HealthyPets Blog

Like any other relationship, the one you have with your pet requires time and energy. You’ll get as much as you are willing to invest. Do you want to see your dog happy and healthy? Then show your care. If during the week you only have time for the regular walk, do some extra activities with your furry friend at the weekend. Here are 10 things you could do together this weekend.

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1. Play With Toys

People of all ages still love to fool around with toys. Dogs love them even more, so why not offer each other this mutual pleasure? Get your pet’s stuff and go out in the yard to have fun together. If you didn’t have time lately to refill the stock, rest assured, there are plenty shops selling dog’s toys. You can also order them online. Be careful to get toys that are suitable for your dog’s size, age, and habits.

2. Play Fetch

There’s nothing simpler and more energy consuming than a fetch game. This is the one thing most dogs never get enough of. It might not boost their brains or teach them new tricks, but fetching is fun and easy. You can teach your pet how to fetch anything from toys to sticks or old shoes.

It’s important to choose am object your pet is into and try to get him or her used to that particular item. Another advantage is that fetching is also a good exercise for pet owners. If you want to burn some of those extra calories, go out to the park and play this game.

3. Go Find It

This is another one of dog’s favorite activities. Go find It is similar to playing fetch, but it adds more spice to the game. You need to take an object, make your dog sniff it and recognize it. Then you’ll hide it somewhere around your house, in the backyard or park, wherever it is that you’re playing, and ask your pet to retrieve the missing object. This is an activity that sharpens your dog’s agility and concentration.

4. Get Out Of Town

If you have more free time and some money, go out of town this weekend with your pet. Dogs love to explore new places. This will also help you unwind and get out of your daily routine. If you want to spend the night over, you’ll need to make plans. You don’t want to get to your destination and find out that not both of you are welcomed. Make sure you choose a pet-friendly hotel that can also accommodate your friend.

5. Go Shopping Together

This might sound a little bit odd, but we’re not implying you should spend the day at the mall with your pet. There are many open places where you can enjoy your dog’s company while you purchase necessary goods. You can have a 2-hour shopping session at the open market. You’ll definitely find plenty of these at the weekend.

6. Go to a Café Where Quadruped Friends Are Welcomed

You might need to do a little bit of research for this, but its’s time worth investing. Search for pet-friendly cafés in your area. These are cool places to hang out at the weekend together with your loyal companion. You’ll get to enjoy a nice coffee and a friendly talk. In the meanwhile, your pet might get the chance to play with other dogs.

7. Train Your Pet

The end of the week is probably the only time when you get to learn new things. This should also apply to your dog. You’re the one who’s in charge of the education, so plan a training course for each weekend. Think about your needs and your dog’s abilities. What do you have to work on? You might want to teach your dog to be more obedient or learn some new tricks. Especially if you deal with behavior issues, search the web for extra resources and suggestions. If you want to improve your pet’s abilities, think about the most suitable games that can help you.

8. Play Frisbee

Frisbee is another efficient exercise that will make both of you move those muscles. It’s recommended to play it in a large open space like a park. Dogs love to run freely while they’re at it and your yard might be too small. Frisbee is also an opportunity to socialize. If you have friends who like this game, ask them to join. Dogs are sociable creatures, they’ll probably love it, especially if there’s more attention directed toward them.

9. Take Longer Walks

Your working schedule wore you out during the week?  It happens a lot, but this is no excuse to keep your dog trapped in the house all weekend. You need to do something less demanding that will help you calm. Just get dressed and go out for a long walk together. Pick the time of the day that is more convenient so that you won’t need to rush back at home too soon. You can roam around the city, go to the park or visit a friend who doesn’t live nearby. A two-hour walk will do wonders for your state of mind and give great pleasure to your beloved friend.

10. Get Together with Other Pet Owners

Last but not the least, try to hang out with other people and dogs this weekend. If you have friends who are also dog lovers, invite them over. If you don’t want all that noise at home, ask them to take the dogs out for a walk together. Your pets will love to socialize and so will you.

To sum up everything we just discussed, it’s essential to spend more time with your dog and weekends are the best time to do it. No matter what activity you decide to opt for, take your time to truly enjoy it.

Author bio: Mark Fendelman is a passionate writer which loves to spend time with his three dogs. He believes that everybody should have at least one pet. “Animals should be loved, not hurt!”, says Mark. He is a regular contributor at Best10Anything.