Kingdom of Pets

Posted by Emma-Crabtree
Aug 12, 2011

Hi, I have, foolishly, agreed to walk a neighbour's Husky bitch. The bitch is c.3-4yrs old, very affectionate and not at all aggressive. She gets on very well with my own dog.

However, she is incredibly strong and overweight and I do not have the physical strength to keep her under control. It is also very hot here at the moment, 80+. As I discovered yesterday, taking her out with Teddy is a no-no as I can't control both of them at the same time.

Any tips for exercising an overweight dog in extreme heat?

Thanks,
Emma.

Posted by KOPCaroline
Aug 14, 2011

Hey Emma,

There are always home options for exercise - lots of fetch in the backyard, tug of war with Teddy. You could try just letting them play together with a toy in the yard or open area so they can run around on their own.

You could see about a baby pool for playing in as well if heat is a major concern. Put toys in it so she wants to get in and fool around Similarly, if theres somewhere you can take her to swim and play fetch in water (river, lake, etc) - thats a really good way to excercise a dog in the summer!

If you want to keep walking her, see if anyone has a halti/gentle leader you could borrow while you're dog sitting - this will let you control her much more successfully, without needing a lot of force or hurting her. They are really good for dogs who tug excessively, I think this could help you immensely!

Tips for Walking an overweight Husky