointers.

Alone Time
If you are away from your home for more than 4-6 hours at a time, please consider getting a dog walker or a trusted friend to walk your dog in the middle of the day. Pit Bulls love to be with people. Spending large amounts of time alone can develop stress related behaviors, such as separation anxiety, excessive barking, crate or furniture chewing and house soiling. Take steps ahead of time to ensure your dog's well being when you will be away from home.